Royal Canadian Medical Service | |
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Royal Canadian Medical Service badge
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Active | 1885 |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Canadian Forces |
Type | Personnel branch |
Role | Military medicine |
Motto(s) | Militi Succurrimus (Latin): We hasten to aid the soldiers |
March | "The Farmer's Boy" |
Commanders | |
Colonel-in-chief | Anne, Princess Royal |
The Royal Canadian Medical Service (RCMS, French: Service de santé royal canadien) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, consisting of all members of medical trades except dental. Nearly all members of the RCMS, along with the members of the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC), are employed in the Canadian Forces Health Services Group (CF H Svcs Gp). The RCMS was formerly named the Canadian Forces Medical Service until it was renamed on October 9, 2013.
Militi Succurrimus (We hasten to aid the soldiers) is the official branch motto. " The Farmer's Boy" is the branch march. This march was selected by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (mother of Queen Elizabeth II).
Medical personnel of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group provide operational (deployed) and operational readiness (in-garrison) medical care to entitled personnel.
RCMS personnel wear the same uniforms as other members of the Canadian Forces with unique identifiers depending on which distinctive environmental uniform (DEU) they are assigned (Navy, Army, Air). Regardless of environment, all officers and non-commissioned members (NCMs) wear the same cap badge. The only difference between the cap badges is that the staff of Æsculapius on NCM badge comprises a gold serpent on a gold staff whereas on the officer badge comprises a silver serpent on a gold staff.
Naval medical officers wear scarlet distinction cloth between the braids of their rank, while other health care officer classifications (non-physicians) wear a dull cherry distinction cloth. NCMs wear a trade badge on their jackets.
All army health care officer classifications and non-commissioned members wear a "RCMS" shoulder bar on the service dress jacket, and a tab bearing either the title "MEDICAL" or a unit identifier (e.g. "15 FD AMB") on slip-ons for other uniforms. NCMs below the rank of warrant officer wear a trade badge on the sleeve of the service dress jacket.