Non-commissioned member
A
non-commissioned member (NCM), in the
Canadian Forces, is defined in the
Queen's Regulations and Orders as:
"… any person, other than an officer, who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an officer to, the Canadian Forces…" (QR&O 1.02)
Thus, an NCM is any member who is not a commissioned officer, or, by extension, an
officer cadet. The equivalent term in
French is
"militaire du rang".Non-commissioned members comprise the following groups of ranks:
Non-commissioned officers are further subdivided into "junior non-commissioned officers" (Jr NCOs), consisting of the ranks of MCpl/MS and Cpl/LS, and "senior non-commissioned officers" (Sr NCOs), consisting of Sgt/PO2.
The ranks of MCpl/MS and below are also collectively known as "junior ranks" (JRs). There is no equivalent simple collective term for Sgt/PO2 and above; they are generally known by the terms "Warrant Officers and Sergeants" (Army and Air Force) and "Chiefs and Petty Officers" or "Chiefs and POs" (Navy); the term "Senior NCM" is often erroneously used, and currently has no official sanction, although its use (and other unofficial terms like "junior NCMs") are appearing in official documentation with increasing frequency.
In the
British Army,
Royal Marines and
Royal Air Force (and in the armies and air forces of many other
Commonwealth countries), the equivalent term is
"Other Rank" (OR); in the
Royal Navy and Commonwealth navies, the term is usually
"rating" or
"rate".
In the
United States Army,
Air Force and
Marines, the equivalent term is
"enlisted rank"; in the
United States Navy, the proper term is
"rate" only; "rating" refers to a sailor's
Military Occupational Specialty.
*
Enlisted rank*
Naval rating*
Other Ranks
