Canadian Defence Academy

The Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) was created in 2002 to act as the institutional champion of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) professional development.  In this capacity, CDA has played a leadership role in the design and development of a vigorous professional development programme to better prepare our officers and non-commissioned members (NCM) for the evolving complexity and ambiguity of our security environment into the future.

While the core raison d’être of the Academy continues to be the stewardship of professional military education, the Academy’s mandate has evolved considerably and rapidly over the years. Today, CDA exercises functional authority of the CAF Individual Training and Education System on behalf of the Chief of Military Personnel.  

Additionally, the Academy is the CAF training authority for common support occupations and for common professional development training and education. In sum, the Academy has become an instrumental vehicle to ensure that the CAF training and education needs are met, and that the men and women responsible for conducting operations at home and abroad are fully prepared for their tasks.

From the moment they enroll in the CAF until the day they depart, the Academy works together with members to broaden their knowledge, teach the skills they require to become a leader and provide first-class training and education programs.

With almost 40,000 trainees taking 352 different training courses in 2012, 41 percent of the CAF was trained by CDA multiple schools and colleges that year. CDA’s responsible for over 900 courses, provides language training to more then 4,000 CAF members, enables e-learning for 48,000 Department of National Defence (DND) and CAF personnel through DNDLearn, and provides 5,000 students a year with continuing education at the Royal Military College of Canada. CDA by the intermediary of the Canadian Forces College (CFC), a leader in advanced professional development, runs seven advanced courses that graduate over 600 senior military and civilian students, including many from foreign networks.

CDA accomplishes this through:

  1. Programs such as:
  1. Activities like:
  1. Tools as:

The strategic aim of CDA is overseeing the pan-CAF tools, systems and programs to enable the delivery in the required time of the right number of professionally trained and educated military personnel to succeed in the evolving contemporary operating environment.

Canadian Military Journal

The Canadian Military Journal is the official professional journal of the CAF and the Department of National Defence. It is published quarterly under authority of the Minister of National Defence. Opinions expressed or implied in this publication are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of National Defence, the CAF, Canadian Military Journal, or any agency of the Government of Canada. Each issue of the journal is published simultaneously in print and electronic versions.

Canadian Forces Leadership Institute

The Canadian Forces Leadership Institute (CFLI) strengthens the foundations of CAF leadership and the Profession of Arms by capitalizing on the wealth of experience in our Officers and Non-Commissioned Members (NCMs) and articulating these enduring military principles by conducting research, review, analysis, development, synthesis and evaluation of leadership and professionalism.

CFLI generates research, concept development, and doctrine on military leadership, command and the profession of arms to build and support effective military leaders. CFLI published the Duty with Honour: The Profession of Arms in Canada manual, which serves as the intellectual and doctrinal basis for all personnel and professional development policies in the CAF. In addition to this volume, a second set of doctrine publications has been published as the Leadership series of manuals: Leading People, Leading the Institution, and Conceptual Foundations. These publications are used in training and professional development activities throughout the CAF.

Inquiries can be addressed to cda.cfli-ilfc@forces.gc.ca

Canadian Defence Academy Press

Established in 2005, the Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) Press mission is to publish scholarly publications that contribute to a Canadian body of operational leadership and profession of arms knowledge that supports the generation of effective military leaders.

By contributing to a Canadian body of operational leadership and profession of arms knowledge, CDA Press informs the general public with regards to the significant contribution of Department of National Defence (DND) and the CAF to Canada.  Furthermore, the press serves as a vehicle to highlight the challenges inherent in the Canadian military experience and its significance to our society.

The CDA Press, in collaboration with its major feeder organizations and end-state users (i.e. the Canadian Forces Leadership Institute, the Royal Military College of Canada and the Canadian Forces College) is responsible for ensuring that its published volumes meet the current and ever changing needs of DND and the CAF. This in turn will help to ensure that military personnel can better meet the challenges of the future. As such, the CDA Press, through its chairman and the editorial board process, is charged by the Commander of CDA to review and assess manuscripts and prepare for publication those works that meet the highest scholarly and professional standards expected of an academic press.

Inquiries can be addressed to cda.cfli-ilfc@forces.gc.ca