Canadian Forces ranks and insignia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a table of the ranks and insignia of the Canadian Forces. As the Canadian Forces are officially bilingual, the French language ranks are in italics.

Navy	Army	Air Force	Description
OFFICERS
General Officers		Flag Officers
Admiral (amiral)	General (général)	General (général)	St. Edward's crown, crossed sabre and baton, four maple leaves
Vice-Admiral (vice-amiral)	Lieutenant-General (lieutenant-général)	Lieutenant-General (lieutenant-général)	St. Edward's crown, crossed sabre and baton, three maple leaves
Rear-Admiral (contre-amiral)	Major-General (major-général)	Major-General (major-général)	St. Edward's crown, crossed sabre and baton, two maple leaves
Commodore (commodore)	Brigadier-General (brigadier-général)	Brigadier-General (brigadier-général)	St. Edward's crown, crossed sabre and baton, one maple leaf
Senior Officers
Captain(N) (capitaine de vaisseau)	Colonel (colonel)	Colonel (colonel)	Four standard gold stripes
Commander (capitaine de frégate)	Lieutenant-Colonel (lieutenant-colonel)	Lieutenant-Colonel (lieutenant-colonel)	Three standard gold stripes
Lieutenant Commander (capitaine de corvette)	Major (major)	Major (major)	One thin gold stripe between two standard gold stripes
Junior Officers
Lieutenant(N) (lieutenant de vaisseau)	Captain (capitaine)	Captain (capitaine)	Two standard gold stripes
Sub-Lieutenant (enseigne de vaisseau de 1re classe)	Lieutenant (lieutenant)	Lieutenant (lieutenant)	One thin gold strip above one standard gold stripe
Acting Sub-Lieutenant (enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe)	Second Lieutenant (sous-lieutenant)	Second Lieutenant (sous-lieutenant)	One standard gold stripe
Subordinate Officers
Naval Cadet (aspirant de marine)	Officer Cadet (élève-officier)	Officer Cadet (élève-officier)	One thin gold stripe
NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBERS
Warrant Officers
Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (premier maître de 1re classe)	Chief Warrant Officer (adjudant-chef)	Chief Warrant Officer (adjudant-chef)	The Coat of Arms of Canada
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class (premier maître de 2e classe)	Master Warrant Officer (adjudant-maître)	Master Warrant Officer (adjudant-maître)	St. Edward's Crown within a laurel wreath
Petty Officer 1st Class (maître de 1re classe)	Warrant Officer (adjudant)	Warrant Officer (adjudant)	St. Edward's Crown
Non-Commissioned Officers
Petty Officer 2nd Class (maître de 2e classe)	Sergeant (sergent)	Sergeant (sergent)	Three inverted chevrons surmounted by a maple leaf
Master Seaman (matelot-chef)	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Two inverted chevrons surmounted by a maple leaf
Leading Seaman (matelot de 1re classe)	Corporal (caporal)	Corporal (caporal)	Two inverted chevrons
Privates
Able Seaman (matelot de 2e classe)	Private (soldat)	Private (soldat)	One inverted chevron
Ordinary Seaman (matelot de 3e classe)	Private (soldat)	Private (soldat)	No insignia

• Some branches and regiments use distinctive rank names in place of Master Corporal, Corporal and Private:

Branch	Master Corporal	Corporal	Private
Armoured Branch	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Trooper (cavalier)
Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery	Master Bombardier (bombardier-chef)	Bombardier (bombardier)	Gunner (artilleur)
Military Engineering Branch	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Sapper (sappeur)
Communications and Electronics Branch	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Signalman (signaleur)
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Craftsman (artisan)
Infantry Branch members of guards regiments	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Guardsman (garde)
Infantry Branch members of rifle regiments	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Rifleman (carabinier)
Infantry Branch members of fusilier regiments	Master Corporal (caporal-chef)	Corporal (caporal)	Fusilier (fusilier)

• The officers of some army regiments wear pre-unification rank insignia on their ceremonial uniforms (full dress and patrol dress). These insignia are nearly identical to those of the British Army: see British Army officer rank insignia for details.

• Naval officers still use the Royal Navy-style rank insignia on mess uniforms, complete with executive curl (see Royal Navy officer rank insignia). The colour designations for specialist officers are not used except for naval medical officers who may use a variant of the standard rank slip-ons and shoulder boards incorporating a red background between the gold stripes of their rank.

[edit] See also

• Royal Canadian Air Force ranks
• Comparative military ranks
• Former Ranks of the Canadian Forces

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Canadian Forces ranks and appointment insignia - official site with images of rank insignia for Navy, Army and Air Force.