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Master corporal (MCpl) (French:caporal-chef) is a military rank used by a number of countries.
| Master corporal Caporal-chef | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Service branch | |
| Abbreviation |
|
| Rank group | Junior ranks |
| NATOrank code | OR-4 |
| Next higher rank | Sergeant |
| Next lower rank | Corporal |
| Equivalent ranks | Master sailor |
In theCanadian Armed Forces the displayed rank of master corporal is an appointment that can be granted toarmy andair force members of the rank ofcorporal. Itsnavy equivalent ismaster sailor (MS) (French:matelot-chef ormatc).
According to theQueen's Regulations and Orders:[1]
- TheChief of the Defence Staff or such officer as he may designate may appoint a corporal as a master corporal.
- The rank of a master corporal remains that of corporal.
- Master corporals have seniority among themselves in their order of seniority as corporals.
- Master corporals have authority and powers of command over all other corporals.
Master corporal, while formally an appointment, is treated as ade factonon-commissioned member rank, and is often described as such, even in official documents.
As mentioned above, the master corporal is senior to the corporal (and its naval counterpart,sailor first class (S1)). It is junior to the rank ofsergeant (Sgt) and its equivalent naval rank,petty officer 2nd class (PO2). Master corporals and master sailors along with corporals and sailors first class make up the cadre ofjunior non-commissioned officers.
The rank insignia of a master corporal is a two-bar chevron, worn point down, surmounted by a maple leaf. Embroidered rank badges are worn in "CF gold" thread onrifle green (army) melton, or in silver onair force blue (air force) melton, stitched to the upper sleeves of the service dress jacket; as miniature gold metal and rifle-green enamel badges on the collars of the army dress shirt and army outerwear jackets; in "pearl-grey" (silver) thread on air force blue slip-ons on air force shirts, sweaters, and coats;[2] and in white (army) or dark blue (air Force) thread onCADPAT slip-ons on the operational dress uniform. Insignia formess uniform is determined by branch or regimental tradition.
Master corporals normallymess and billet with thejunior ranks. Within most Canadian Army units, master corporals are commonly nicknamed "master jack" or "jack" by both superiors and subordinates. The nickname is derived from the former equivalent rank of lance corporal (still a rank in use with theRoyal Canadian Army Cadets) or "lance jack". This is an informality and is used only within social context and never in formal proceedings. In general, only in closer working or socially comfortable units like rifle regiments or infantry units is this informal term commonly used. Master corporals are also frequently referred to aschef in Quebec, a reference to the French name of the rank,caporal-chef, which has also caused the termchief to be used by Quebec anglophone military members.[citation needed]
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The master corporal appointment came into existence after theunification of the Canadian Forces in 1968. A power vacuum was inadvertently created when private soldiers were promoted to the rank of corporal as an incentive for continuing in the Forces at a time when Unification was introduced by Defence MinisterPaul Hellyer, who promoted all privates with requisite time in service to what was originally a leadership rank (corporal) in the army. Eventually, corporals who had passed the "B" phase of their leadership training took to wearing a crown over their chevrons, and this arrangement was eventually formalized by having a maple leaf replace the crown, and the new"'B' corporals", as they were known, became master corporals.
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The rank, formally an appointment as a seniorcorporal, gives the MCpl authority over all privates and corporals. As such, a MCpl is a first-level supervisor who is assessed on his/her ability to manage and develop subordinates. Given the structure of the Canadianinfantryplatoon, the MCpl is roughly equivalent to theBritish rank ofcorporal, second in command of aninfantry section; because MCpls often command sections and occupy various NCO positions, and because trained leadership is retained at a lower level (section) than in other militaries, it is more realistic to equate MCpls with theBritish,Australian andNew Zealand rank of senior corporal and just under sergeant.[according to whom?]
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The general requirements for appointment to master corporal include a Qualification Level 5 course (known as a journeyman course in some trades), a primaryleadership qualification course (PLQ), and a time in the rank of corporal for a minimum of two years. Forcombat arms trades (except for the infantry), the Army Junior Leadership Course (AJLC) is also required.
However, certain trades have their own particular qualifications in addition to the above. For example,infantry combines the Qualification Level 5B course, Qualification Level 6A, and Junior Leader's course in a single Infantry Section Commander's Course. In addition, to be appointed to master corporal an infantry soldier must have successfully completed a machine gunner's specialization course.
Master corporals often serve as training non-commissioned officers for the purposes of training new soldiers and airpersons. They are often a new recruit's first taste of military life.
| OR-4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Army[3] | Air force[4] | ||
| Shoulder |  |  |  |
| Camouflage |  |  | |
| French | Caporal-chef de 1re classe | Caporal-chef | |
| English translation | Chief corporal first class | Chief corporal | |
![Caporal-chef (Arabic: عريف أول, romanized: Earif 'awal) (Algerian Land Forces)[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a02.AlgA-CPL.svg)
![Korporaal-chef (French: Caporal-chef) (Belgian Land Component)[6]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBelgium-Army-OR-4a.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Benin Army)[7]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBenin_Army_OR-4.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Burkina Faso Ground Forces)[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBlank.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Congolese Ground Forces)[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a03-ROCongo_Army-MCPL.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Gabonese Army)[11]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a03.GLF-CPL.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Ivory Coast Ground Forces)[12]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aIvory_Coast-Army-OR-4.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Madagascar Ground Forces)[13]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a03.Madagascar_Air_Force-MCPL.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Malian Army)[14]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a03.Mali_Army-MCPL.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Royal Moroccan Army)[15]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a04-Moroccan_Army-MCPL.svg)
![Caporal-chef (Arabic: رقيب أول, romanized: Raqib 'awal) (Tunisian Army)[18]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aGrade_Marine_tunisienne_E3.png)
In theIndonesian Military, the rank "Master Corporal" is known asKopral Kepala (Kopka). InIndonesia, "Corporal" has three levels, which are:Second Corporal,First Corporal, and Master Corporal.
