A useful quick summary of the Canadian Army's rank structure. However, there is much more to ranks that cannot be covered in a short video. The Canadian Army's rank structure and rank insignia were based on the British Army ranks. From the start of the Canadian Militia in the 19th century, through its transformation to the Canadian Army right up to 1968, the British Army's officer rank insignia was used. From 1968 to 2014, a stripe system was used, based on the wishes of Paul Hellyer, the Minister of National Defence in the 1960's, to unify the Canadian Armed Forces. Fortunately, the unified structure of the Forces went away, and I am very glad to see the British Army's rank insignia for officers from Second Lieutenant to Colonel are now in use again. The rank insignia of Canadian Army General Officers still uses the system of one to four maple leaves originally developed for the unified Canadian Armed Forces. The rank insignia of the Canadian Army's Non-Commissioned Members is a hybrid of the British Army combined with the ranks developed in 1968 for the unified Canadian Armed Forces. Unique to Canada are the following ranks / appointments: Master Corporal (an appointment originally developed because of a need to fix a problem with the pay of Corporals), Warrant Officer (replaced Staff Sergeant), Master Warrant Officer (replaced Warrant Officer Class 2) and Chief Warrant Officer (replaced Warrant Officer Class 1). There is a lot more that I could say about ranks in the Canadian Army. However, I will leave it at that. Regards, D.A. Stolovitch, CD Captain 2 Military Police Regiment / Canadian Forces Military Police, Canadian Army Reserve (Retired)
Paul Hellyer a name that will live in infamy for what he did to our Canadian Armed Forces!!! Glad that most of the traditions have been restored after what that a*****e did! My only disagreement with you is that I would have liked the maple leaf be used instead of the pip as rank insignia for Lt. Colonel to 2nd Lieutenant.
@@a.fredscullard162 The pip would be more appropriate if you consider its historical and socio-political meaning. It's actually the star of the Order of Bath symbolizing the "bathing" or commissioning of knights. As commissioned officers literally means officers commissioned or appointed to command the army on behalf of the monarch, the pips on your shoulders should and must represent the authority of the Crown. A maple leaf simply doesn't give that symbolic weight and traditions exist for good reasons. Besides, all Commonwealth armies use the Pips and Crown system. If we wanted to be different we might as well just keep the more American -like bars structure.
@@a.fredscullard162 Maybe like you said, trying to preserve a bit Canadian, not too British, which to me is unnecessary. Whatever people think is too British is in fact inherent to our own military heritage. Not more British than Canadian units wearing scarlets and bearskins for our Full Dress uniform if you ask me.
Enjoyed your video. It certainly takes much longer to make rank in the Canadian and British Armed Forces than in the U.S. . Some branches of the U.S. Armed Forces have provisions to enter the service at higher ranks/pay and gray than other personnel. The Army, Coast Guard, and Air Force have the most advanced entry programs... Army will enlist you as a Private 1st class OR 3, or Corporal or Specialist 4 OR 4, if you have a college degree, or special civilian training, and/or enlist in a critical MOS. The Coast Guard will bring you aboard as an OR 4 (Petty Officer 3rd class) for a degree or special education/professional experience. And to be eligible for promotion to the next higher rank after only 14 months. If you have successfully graduated from a 3 year Junior ROTC program. Branch of which doesn't matter, all the branches will enlist you as OR 2 or OR 3
@@mauricebeyjr611 It does, but only once you are fully trade qualified. pretty sure the only reason pte recruit and pte basic have no insignia is because of carry over from British army ranking system.
RCMP served in the SA Borer Wars. Today's musical ride brings back their tactics, using their lances, as calvary charges, armed with lances and Webley 6 shot side arms. Officers carry a sword and pistol.
And no staff or colour sergeants either. And what is a "Master Warrant Officer?" Trust the Canadians to screw up a perfectly good rank system, while adopting an America style salute.
@@cryptohunt2552 Master Warrant Officer (MWO) has been around for quite awhile...it's essentially a CSM or Company Sargeant Major. Regimental Sargeant Majors are called Chief Warrant Officer's (CWO). Not sure where you got the idea that they Salute like Americans? Not even close...since Canada's Military is pretty much patterned off the British Military System.
It's a bit odd, but the Major General rank was derived from the rank of Sergeant Major General, which was a rank subordinate to lieutenant general and a Lieutenant outranks a Sergeant Major, hence the reason why the Lieutenant General out ranks the major general.
@@MilitaryStuffChannel And some of the British Army Cavalry Regiments, iirc, in the House Hold Brigade don't have a sergeant rank. Only corporal. ie: corporal-Major
@Rockwell Rhodes Its not about providing work for anyone. The Canadian Army is based on the Regimental system, like the British. In fact many of our Regiments have lineage that goes back to those famous regiments and thus carries with in some cases hundreds of years of tradition. There really is nothing complex in fact once immersed in it it becomes very simple. Also each regiments/corps etc have their own cap badge and regalia. This makes identifying units quickly in the field. Our regiments/corps etc have long histories and carry the battle honours to prove it. Canadians when enlisting are posted to regional units that have regional flavours and thus the soldiers have similarities. In the reserves (ex Militia) you would join that local militia most decent sized towns had a unit. Again these units would have time honour traditions. In wars these men fought together as not only Canadians, but as the Regiment(or what have you) and buddy just might be your neighbour. Local towns had pried in their militia units and visa versa. I belonged to a unit whos roots dated through it British parent back to the Battle of Hasting in 1066. A lot of history, honour and tradition.
That logic doesn’t work when major is also lower than lieutenant colonel. A lieutenant is an assistant or a sort of next in line for something; hence lieutenant generals and colonels.
don't forget the 100 days of WW!, the crossing of the Nord Canal, the taking of Vimy Ridge(French and British spent over a year to take it and failed) The Canadian Corps took it in a weekend.
Alas, the disaster bequeathed by Paul Hellyer lives on with the ludicrous “Master and Chief” ranks. The hideous sergeant rank insignia is another Hellyer creation.
The CF rank insignia system was a bizarre amalgam of British Army, US Navy, and USAF approaches to rank insignias. The Master Corporal and Sergeant rank insignia were inspired by USAF NCO insignia. Officer rank insignia was lifted from the US Navy. General Officer rank insignia was inspired by the US system. All in all, an attempt to push out traditions and adopt American approaches which have no historical connection to Canada. Much of this has been fixed, some however remains, unfortunately.
The old British system I always felt was the best: every rank had a purpose (not simply given away) and it addressed all aspects of command and control, developed over a century. Hellyer broke a completely functional system for no other reason than it was British in character and to offer symbolic promotions to non leadership for retention.
@@sharpy3453 nope it might be Cpl on pay scale but it is its own rank with its own 2 chevrons and a maple leaf, also u need PLQ completed to even get MCpl
@@saadshakeel7536 yeah i know. and its still an appointment. QR&O volume I chapter 3 Rank, Seniority, Command and Precedence 3.08 - MASTER CORPORAL APPOINTMENT (1) The Chief of the Defence Staff or such officer as he may designate may appoint a corporal as a master corporal. (2) The rank of a master corporal remains that of corporal. (3) Master corporals have seniority among themselves in their order of seniority as corporals. (4) Master corporals have authority and powers of command over all other corporals.
@@sharpy3453 “Master corporal, while formally an appointment, is treated as a de facto non-commissioned member rank, and is often described as such, even in official documents.”
When did they start spelling it "Lieutenant" (American) instead of "Leftenant" and why does the pronunciation not reflect that change??Please don't adopt the American style of drill.It looks so utterly sloppy...neat but very sloppy.Is this " another Hellyer creation."??
There are also a lot of variations on rank titles depending on the regiment/corps:
Infantry (Foot guards) - Guardsman (Private), Colour Sergeant (Warrant Officer), Ensign (Second Lieutenant)
Infantry (Rifles) - Rifleman (Private)
Armour - Trooper (Private)
Artillery - Gunner (Private), Bombardier (Corporal), Master Bombardier (Master Corporal)
Engineers - Sapper (Private)
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - Craftsman (Private)
Signals - Signaller (Private)
Most definitely.
So, is there ever really a "private"? What's left that doesn't have a special designation?
@@BrianZinchuk Yes, most privates are addressed as private.
A useful quick summary of the Canadian Army's rank structure. However, there is much more to ranks that cannot be covered in a short video. The Canadian Army's rank structure and rank insignia were based on the British Army ranks. From the start of the Canadian Militia in the 19th century, through its transformation to the Canadian Army right up to 1968, the British Army's officer rank insignia was used. From 1968 to 2014, a stripe system was used, based on the wishes of Paul Hellyer, the Minister of National Defence in the 1960's, to unify the Canadian Armed Forces. Fortunately, the unified structure of the Forces went away, and I am very glad to see the British Army's rank insignia for officers from Second Lieutenant to Colonel are now in use again. The rank insignia of Canadian Army General Officers still uses the system of one to four maple leaves originally developed for the unified Canadian Armed Forces. The rank insignia of the Canadian Army's Non-Commissioned Members is a hybrid of the British Army combined with the ranks developed in 1968 for the unified Canadian Armed Forces. Unique to Canada are the following ranks / appointments: Master Corporal (an appointment originally developed because of a need to fix a problem with the pay of Corporals), Warrant Officer (replaced Staff Sergeant), Master Warrant Officer (replaced Warrant Officer Class 2) and Chief Warrant Officer (replaced Warrant Officer Class 1). There is a lot more that I could say about ranks in the Canadian Army. However, I will leave it at that.
Regards,
D.A. Stolovitch, CD
Captain
2 Military Police Regiment / Canadian Forces Military Police, Canadian Army Reserve (Retired)
In deed. There is too much to cover in a short video.
Paul Hellyer a name that will live in infamy for what he did to our Canadian Armed Forces!!! Glad that most of the traditions have been restored after what that a*****e did! My only disagreement with you is that I would have liked the maple leaf be used instead of the pip as rank insignia for Lt. Colonel to 2nd Lieutenant.
@@a.fredscullard162 The pip would be more appropriate if you consider its historical and socio-political meaning. It's actually the star of the Order of Bath symbolizing the "bathing" or commissioning of knights. As commissioned officers literally means officers commissioned or appointed to command the army on behalf of the monarch, the pips on your shoulders should and must represent the authority of the Crown. A maple leaf simply doesn't give that symbolic weight and traditions exist for good reasons. Besides, all Commonwealth armies use the Pips and Crown system. If we wanted to be different we might as well just keep the more American -like bars structure.
@@alvindurochermtl Have to wonder then why General Officers returned to the unified rank structure!
@@a.fredscullard162 Maybe like you said, trying to preserve a bit Canadian, not too British, which to me is unnecessary. Whatever people think is too British is in fact inherent to our own military heritage. Not more British than Canadian units wearing scarlets and bearskins for our Full Dress uniform if you ask me.
Enjoyed your video. It certainly takes much longer to make rank in the Canadian and British Armed Forces than in the U.S. . Some branches of the U.S. Armed Forces have provisions to enter the service at higher ranks/pay and gray than other personnel. The Army, Coast Guard, and Air Force have the most advanced entry programs... Army will enlist you as a Private 1st class OR 3, or Corporal or Specialist 4 OR 4, if you have a college degree, or special civilian training, and/or enlist in a critical MOS. The Coast Guard will bring you aboard as an OR 4 (Petty Officer 3rd class) for a degree or special education/professional experience. And to be eligible for promotion to the next higher rank after only 14 months. If you have successfully graduated from a 3 year Junior ROTC program. Branch of which doesn't matter, all the branches will enlist you as OR 2 or OR 3
Also, only Colonels have the collar tabs or gorgets. Lt Cols and Majors wear their regimental or corps collar badges.
'Private Recruit' is an official rank, then 'Private Basic' then 'Private Trained.' 3 separate ranks and the pay reflects this.
Im in the US Army, been in since 2019. Wouldn't it make sense to have an insignia to show that?
@Rockwell Rhodes I mean there are two levels to Recruit, so shouldnt that be designated?
@@mauricebeyjr611 probably, but these ranks are very temporary. wouldn’t make sense to switch ur insignia after every course u do in ur first year in.
@@LittleMakwa I hear you, so wouldn't it make sense to have private its own rank insignia?
@@mauricebeyjr611 It does, but only once you are fully trade qualified. pretty sure the only reason pte recruit and pte basic have no insignia is because of carry over from British army ranking system.
I am so excited to serve this beautiful country.
RCMP served in the SA Borer Wars. Today's musical ride brings back their tactics, using their lances, as calvary charges, armed with lances and Webley 6 shot side arms. Officers carry a sword and pistol.
Really informing video! It would be nice if you did a video on the Royal Canadian Air Force next! Thanks.
Thank you. Coming soon.
Airforce ranks are the exact same as army
@@luhrjensen not quite, army private is known as aviator.
Canadian graphic designers would be totally lost, but for the maple leaf.
Wish I had this when I was in BMQ
how are the tests there done and generally consist of?
@@Bxn.jii_pretty easy to remember them they gave me a piece of paper with them in order. They just ask the ranks in order in person
Noticed that there’s no Lance Corporal over in the Canadian Army JNCOs ranks
But we have a Master Corporal / Master Sailor
Their used to be, but it was traded off to Trained Private!
And no staff or colour sergeants either. And what is a "Master Warrant Officer?" Trust the Canadians to screw up a perfectly good rank system, while adopting an America style salute.
@@cryptohunt2552 Master Warrant Officer (MWO) has been around for quite awhile...it's essentially a CSM or Company Sargeant Major. Regimental Sargeant Majors are called Chief Warrant Officer's (CWO). Not sure where you got the idea that they Salute like Americans? Not even close...since Canada's Military is pretty much patterned off the British Military System.
@Darrin 1965 They ditched the British open hand salute. Same with the RCAF. They dropped RAF ranks and adopted U.S. ones.
I find it odd that Lt General is higher than Major General but Major is higher than Lieutenant.
It's a bit odd, but the Major General rank was derived from the rank of Sergeant Major General, which was a rank subordinate to lieutenant general and a Lieutenant outranks a Sergeant Major, hence the reason why the Lieutenant General out ranks the major general.
@@MilitaryStuffChannel And some of the British Army Cavalry Regiments, iirc, in the House Hold Brigade don't have a sergeant rank. Only corporal. ie: corporal-Major
@Rockwell Rhodes Its not about providing work for anyone. The Canadian Army is based on the Regimental system, like the British. In fact many of our Regiments have lineage that goes back to those famous regiments and thus carries with in some cases hundreds of years of tradition.
There really is nothing complex in fact once immersed in it it becomes very simple. Also each regiments/corps etc have their own cap badge and regalia. This makes identifying units quickly in the field. Our regiments/corps etc have long histories and carry the battle honours to prove it. Canadians when enlisting are posted to regional units that have regional flavours and thus the soldiers have similarities. In the reserves (ex Militia) you would join that local militia most decent sized towns had a unit. Again these units would have time honour traditions. In wars these men fought together as not only Canadians, but as the Regiment(or what have you) and buddy just might be your neighbour. Local towns had pried in their militia units and visa versa. I belonged to a unit whos roots dated through it British parent back to the Battle of Hasting in 1066. A lot of history, honour and tradition.
That logic doesn’t work when major is also lower than lieutenant colonel. A lieutenant is an assistant or a sort of next in line for something; hence lieutenant generals and colonels.
What's a Premier history video doing in this channel?
It'd be nice if the video wasnt blurred
Good morning 🙏, Have a good day 😊 General,
Shut up
South African War? Is that the Boer War? That's what it's called in Canada anyhow.
Yes that war has a few different names
@@spentcasing3990 There were actually 2 wars
Do the Canadian Navy
Will do.
❤
Canadian Army’s Enemy: “Get out”
Canadian Army: “Sorry my bad here’s some maple syrup”
Omg. I just got that. You were being funny that Canadians are apologetic and that alot of maple syrup is made there too. Very clever.
don't forget the 100 days of WW!, the crossing of the Nord Canal, the taking of Vimy Ridge(French and British spent over a year to take it and failed) The Canadian Corps took it in a weekend.
Only 2 comments?
Alas, the disaster bequeathed by Paul Hellyer lives on with the ludicrous “Master and Chief” ranks. The hideous sergeant rank insignia is another Hellyer creation.
The CF rank insignia system was a bizarre amalgam of British Army, US Navy, and USAF approaches to rank insignias. The Master Corporal and Sergeant rank insignia were inspired by USAF NCO insignia. Officer rank insignia was lifted from the US Navy. General Officer rank insignia was inspired by the US system.
All in all, an attempt to push out traditions and adopt American approaches which have no historical connection to Canada. Much of this has been fixed, some however remains, unfortunately.
Rank inflation. I have never understood the need for it.
The old British system I always felt was the best: every rank had a purpose (not simply given away) and it addressed all aspects of command and control, developed over a century. Hellyer broke a completely functional system for no other reason than it was British in character and to offer symbolic promotions to non leadership for retention.
Good info but painful to watch. I'm sure all my brothers and sisters in arms are cringing a little.
Bruh. Im only corporal :(
You ain't in the armed forces with that kinda talk, name, and profile picture.
@@mylifeforaiur700 I was really in to minecraft and i was a dream fan 2 years ago, but now i like 3d printing and stuffs
@@Cweam0clips hmph, maybe, how old are you?
My dream is to be a captain, how long would that take
@@onigire7930 lol
After your basic training, maybe 3 to 5 years. If you didn't know, you must have a university degree to become an officer.
@@anthonycamp5670 in any particular field?
@@sir.muffiniii7011 yes
What degree do you need
I see you went to highest to lowest ranks. reverse order of your other videos
Switching it up a bit.
Master Cpl isn't a rank, it's an appointment.
mcpl is a rank
@@saadshakeel7536 i mean, they are a cpl on the pay scale...and it is in fact an appointment, but it is treated as a rank.
@@sharpy3453 nope it might be Cpl on pay scale but it is its own rank with its own 2 chevrons and a maple leaf, also u need PLQ completed to even get MCpl
@@saadshakeel7536 yeah i know. and its still an appointment.
QR&O volume I chapter 3 Rank, Seniority, Command and Precedence
3.08 - MASTER CORPORAL APPOINTMENT
(1) The Chief of the Defence Staff or such officer as he may designate may appoint a corporal as a master corporal.
(2) The rank of a master corporal remains that of corporal.
(3) Master corporals have seniority among themselves in their order of seniority as corporals.
(4) Master corporals have authority and powers of command over all other corporals.
@@sharpy3453 “Master corporal, while formally an appointment, is treated as a de facto non-commissioned member rank, and is often described as such, even in official documents.”
Ranks of Canadian Army: Apologists
Man that’s a lot of dick
When did they start spelling it "Lieutenant" (American) instead of "Leftenant" and why does the pronunciation not reflect that change??Please don't adopt the American style of drill.It looks so utterly sloppy...neat but very sloppy.Is this " another Hellyer creation."??
In Canada, we follow the British way of saying Lieutenant as "leftenant". Therefore, does not need to change.
It's been spelled "lieutenant" but pronounced "leftenant" for over 200 years
There is no British spelling of lieutenant…
Clown club, spent 30 years in goofyness
😂
Oh yeah and Canada has way too many officers and a lot of men
At one time the Canadian Army had more generals than working tanks. Top heavy for sure.
But we only have one or two working Leopards at a time lol