Former ranks of the Canadian Forces Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968 , the Canadian military had three distinct services : the Royal Canadian Navy , the Royal Canadian Air Force , and the Canadian Army . All three services had a Regular ( full - time ) component and a reserve ( part - time ) component . The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military , the Royal Navy , the Royal Air Force , and the British Army . The change to a " Canadian " rank structure meant that many of the traditional ( British ) rank titles and insignia were removed or changed . Changes : navy . Almost all vestiges of naval tradition were lost when the navy was unified with the army and air force in 1968 . However , naval rank titles remained for the personnel of the new Maritime Command . On the Canadian Forces service uniform , the rank insignia of officers up to the rank of naval Captain followed the old Royal Canadian Navy pattern but with the executive curl deleted . However , the executive curl was permitted on naval mess dress for all naval officers . In 1985 a new naval service uniform was announced and was introduced into service over the following three years . On June 11 , 2010 the executive curl was reinstated for use by all naval officers . The rank insignia for other ranks continues to be based on army pattern insignia . Changes : army . While the insignia for non - commissioned personnel of the CF very closely matched that of the pre - unification army , there were some changes and new classes of ranks were created . The army had previously had general officers , officers , warrant officers , senior NCOs , junior NCOs , and men . All personnel that were not officers were referred to collectively as " other ranks " . After unification , other ranks became known as non - commissioned members ( NCMs ) . The category of senior NCOs now included only one rank – that of sergeant – whereas before it had included both staff sergeant s and sergeants . There were also three grades of warrant officer , whereas immediately before unification there had been only two . The appointments of lance corporal and lance sergeant were deleted . Originally , there were only privates and corporals below the rank of sergeant . Those corporals with leadership training came to be referred to as " B " corporals ( for having completed Part B of the leadership training ) and started to wear a crown over their two chevrons . Eventually the crown was changed to a maple leaf surmounting the chevrons , and the appointment of master corporal was created after much hostility and confusion within the ranks regarding who would be providing leadership at the lowest levels of Mobile Command ( the new name for what used to be the Army ) . On 8 July 2013 the Minister of National Defence , the Hon . Peter MacKay , announced that Canadian Army Officers would once again wear " pips and crowns , " signalling a return to the pre - unification rank insignia . Changes : air force . The distinctive air force rank titles were eliminated , and Air Command used the same rank titles as Mobile Command . Relative ranks and responsibilities . The ranks of the new Canadian Forces did not match up exactly with the ranks ( and attendant responsibilities ) of the old system . In the army , for example , an infantry platoon would have a sergeant for a second in command and a staff sergeant would serve as a company quartermaster sergeant . In the new Canadian Forces , however , a warrant officer would fill both those roles . While an infantry section was commanded by a corporal pre - unification , after unification that task fell on a sergeant . The rank of corporal in the army was especially downgraded in terms of responsibility ; before unification a Canadian corporal was the equivalent of a sergeant in most other armies due to his responsibility as a section commander . After unification , the rank of corporal became nothing more than a pay raise with authority being granted instead to the new master corporals . Equivalents in the table below are very approximate , then . Certain ranks had alternative titles according to tradition and the trade of the soldier . Insignia . Pre - unification army . Army officers ' insignia before unification consisted of several rank badges based on British Army designs : Army warrant officers also used rank badges based on British designs : Finally , Army NCOs also used rank badges based on British designs : Post - unification Canadian Forces . The most noticeable change in rank insignia after Unification was the deletion of British stars and crowns on officer ' s shoulder boards . Instead , a series of gold stripes was instituted , similar to the pre - unification naval and air force rank system in concept but very different in appearance . Warrant officers retained the traditional army - style rank badges , and NCOs ' chevrons were also changed , being smaller and made from newer material , similar to US Army NCO badges in the 1960s . The maple leaf also featured on NCO badges , even being worn over a private ' s one - bar chevron in initial issues of the new insignia in the years immediately after unification . Generals ' and admirals ' insignia remained similar to pre - unification army insignia , with maple leaves replacing the stars , but retaining the crown and crossed sabre and baton . A wide band of gold braid was also used , similar to pre - unification naval insignia worn by admirals . Naval officers of flag rank removed the rank epaulettes on the service dress on June 11 , 2010 , when the executive curl was reinstated with additional sleeve ribbon for the admiral ranks . 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 . External links . A complete guide to pre - Unification Army insignia and ranks can be found at http : / / www . canadiansoldiers . com