Regular Force
Full-time military service. Explore entry requirements and training for the occupation you are considering.
Explore a training pathwayCanadian Armed Forces
Start with the Army, Navy and Air Force, then explore the shared services and career options that connect them. This page is an introduction to the CAF and a guide to the reference material on this site.
What this reference covers
Where you serve
The Army, Navy and Air Force are the three environments. Health Services supports members across them and has its own guide here; it is not a fourth environment.
Land
Canadian Army
Land operations, from domestic support to international deployments — infantry, armour, artillery, engineers and signals.
SeaRoyal Canadian Navy
Maritime defence, patrolling Canadian waters and supporting coalition operations with surface combatants and submarines.
AirRoyal Canadian Air Force
Air power — NORAD air defence, transport, search and rescue, surveillance and support to joint operations worldwide.
HealthHealth Services
Military health care for all three environments — clinics on base, field ambulances with the force, and a deployable hospital.
Explore the reference tools
Four references built from official sources and cross-linked, so you can go from a job to what it pays to the kit you’d work with, and on to where that kit is deployed.
Trades & Occupations
What each job involves, how you get in, and the equipment behind it.
110 occupations · 46 officer · 62 non-commissioned
Ranks & Pay
Every rank beside its equivalent in the other elements, with the incentive pay levels inside each range.
19 rank levels · officer and non-commissioned
Equipment
Vehicles, vessels, aircraft and weapons — in service, entering service and on order.
38 items tracked
Operations
Every named commitment at home and abroad, what it is for, and which ones are closing.
42 operations · running, ending and concluded
What the Forces do
The CAF's mandate is to defend Canada, protect Canadian interests and values, and contribute to international peace and security alongside allies. In practice that splits into four standing roles.
Sovereignty and domestic defence
Protecting Canadian territory, airspace and waters, and the people within them.
Allied operations
Contributing to NATO and United Nations missions alongside partner nations.
Disaster response
Supporting civil authorities at home during floods, wildfires and other emergencies.
Search and rescue
Military aircraft, crews and rescue specialists contribute to Canada's search-and-rescue system alongside civilian partners.
What members are held to
Four values run through the military ethos, and they apply the same way on a domestic operation as on a deployment.
Duty
The mission, and the people in it, ahead of personal interest.
Loyalty
To Canada, to the chain of command, and to the members beside you.
Integrity
Doing the right thing whether or not anyone is checking.
Courage
Physical and moral — acting under pressure, and speaking up when it costs you.
Regular Force and Reserve members serve alongside civilian teammates, supported by families and communities across Canada.
See it, don't just read it
My channel puts real footage behind everything on this page — trades, training, equipment, and the people who serve.
Latest videosThinking about serving?
Explore official career paths, requirements, and applications on the Canadian Armed Forces recruiting site.
Visit Forces.caRegular Force, Reserve and shared support
Reserve Force
Service options include part-time and periods of full-time employment. Local occupations and training commitments vary.
Understand Reserve serviceShared capabilities
Healthcare and other support functions connect the environments. Special operations and joint organizations also form part of the wider CAF.
Official CAF mandate