Introduction to the Canadian Armed Forces

Background

• The National Defence Act (NDA) establishes the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and recognizes the two as separate and distinct legal entities. The NDA states the Minister of National Defence (MND) has the management and direction of the CAF. It also provides that there will be a Deputy Minister (DM), and that there may be a Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) appointed by the Governor in Council (GiC). The CAF has an authorized strength of 71,500 Regular Force and 30,000 Primary Reserve, and 5,640 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group members.

Considerations

Leadership and Rank Structure

• The CDS, under the direction of the MND, is charged with the control and administration of the CAF. Unless the GiC directs otherwise, all orders and instructions to the CAF that are required to give effect to the decisions and to carry out the directions of the Government of Canada (GC) or the MND shall be issued by or through the CDS. The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS), who is appointed by the CDS, has the control and administration of the CAF in the event of the absence or incapacity of the CDS.
• CAF members' positions in the command structure are determined by their rank or appointment. Rank reflects a level of ability, capability, experience, and knowledge. The CAF consists of officers and non-commissioned members (NCMs). Although officers are higher in the rank structure than NCMs, experienced NCMs play a vital role in the development and training of young officers and often act as advisors and disciplinarians.
• The CDS is the highest-ranking member of the CAF. All other members of the CAF, with few exceptions, serve under the command of the CDS, regardless of their location and type of employment.
• The CAF is comprised of Regular and Reserve Force Members. Regular Force members serve full-time in the CAF and make up the bulk of personnel employed domestically and abroad on operations. Regular Force Members are posted to bases and wings across the country, depending on their trade, career progression, and environment (sea/land/air/special operations).
• Most Reserve Force members are Primary Reserve members who serve part-time in the CAF, typically working one night per week and one weekend per month; these members are known as 'Class A Reservists'. The Reserve Force exists to augment the Regular Forces, meaning that it contributes trained personnel to operations at home and abroad to help sustain and support Regular Force activities. To do so, some Reserve Force members serve on non-operational (Class B) and operational (Class C) full-time basis. Class C reservists can serve on routine and contingency operations both at home and abroad. Most Reserve Force members serve with designated Reserve units in the Canadian Army (CA); however, there are Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) Reserve Force members as well.
• Canadian Rangers are a sub-component of the Reserve Force and provide a CAF presence, local operational capability, and community resiliency support in sparsely settled, remote, northern, coastal, and isolated areas of Canada which cannot be expeditiously supported by other elements of the CAF. The Canadian Rangers, with an authorized strength of 5,640 members, are organized into five Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups across 203 patrols within the CA. Canadian Rangers patrol an average of 12 days per year and receive compensation for the use and wear of their personal equipment.
• A Junior Canadian Ranger Program, with approximately 3,000 youth across 150 patrols, is maintained to provide a structured youth program which promotes traditional cultures and lifestyles in remote, coastal and isolated communities of Canada.
• The Cadet Program is a national youth development program engaging approximately 60,000 sea, army and air cadets in 1,100 corps and squadrons across Canada with the goal of strengthening over 800 local communities by providing meaningful experiences that will assist youth to successfully transition to adulthood. The program is delivered and supported by 5,885 Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Services (COATS) personnel, which is a sub-component of the Primary Reserve and includes Cadet Instructor Cadre officers, COATS General Service Officers, and COATS non-commissioned members.

Organization

• For the conduct of operations, the CAF is divided into Force Generators (FGs) and Force Employers (FEs). Oversight and command of these elements is provided by the CDS and VCDS, supported by the Strategic Joint Staff and Judge Advocate General.
• CAF members also serve within Defence Level 1 organizations (L1) under Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADMs). Of particular note, the Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture was created in 2021 to unify and integrate all associated culture change activities across the Defence and become the centralized expertise for professional conduct and culture. This L1 is led by a CAF officer that is directly supported by an Associate ADM and reports to both the CDS and DM.
• FGs are responsible for their training, career progression, welfare and are the subject matter experts within their environments. FGs include both Regular Force and Primary Reserve units.
• FGs include the following:
  • RCN;
  • CA;
  • RCAF;
  • Chief Military Personnel;
  • Canadian Forces Cyber Command (CAFCYBERCOM) (for cyber capabilities);
  • VCDS Staff (for military police and health services);
  • Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM); and
  • CANSOFCOM.
• FEs are assigned personnel from the FGs to perform specific missions and operations. They employ the FG's personnel to achieve the mission objectives. FEs are responsible for the planning and conduct of operations, as directed by the CDS, to meet GC requirements.
• The FEs include the following:
  • Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC);
  • CANSOFCOM;
  • CAFCYBERCOM;
  • CFINTCOM; and
  • North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
• CJOC is responsible for conducting full-spectrum CAF operations at home, on the continent of North America, and around the world. With its integrated command and control structure, CJOC directs these operations from their earliest planning stages through to mission closeout, ensuring that national strategic goals are achieved. The only CAF operations in which CJOC does not engage are those conducted solely by CANSOFCOM or NORAD.

Core Missions of the CAF

• There are eight core missions identified in Canada's defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged (2017) which the CAF must be capable of performing. Ensuring the CAF has the capabilities, equipment, and personnel to perform these missions is central to the organization, functions, and activities of DND and the CAF. The core missions are:
  • Detect, deter and defend against threats to or attacks on Canada;
  • Detect, deter and defend against threats to or the attack on North America in partnership with the United States, including through NORAD;
  • Lead and/or contribute forces to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and coalition efforts to deter and defeat adversaries, including terrorists, to support global stability;
  • Lead and/or contribute to international peace operations and stabilization missions with the United Nations, NATO and other multilateral partners;
  • Engage in capacity building to support the security of other nations and their ability to contribute to security abroad;
  • Provide assistance to civil authorities and law enforcement, including counter-terrorism, in support of national security and the security of Canadians abroad;
  • Provide assistance to civil authorities and non-governmental partners in responding to international and domestic disasters or major emergencies; and
  • Conduct search and rescue operations (SAR).
• The CAF conducts various activities in support of these missions with some examples including:
  • In Canada:
    • Patrolling coastlines;
    • Monitoring airspace;
    • Surveillance and control in the Arctic;
    • Leading aeronautical SAR missions;
    • Assisting civil authorities with disaster relief;
    • Supporting major international events in Canada; and
    • Supporting counter-terrorism.
  • In North America:
    • Surveillance of maritime and air approaches in cooperation with the United States; and
    • Coordination through NORAD.
  • Abroad:
    • Combat operations;
    • Regional security operations;
    • Peace-support and stabilization operations;
    • Training and advisory operations;
    • Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations; and
    • Non-combatant evacuation operations.