Canadian Armed Forces

The Canadian Armed Forces, also known as the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force, are the three branches of the unified military that make up Canada. These branches are the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The Primary Reserve, Supplementary Reserve, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service, and the Canadian Rangers are the four sub-components that make up the Reserve Force. Personnel may belong to either the Regular Force or the Reserve Force. According to the National Defence Act, the Canadian Armed Forces are a separate and distinct entity from the Department of National Defence, which is the department of the federal government responsible for administration and the formation of defence policy. However, the Department of National Defence also serves as the civilian support system for the Canadian Armed Forces. The current authorised strength includes 71,500 members of the Regular Force and 30,000 members of the Reserve Force. The number of authorised personnel is more than the number of posts that have been filled.

The constitutional authority to command and control the Canadian Armed Forces rests with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who is usually seen in public via her representative, the governor general (or the administrator). The professional head of the organisation is the chief of the Defence Staff, who manages the operations of the Canadian Armed Forces under the direction of the minister of national defence and with the assistance of the Armed Forces Council. The chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the organisation.