Canadian Forces Headquarters (CFHQ)

Canadian Forces Headquarters was the unified headquarters set up in the wake of Unification to oversee the newly integrated armed forces. After several problems were identified in the new structure, a review of the Department of National Defence resulted in a new structure being set up in 1972 which merged both civilian staff under the Deputy Minister of Defence and military staff of the Chief of the Defence Staff into one National Defence Headquarters.

From Air University Review July-August 1967

Reorganization of the Canadian Armed Forces

by Air Marshal F. R. Sharp, RCAF

In July 1964 Parliament approved a bill which amended the National Defence Act and provided for the appointment of a single Chief of Defence Staff to replace the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the General Staff, and the Chief of the Air Staff. Thus, one man became responsible to the Minister of National Defence for the administration and employment of the 120,000 men and women who were serving at that time in Canada’s regular forces. This was a fundamental and essential step towards integration. It made possible the reorganization of the Naval Headquarters, Army Headquarters, and Air Force Headquarters into a single Canadian Forces Headquarters, with four functional branches, each headed by a lieutenant-general or an officer of equivalent rank. These branches, with some readjustments and changes in designation over the last two years, have become

• the Branch of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, who is primarily responsible for military operations, plans and operational readiness, and, in conjunction with the Deputy Minister, the development of the Integrated Defence Program

• the Personnel Branch, headed by the Chief of Personnel, who formulates personnel policy, including medical, dental, and chaplain services

• the Technical Services Branch, whose Chief is responsible for all engineering and development programs and plans and policies for the procurement of materiel and maintenance

• the Comptroller General Branch, which is responsible for three main fields: administration, financial, and manpower control and management.

The elimination of the three chiefs of staff and the appointment of a single Chief of Defence Staff with executive authority over the three services was a fundamental departure from the traditional military organization in most Western countries, and it drew some criticism. The main objection was that it placed too much power in the hands of one man or, alternatively, that the responsibilities would be so great as to overwhelm him. In practice, neither criticism has been shown to have any validity, and today there are few critics of the single chief concept.