Editing Canadian Army (section)

== Personnel ==

===Rank and insignia===
{{Main|Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia}}
Military rank in the Canadian Army is granted based on a variety of factors including merit, qualification, training, and time in-rank. However, promotion up to the rank of corporal for non-commissioned members, and to captain for officers, is automatic based on time in previous rank. Some ranks are associated with specific appointments. For example, a [[regimental sergeant major]] is held by a chief warrant officer, or [[adjutant]] held by a captain. In some branches or specific units, rank titles may differ due to tradition. A trained private within the [[Royal Canadian Armoured Corps]] is a trooper, whereas the same rank within the artillery is gunner. Other titles for the rank of private include fusilier, sapper, rifleman, craftsman, and guardsman.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://canadiansoldiers.com/ranks/rank.htm |title=canadiansoldiers.com article on Rank and Responsibility |access-date=2013-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522182159/http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/ranks/rank.htm |archive-date=2013-05-22 |url-status=live }}</ref> The ranks of the Canadian Army are as follows:
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! colspan="2" | Governor General<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-02-01 |title=Dress instructions {{!}} Section 2 Rank insignia and appointment badges |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/dress-manual/chapter-3/section-2.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=canada.ca}}</ref>
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|[[File:Canadian_Army_(Commander-in-Chief_of_the_Canadian_Armed_Forces).svg|191x191px]]|| [[File:Canadian_Army_sleeves_(Commander-in-Chief_of_the_Canadian_Armed_Forces).svg|191x191px]]
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{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OF/Canada}}
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===Meals===
[[File:Canadian-Cabbage-Roll-IMP-Unpacked.jpg|thumb|An unpacked [[cabbage roll]] [[Individual Meal Pack|IMP]]. IMPs are issued to personnel when fresh rations are not available.]]
Field kitchens and catering are used to provide Canadian Army personnel fresh-cooked meals at bases and overseas operation centres. When fresh rations are not practical or available, [[Individual Meal Pack]]s  (IMPs) are issued instead. There are also patrol packs, which are small high-protein snack-type foods (such as beef jerky or shredded cheese) and boxed lunches (consisting of assorted sandwiches, juice, fruit, pasta and a dessert) provided for soldiers to consume in situations in which meal preparation is not possible.

===Uniforms===
{{Main|Uniforms of the Canadian Forces}}
The Canadian Army maintains a variety of different uniforms, including a ceremonial [[full dress uniform]], a [[mess dress uniform]], a [[service dress uniform]], operational/[[battledress|field uniforms]], and occupational uniforms. Canada's uniforms were developed parallel to British uniforms from 1900 to the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, though maintained significant differences. The adoption of a number of separate uniforms for separate functions, also made its uniforms become distinctively "Canadian" in the process. 
[[File:Changing the Guard ceremony in Québec during the summer 2018.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Members of the [[Royal 22nd Regiment|Royal 22<sup>e</sup> Regiment]]. The [[public duties]] soldier is wearing [[full dress uniform|full dress]] while the other wears the [[service dress uniform|service dress]].]]
Prior to unification in 1968, the uniforms between the three branches were similar to their counterparts in the forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, save for national identifiers and some regimental accoutrements. The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, announced on 8 July 2013 the Government of Canada's intent to restore Canadian Army rank insignia, names and badges to their traditional forms.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-forces-to-go-back-to-the-future-with-british-style-ranks-1.1328974 |title=Canadian Forces to go back to the future with British-style ranks |access-date=2013-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710194427/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/07/08/peter-mackay-canadian-forces-ranks.html |archive-date=2013-07-10 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Canadian Army's universal full dress uniform includes a [[red coat (military uniform)|scarlet tunic]], [[midnight blue]] trousers with a scarlet trouser stripe, and a [[Wolseley helmet]]. However, a number of regiments in the Canadian Army are authorized regimental deviations from the Army's universal design; including some armoured, [[Canadian-Scottish regiment]]s, and all [[rifle regiment|rifle]]/[[voltigeur]] regiments.<ref name=uniform>{{cite book|url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/pub/ins-265/dhh_dress_instr_adh265000_ag001-19Sep16-eng.pdf|title=Canadian Armed Forces Dress Instruction|chapter=6-1|page=211|access-date=11 June 2018|date=1 June 2001|publisher=Canadian Armed Forces|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730135902/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/pub/ins-265/dhh_dress_instr_adh265000_ag001-19Sep16-eng.pdf|archive-date=30 July 2018}}</ref> The full dress uniforms of the Army regiments originated from the Canadian militia, and was eventually relegated from combat to ceremonial use.

The present service dress uniform includes a rifle green tunic and trousers, similar to the older iteration of the service dress, although with a different cut, and an added shoulder strap. The present service dress uniforms were introduced in the late 1980s, alongside the other "distinctive environmental uniforms" issued to other branches of the Canadian Armed Forces. From the unification of the armed forces in 1968, to the introduction of the distinctive service uniforms in the 1980s, the branches of the Canadian Armed Forces wore a similar rifle green service uniform.

The Canadian Army began to issue combat specific uniforms in the early 1960s, with the introduction of "combats," coloured olive-drab shirt. The olive-drab uniforms continued to be used with minor alterations until the Army adopted [[CADPAT]] camouflaged combat uniforms in the late-1990s. With the adoption of CADPAT, the Canadian Armed Forces became the first military force to adopt [[Multi-scale camouflage|digital camouflage]] pattern for all its units.
=== Officer training ===
Officers are selected in several ways:
[[File:RMC Sandhurst 2009.JPG|thumb|[[Officer cadets]] of the [[Royal Military College of Canada]] during the 2009 [[Sandhurst Competition]]. The school is a [[Academic degree|degree]]-granting institution that trains officers for the Canadian Armed Forces.]]
*The Regular Officer Training Plan, where candidates are educated at the [[Royal Military College of Canada]] (RMC) or at civilian Canadian universities.
* Direct Entry Officer Plan, for those who already hold a university degree or technology diploma.
* Continuing Education Officer Training Plan, addresses shortages in certain officer occupations, and is intended to attract candidates who are otherwise qualified for service as officers, but who lack a degree. Candidates complete their degrees while serving in the Army.<ref>CF Military Personnel Instructions 09/05</ref>
* University Training Plan (Non-Commissioned Members), designed to develop selected serving non-commissioned members for service as career officers in the Regular Force. Normally, candidates selected for this plan will attend RMC or a civilian university in Canada.<ref>CFAO 9-13—University Training Plan—Non-Commissioned Members</ref>
*Commissioning from the Ranks Plan, provides officers to augment the number of officers commissioned through other plans and applies exclusively to those who have acquired some military experience and possess the necessary qualities that make them suitable for employment as officers.<ref>CFAO 11-9—Commissioning From The Ranks Plan</ref>
* Special Requirements Commissioning Plan, is designed to meet the needs of the officer occupations. It allows the Canadian Forces to profit from the skills and experience of senior non-commissioned members and may provide an opportunity for career advancement for selected deserving Chief Warrant Officers.<ref>CFAO 11-14—Special Requirements Commissioning Plan</ref>
*Subsidized special education, which includes the Medical Officer Training Plan or Dental Officer Training Plan.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:rzQIsZmwQA8J:ftp.rta.nato.int/public//PubFulltext/RTO/MP/RTO-MP-055///MP-055-30.pdf+canadian+army+officers&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgwhqkVVCDx5zBNHzlKKCgWfNePTnMl_AxhygW5Ee9Ofzldj6zk91yYcCYf8P5DAEO3mUgdcXDujgYt7NXIOQdWEGpHawfdN70TdWVf_gLcboByJkWrLAP1SiN3YxIPXfLjX9gy&sig=AHIEtbTjaTFT6fkH2CqA8SrKZyimwIkpXQ The Canadian Officer Selection System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410092657/http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache%3ArzQIsZmwQA8J%3Aftp.rta.nato.int%2Fpublic%2F%2FPubFulltext%2FRTO%2FMP%2FRTO-MP-055%2F%2F%2FMP-055-30.pdf+canadian+army+officers&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgwhqkVVCDx5zBNHzlKKCgWfNePTnMl_AxhygW5Ee9Ofzldj6zk91yYcCYf8P5DAEO3mUgdcXDujgYt7NXIOQdWEGpHawfdN70TdWVf_gLcboByJkWrLAP1SiN3YxIPXfLjX9gy&sig=AHIEtbTjaTFT6fkH2CqA8SrKZyimwIkpXQ |date=2016-04-10 }} Retrieved 17 August 2011</ref>
In addition, there were other commissioning plans such as the Officer Candidate Training Plan and Officer Candidate Training Plan (Men) for commissioning serving members which are no longer in effect.

Occupational training for Canadian Army officers takes place at one of the schools of the Combat Training Centre for Army controlled occupations (armour, artillery, infantry, electrical, and mechanical engineers, etc.), or at a Canadian Armed Forces school, such as the Canadian Forces School of Administration and Logistics, or the Defence Public Affairs Learning Centre for Officers from career fields controlled outside the Army.