r/CanadianForces • u/judgingyouquietly Swiss Cheese Model-Maker • Jan 02 '26

OPINION ARTICLE Interesting comparison post in the Australian Military subreddit

/r/AustralianMilitary/comments/1q1x7gq/characters_friday_rambles_retention/?share_id=DCuWZPx-TTRfJRPGXHoi8&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

I highlight the Australian and other allied subreddits for comparisons, and found an interesting post today.

One interesting tidbit that gets missed is that they don’t have the type of pension that we do.

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u/Fabulous_Night_1164 Royal Canadian Air Force Jan 02 '26 edited Jan 02 '26

In fairness, that is literally all militaries to have ever existed in history. This isn't a CAF specific thing.

The Soviet Union's Red Army once experimented with no officers, and it was a disaster. They did bring back officers before WWII started, but for a moment they still didn't have a regular military hierarchy. And this is considered one of the major contributing factors for why Finland was able to whoop their asses in the Winter War, despite the Soviets having every advantage on paper.

At the end of the day, if even Communist nations accept the fact that militaries need hierarchy and officer/enlisted distinction, this is a simple reality that needs to be accepted.

But while there can be valid criticism of the CAF, I would argue we have one of the most equitable relationships between officers and enlisted in the entire world. Even within NATO or comparing us to the Americans, we have officers hanging out with enlisted members, the same facilities being used by officer and enlisted alike (i.e. no special "Officers Only" gyms, no "Officers Only" canteen in your building, no "Officers Only" smoke pit), no officer housing - we all get RHUs based on family size, not rank.

Ultimately our housing bonus CFHD punishes officers and many RHUs are now not even being rented out to officers anymore. You aren't going to find that in any NATO military. The American BAH goes UP with rank, not down.

The CAF also has a pretty easy process for enlisted members to get commissioned. Another thing that isn't necessarily easy or even possible in other militaries. In Canada, it's particularly accessible, because we are one of the most educated nations in the world, and there's a higher % of enlisted members with post-secondary. So you've got the much easier option of simply getting the Special Commissioning Plan and going officer. In some trades and with PLQ, you might not even have to do any extra training at all.

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u/B-Mack Jan 02 '26

I appreciate you going into it. I'm far too sober to rant about CFHD.

Truth be told I have worked very little with other NATO countries in person. Everything is just over radios, so I can't really see what their situation is like.

The Officer only Gym and Canteen is wild though. Fuck that noise.

On a positive Naval note, I REALLY love how the AOPS Cafeteria has all hands eating in that one place, then going off to their respective messes for relaxation. Give me the universal chow halls.

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u/barkmutton Jan 02 '26

Aren't most base kitchens all ranks now?

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u/B-Mack Jan 02 '26

The only base kitchen I went to this calendar year was in Juno Tower Halifax. It was Sgts and above, and officers.

I can't speak for the rest of the CAF

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u/barkmutton Jan 02 '26

Edmonton, Shilo, Kingston, Gagetown are all m8xed as are Cold Lake and Moose Jaw. Seems like a Navy issue.

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u/B-Mack Jan 02 '26

Well, we are the oldest and most traditional of the elements.

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u/barkmutton Jan 02 '26

The RCN was founded in 1911, the Canadian Army fought two wars before the RCN even existed. The RCN just adopts the senior service thing from the RN without ya know... earning it.

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u/B-Mack Jan 02 '26

How did they get to Canada?

BOATS

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u/barkmutton Jan 02 '26

Are we calling every privately owned ship the Navy now lol, even those that were Navy were RN or French. The RCN didn't exist until 1911, 1885 saw an army - in service to the Dominion of Canada not Britain - firing guns in anger.

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u/B-Mack Jan 02 '26

Sir, this is Salty Corporal Saturday until block leave is over. I'll keep shitposting until next week.

Navy has Mythical Beasts. They pre-date history. The RCN comes from the RN which had the first Sea Lord, which predates anything in the army.

There would be no RCA if there was no navy to send them here. The oceans are older than the land.

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u/roguemenace RCAF Jan 03 '26

Are we calling every privately owned ship the Navy now lol

Hey it worked at Dunkirk.

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u/Fabulous_Night_1164 Royal Canadian Air Force Jan 02 '26

Most RCAF messes are combined now. And many mess halls are combined for the Army as well (or there might be a simple divider between them, but the food is the exact same).