Personnel branch

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Personnel branches, in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), are groupings of related military occupations. Personnel branches were officially established at unification in 1968^[1] to amalgamate the old Canadian Army corps and similar occupational groupings in the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force.

According to Canadian Forces Administrative Orders (CFAOs),

"Personnel Branches were created to enable members of the Canadian Forces in related occupations to identify with each other in cohesive professional groups. These groups are based on similarity of military roles, customs and traditions." –CFAO 2-10

Branches are applicable to all members of the rank of colonel/captain (N) and below; flag and general officers normally do not belong to branches. Exceptions to this rule are the judge advocate general (Legal Branch), the chaplain general (Royal Canadian Chaplain Service), and the surgeon general (Royal Canadian Medical Service).

Military occupations for officers and non-commissioned members are grouped within a particular branch under the coordination of the Director – Military Human Resource Requirements (DMHRR) and the approval of the Chief of Military Personnel.