Overview
As a member of the military, Infantry Soldiers are the Army’s primary combat fighters and are responsible for closing with and destroying the enemy. They are the core members of the Combat Arms team, which includes Artillery and Armoured Soldiers.

Infantry Soldiers are capable of operating anywhere in the world in any environment – Arctic tundra, mountains, jungle or desert – and in any combination of arms, including airmobile and amphibious operations. The primary duties of an Infantry Soldiers are to:

• Expertly operate and maintain a wide range of weapons, including rifle, hand-grenades, light, medium and heavy machine-guns, and anti-tank weapons
• Use sophisticated equipment for field communications, navigation and night-vision surveillance
• Inspect and maintain weapon systems, vehicles, survival gear and personal defensive equipment
• Participate in airborne operations
• Operate with support elements such as fighter aircraft, tactical and artillery
• Engage in unarmed combat
• Employ camouflage and concealment, patrol, assault, defence, and escape-and-evasion tactics.

Work environment

Infantry Soldiers normally work outdoors. Both in training and on operations they live and work in conditions that would resemble those in the field. Infantry Soldiers will be posted to a battalion in Canada, but there are employment opportunities across Canada and on deployed operations around the world.

If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Entry plans

• Direct Entry Options

No previous work experience or career related skills are required. CAF recruiters can help you decide if your personal interests and attributes match the criteria for this occupation.

The minimum required education to apply for this occupation is the completion of the provincial requirements for Grade 10 or Secondary 4 in Quebec.

Foreign education may be accepted.

Training
The first stage of training is the Basic Military Qualification course, or Basic Training, held at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. A goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits maintain the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) physical fitness standard; as a result, the training is physically demanding.

Infantry Soldiers attend one of three Military Training Centres: The Royal Canadian Regiment in Meaford, Ontario; Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Wainwright, Alberta; and the Royal 22 e Régiment in Valcartier, Quebec. The training takes 17 weeks and includes the following topics:

• Use and care of personal and section-level weapons, including rifles, machine guns and anti-tank weapons
• Field-craft, including personal hygiene and meal preparation, camouflage, sentry duties, signalling, selecting firing positions, tactical movements and lines of advance
• Construction of field defences, such as trenches and roadblocks, and laying and marking of minefields
• Navigation by day and by night
• Patrolling operations
• Infantry section and platoon tactics, including offensive, defensive and transitional operations

Infantry Soldiers may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training, including:

• Basic Parachutist
• Parachute Jumpmaster
• Para Instructor
• Mountain Warfare
• Instructional Techniques
• First Aid Instructor
• Rappelmaster
• Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Instructor
• Urban Operations
• Close Quarter Combat Instructor

As they progress in their career, Infantry Soldiers who demonstrate the required ability and potential will be offered advanced training. Available courses include:

• Instructional Techniques
• Primary Army Leadership
• Infantry Section Commander
• Infantry Platoon Second in Command
• Infantry Company Sergeant-Major
• Communicator
• Reconnaissance Patrolling
• Anti-Armour Gunner
• Sniper
• Machinegunner (Heavy and General Purpose)
• Small Arms Coach
• 25mm Gunner and light armoured vehicle Crew Commander
• Winter (Arctic) and Jungle Operations
• Patrol Pathfinder
• Tactical Intelligence Operator

Part time options
This position is available for part-time employment with the Primary Reserve at certain locations across Canada. Reserve Force members usually serve part time at a Unit in their community, and may serve while going to school or working at a civilian job. They are paid during their training. They are not posted or required to do a military move. However, they can volunteer to move to another base. They may also volunteer for deployment on a military mission within or outside Canada.

Infantry Soldiers serve with the Canadian Army. They are the Army’s primary combat fighters, are responsible for engaging the enemy and are the core members of the Combat Arms team, which includes Artillery and Armoured Soldiers. When they are employed on a part-time or casual full-time basis they usually serve at a Forces Infantry unit located within Canada.

Find a Recruiting Centre

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. Following basic training, Infantry Soldiers attend one of three CAF training centres for 7 weeks of Infantry training.

Reserve Force members usually serve part-time with their home unit for scheduled evenings and weekends, although they may also serve in full-time positions at some units for fixed terms, depending on the type of work that they do. 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.

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Location
Halifax,