Canadian Forces Naval Reserve


The Canadian Forces Naval Reserve is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy. The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces operations, including: domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at the same time supporting the Navy's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence.

History

Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (1914–1918)

Canada's modern Naval Reserve finds its origins with the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve created on 14 May 1914 under the provisions of Naval Service Act. Organised into Atlantic, Lake and Pacific subcommands, 8,000 Canadians enlisted for service in the RNCVS during WWI. Agreeing to serve in wartime with either the RCN or the British Royal Navy, members of the RNCVR crewed 160 vessels, patrolling the shores of Canada and conducting convoy escort duties. The RNCVR was extinguished four years later and its personnel demobilized following the end of the war in 1918.. - Aug 1914|alt=

Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (1923–1945)

In 1923, the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve was stood up and under the command of Rear-Admiral Walter Hose who authorized the creation of NRDs in every major Canadian city. In 1941 Naval Reserve divisions were granted the designations ‘His or Her Majesty’s Canadian ships’ and received its own command and a seat on the Naval Board. The new naval reserve establishment formed a robust reserve force building popular support amongst Canadians for the fledgling Canadian Navy. During the Second World War, the RCNVR became the backbone of the Canadian Navy, recruiting officers and sailors for the Navy. By the end of the war, Canada possessed the third-largest navy in the world, with a complement of nearly 100,000. Most of these men and women were members of the RCNVR.

Naval Reserve (1945–1968)

With the end of the Second World War, the Naval Reserve was formed in 1945 replacing the RCNVR. Expected to maintain the same level of skill as the Regular Force, training and pay for reservists was equalised. Focused on minesweeping, escort, and coastal patrol; each division mirrored its organisation, training and crew with all officer branches and non-commissioned trades across the fleet. Despite successfully expanding the University Naval Training Division, forming a dedicated 'Commanding Officer, Naval Divisions' command in 1953 and attaching various tender craft to NRD's; the Naval Reserve experienced suffered a decline in skill due to focusing on generalist skills and lack of opportunities to sea-going ships leading up to the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968.

Canadian Forces Naval Reserve (1968-1990)

With the unification of the Canadian Forces, the Naval Reserve was renamed the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve and years of decline set in. With no combat capability, except the Naval Reserve Naval Control of Shipping program, the Naval Reserve lost political advocacy and was left out of any formal role in the Canadian Forces defence structure. Left outside the Canadian Forces structure, the Naval Reserve would rely on new and unique ways of keeping relevant during the Cold War years. With the UNTD program shuttered, for example, NRDs worked to expand their recruiting numbers by employing students at local level, and force generating sailors initially trained at the unit level to serve on major warships. Years of decline was finally ended with Canada's 1987 White Paper on defence policy Challenge and Commitments.
Canadian Forces Naval Reserve
With more integration of the Primary Reserve into the 'Total Force Concept' as outlined by the 1987 Defence White Paper, and then confirmed in the 1994 follow-up White Paper, the naval reserve was tasked with providing niche capabilities to assist the Regular Force. One such task undertaken by the naval reserve was to spearhead enhancing RCN mine countermeasures operation capabilities and by crewing twelve new KINGSTON-class coastal defence vessels, that since their introduction in 1996, have significantly contributed to Canadian maritime security and allied commitments, both domestically and internationally. The naval reserve was additionally tasked with maintaining standing Port Inspection Diver teams, supporting Regional Dive Centres and supplying four non-standing Port Security units and four Naval Control and Guidance to Shipping units.

Mission

The mission of the NAVRES is to generate trained individuals and teams for CAF operations, including domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at the same time supporting the RCN's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence.
The tasks of the NAVRES is to:
  1. Respond to domestic safety operations with trained sailors and small boat expertise.
  2. Provide specific unique skill sets for security missions for the RCN.
  3. Augment the fleet on any platform or shore capacity for defence missions, both at home and abroad.
  4. Provide the linkage for the RCN to local communities.
NAVRES fills a number of roles within the Total Force Plan. In addition to augmenting the Regular Force, Naval Reservists form diving units and public relations units such as the National Band of the Naval Reserve.

Equipment

As of 2019, naval reserve divisions across Canada primarily operate various types of inboard and outboard rigid-hull inflatable boats in addition to Defender-class boats operated by the Naval Security Team. Most particularly, NAVRES is tasked with providing the personnel for the KINGSTON-Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels and Naval Security Team.

Organization

Naval Reserve Divisions (NRD)

Organized into 24 shore-based NRDs, Naval Reserve units are dedicated to training sailors to augment the Regular Force as well as functioning as local recruitment centres for the RCN and NAVRES. Manned by a small cadre of full-time reservists and Regular Force members to coordinate training and administration, operations at NRDs are conducted year-round with reservists frequently deploying on operations and training courses during the summer season.
ShipCityProvince
Saint JohnNew Brunswick
St John'sNewfoundland and Labrador
OttawaOntario
KingstonOntario
SaguenayQuebec
WinnipegManitoba
RimouskiQuebec
VancouverBritish Columbia
MontrealQuebec
Thunder BayOntario
WindsorOntario
Sept-ÎlesQuebec
VictoriaBritish Columbia
Quebec CityQuebec
EdmontonAlberta
LondonOntario
ReginaSaskatchewan
CharlottetownPrince Edward Island
Trois-RivièresQuebec
HalifaxNova Scotia
HamiltonOntario
CalgaryAlberta
SaskatoonSaskatchewan
TorontoOntario

Naval Reserve Headquarters (NAVRESHQ)

Located in Quebec City at the Pointe-à-Carcy Naval Complex, Naval Reserve Headquarters oversees the operation of all 24 NRDs across Canada. Co-located with NAVRESHQ is NRD HMCS Montcalm, Naval Fleet School and the Naval Museum of Quebec - Stanislas-Déry Naval Museum.

Naval Fleet School (Quebec) (NFS(Q))

Naval Fleet School is the RCN's school dedicated to training reservists at various points of their careers and serving as the CAF centre of excellence for coastal and littoral warfare training.

Naval Security Team (NST)

The Naval Security Team is a modular, scalable, flexible, and deployable naval team primarily composed of Naval Reservists, with Regular Force members rounding out the team when required. Tasked with providing enhanced force protection and security of deployed RCN ships and personnel at home or overseas, the NST deployed for the first time in 2017 providing force protection for during her port visit to Busan, South Korea. Headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt the NST reports directly to the Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific

National Band of the Naval Reserve (NBNR)

Each summer, musicians from the five NRD's come together to form the National Band of the Naval Reserve . During the summer months the NBNR is a full-time touring military band composed of musicians from HMCS Chippawa, HMCS Montcalm, HMCS Star, HMCS Tecumseh and HMCS York.

Personnel

Naval Reservists are individuals who are otherwise engaged in civilian careers while pursuing a military career in the CAF with NAVRES as an officer or non-commissioned member. They train and work for the Navy in the evenings, on weekends and during the summer period, in an occupation of their choice. They can be students, teachers, lawyers, delivery persons, secretaries, or other members of society. Most serve on a part-time basis, with no obligation to participate in any mission overseas. However, many full-time employment opportunities and deployments are available to those Reservists who volunteer for them.
Throughout their career, sailors may serve in three classes of service:
Reserve Force members are trained to the same level as their Regular Force counterparts. They usually begin training with their home unit to ensure that they meet the required basic professional military standards. They are paid 92.8% of Regular Force rates of pay, receive a reasonable benefits package and may qualify to contribute to a pension plan. In an effort to streamline the recruiting processes for naval reservists, in February 2017 NAVRES initiated the Expedited Reserve Enrolment to allow applicants who meet security, medical, and basic fitness standards to enroll in as few as 21 days or between two and three visits after initial contact with NRD recruiters.

Naval Reserve occupations

The Canadian Armed Forces lists 28 occupations that are performed by either officer or non-commissioned members of the Naval Reserve. Many occupations – such as intelligence officer - are common across all three environments, while others – such as naval communicator – are specifically Navy., the following occupations are listed as Naval Reserve occupations:
  1. Communications research operator
  2. Cook
  3. Biomedical electronics technologist
  4. Boatswain
  5. Chaplain
  6. Financial services administrator
  7. Health care administration officer
  8. Human resources administrator
  9. Imagery technician
  10. Intelligence officer
  11. Intelligence operator
  12. Legal officer
  13. Logistics officer
  14. Medical officer
  15. Marine technician
  16. Medical technician
  17. Military police
  18. Military police officer
  19. Musician
  20. Naval combat information operator
  21. Naval communicator
  22. Naval warfare officer
  23. Nursing officer
  24. Personnel selection officer
  25. Pharmacy officer
  26. Physiotherapy officer
  27. Public affairs officer
  28. Supply technician

    Ranks

Commissioned officers

Non-commissioned members

Senior commanders

Through the Commander of the Naval Reserve, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific is the functional authority responsible for the organization and management of the Naval Reserve.
;Commander Naval Reserve
;Senior Naval Reserve Adviser
;Commanding Officer Naval Division
;Chief Staff Officer Reserves
;Commanding Officer Reserve/naval Divisions
;Naval Reserve Chief Petty Officer / Formation Chief Naval Reserve