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Administration
Branch
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Created:
1
September 1967
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Status on 1 Jan 2000: Active
branch of Canadian Forces
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The
Administration Branch was a branch of the Canadian Forces
created as part of Unification.
History
Clerks of all three services (Maritime Command, previously the
Royal Canadian Navy, Mobile Command, previously the Canadian
Army, and Air Command, previously the Royal Canadian Air Force)
and personnel administration officers of the RCAF were
integrated into the Administration Branch. The branch included
officer classifications of personnel support (PSPT) and
personnel development (PDEV) and the following trades:
The Personnel
Administration Officers were grouped into a sub-classification
of the PSPT classification, PSPT ADMIN. Other
sub-classifications of PSPT included physical education and
recreation, food services, information, and postal. The new
trade of Administration Clerk (ADMIN CLK 831) incorporated all
of the related former service trades mentioned above. Thus the
stenographer, court reporter, and clerk engineering trades
ceased to exist except as ADMIN CLK specialties.
The new officer structure for the Administration Branch was not
long-lived, and sub-classifications were reformed along more
functional lines. The personnel administrators were subjected to
scrutiny though their need was eventually reaffirmed, and the
PADM 68 classification was authorized on 1 May 1978. The
classification briefly included a postal sub-classification,
which was later established as a separate classification.
By this time, the Branch had evolved such that it comprised only
administration officers and administrative clerks. The other
non-commissioned member (NCM) trades had re-oriented themselves
into other functional branches. The integrated clerical trade
structure had proven to be reasonably successfully with some
exceptions.
The Construction Engineering branch experienced a number of
problems as a result of which 170 establishment positions were
redesignated from the Administration Clerk 831 trades to create
a new trade: Construction Engineering Procedures Technician
(631).
Unification had resulted in administrative training being
consolidated into the Canadian Forces School of Administration
Logistics (CFSAL) at Borden, initially providing only QL3 and
QL6 courses. When it became apparent that on-job-training alone
was insufficient to qualify clerks, a five-week QL5 course was
introduced in 1983.
The concept of on-job-training (OJT) for entry level Personnel
Administration Officers was abandoned in 1971 with the
introduction of a Basic Personnel Administration Course (of ten
weeks). An advanced Personnel Administration Officers Course (5
weeks) was also created in 1981. In the wake of the deep
personnel cuts in the 1990s, the structure was re-evaluated,
resulting in the stand down of the Personnel Administration
Officer Branch and amalgamation with the Logistics Branch in
2001.
In 1987, the Canadian Forces Postal Services were created by
separating postal services from the Branch.
Insignia
The badge of the
Administration Branch was officially described as follows:
Within a
wreath of maple leaves or a circular ribbon azure edged or
and inscribed with the motto SERVIRE ARMATIS or. In centre
vert two pillars supporting a lintel argent, inscribed with
the word POPULUS. Below upon a scroll or backed gules the
word ADMINISTRATION sable. The whole ensigned by the Royal
crown proper.
Significance
The two
pillars with a lintel portray the them of supporting
military personnel which is the one common factor in the
Administrative Branch. The motto SERVIRE ARMATIS amplifies
the support theme.
Motto
SERVIRE
ARMATIS (Serving the Forces).1
Cap Badges
Cap badges were
issued in metal, cloth, and subdued cloth for the Combat Cap.
Notes
-
Badges of the Canadian Forces,
Canadian Forces Publication 267 (Department of National
Defence, 1976)
