Canadian Infantry website

[TonyM]

Canadian Infantry has a new site at http://www.ducimus.com/ check it out.

[baboon]

I have to ask you Canadians this - what the hell is a Master Corporal? Also, I've seen that the " air force " and " navy " are beginning to use those terms again- could there be a return to separate services in the future?
Thanks.
baboon (SA)

[recce_o]

A Master Corporal is a relatively new creation (1980's). The rank structure is:

Private
Corporal
Master Corporal
Sergeant
Warrant Officer
Chief Warrant Officer
Master Warrant Officer

Officer Cadet
2Lt
Lt etc...

The Master Corporal rank can be acheived only after the soldier has completed the Junior Leader's Course, which qualifies him or her to lead a section.

We returned to separate services a few years ago. There is a navy, air force and army. Each with their own unique uniforms and separate commands.

Hope that helps.

[This message has been edited by recce_o (edited 03-20-2000).]

[ZeroG]

What does that junior leaders course involve?

[recce_o]

Junior Leader's Course is a couple of months, and is in two parts:

Part I: principles of instruction, administrative procedures, military writing, garrison B.S.

Part II: teaches non-infantry pers how to lead an infantry section. Lots of time in the field and a real bag drag at times. The instructors like to use a lot of CS gas and make sure you get no sleep.

For those in the infantry there is a separate course called the Infantry Section Commander's Course. More difficult physically, and the tactics are taught to a higher level because the students are already familiar with basic infantry tactics.

[Enfield]

Master Corporal is the first leadership rank for non-coms. Privates are soldiers with the basic training and the skills course (infantry, mechanic, medic, clerk, whatever). A corporal is a soldier with a couple more courses. FOr instance, in the Infantry, after a private takes courses like machine-gun, recce, driver (I'm not sure exactly how many courses they need to get the promotion) and gains "time in" with the unit, they get their corporals stripes. So a corporal is just a well-trained private. Master Corporal has to take the junior leadership course, like recce_0 said, which is one tough course. It teaches to be a better soldier, gives you superior skills, and makes you a leader. In the infantry a Master Corporal is a section 2nd in command, under a sergeant, and is the sergeant's right-hand man (woman too, this is Canada...) MCpl's are, in the Reserves at least, usually in their early 20's, are given more respect than pvt/cpl's and less responsibility and paperwork than sgt's and warrants, and the pay is good (a MCpl gets more than a 2nd Lt) - a pretty sweet rank, and a good place to be.

Everybody gets to corporal eventually, and a lot of guys stay there - only the motivated, and best troops are given the Master Corporal's course, so you end up with "corporals for life" who are the trouble makers, or the professionals who are happy being private soldiers.

Sorry for writing a book... It's good to be back on here! Oh yeah, the French Army has Master Corporals too...

Nik

[baboon]

Thanks. Over here in SA corporal is a section commander, with a lance corporal as his 2IC.Both should have passed a JL course. In national service days a lot of corporals were acting platoon sergeants. In Special Forces all are promoted to lance corporal after completing selection and initial training.

[This message has been edited by baboon (edited 03-26-2000).]

[enderr]

heh....i resent that! cpls are not trouble makers..in most reserve infantry units the cpls are the specialists, whether it be sigs wpns det, or recce det, and more often than not they end up as 2ic... m/cpl is merely the first step to becoming a senile sgt.

[justagrunt]

I didn't realize that Canada's Army was that squared away... I'm impressed!
justagrunt
USArmy, Infantry

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Up, Up and Away...

[Enfield]

Just out of curiosity, Justagrunt, what did you think the Canadian Army was like? (serious question, I'm curious)

Enfield

[justagrunt]

Honestly, I didn't have any preconceptions of it... I have never worked with them. That web page was my first impression of them and I was impressed. My preception of Canada as a Country has always been a good one though, so it only figured that you would have a "HooAH" Infantry. I am familiar with a lot of other country's Infantry unit's so I guess it dosen't make any sence that I don't know more about our Brothers to the north. If you have any other info I would like to view it!

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Up, Up and Away...

[This message has been edited by justagrunt (edited 12-06-2000).]