[3] The Primary Reserve consists of sailors, soldiers, and aviators who may augment or operate alongside their Regular Force counterparts.

Each NRD has a small cadre of full-time reservists and regular force members to coordinate training and administration, but is for the most part directed by the division's part-time leadership.

Traditionally, the Naval Reserve supplied all personnel (except two regular forces electricians and one marine engineer) for the 12 Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs), which are used for patrol, minesweeping and bottom-inspection operations.

However in 2017, MCDVs were shifted to a blended crew model, skewing more heavily to being primarily manned by Regular Force (RegF) members.

This change was due to the loss of seagoing billets on larger ships typically manned primarily by RegF members.

This fighting mission has not changed much since the Second World War, when the majority of combat units overseas were mobilized reserve battalions detached from their home regiments.

In keeping with this mission, regiments of the Army Reserve exist at cadre strength and have a theoretical administrative capacity to support a full battalion upon mobilization, although they maintain a standing force that can typically deploy the manpower of a reduced company.

This perpetuates the regimental system in the reserve army so that it is available as such for the timely absorption of recruits in case of war or in aid of the civil power.

Such as when the need may one day arise, to call out more than 27,000 supplementary reservists and cadet instructors (who are also subjected to provide general service), to reinforce the order of battle, bringing it up to war establishment.

Once the soldiers are trade-qualified, they return to their units to serve in the line company (or operational sub-unit) that is ready and equipped to deploy when called to do so.

Traditionally the militia has been subdivided into district garrisons, and this system is still used as units are grouped along geographic lines into brigades for the purposes of administration, training and operations.

The order of battle will vary depending on the task and the available manpower but generally includes an artillery battery with 105 mm C3 Close Support Guns, several companies of truck-mounted light infantry with support weapons, an armoured reconnaissance squadron with G-Wagons equipped with GPMGs/LAW, and a combat engineer troop.

A high degree of winter training is expected as the Army Reserve provides Arctic Response Companies for Northern service.

Core tasks assigned to the field ambulances include force-generating trained personnel to support, augment and sustain Canadian Forces Health Services Group's domestic and expeditionary commitments, to provide health services support to their affiliated Canadian brigade groups and to conduct community outreach activities.

The members of the 1 Canadian Field Hospital Detachment Ottawa include specialist clinicians and provide depth and breadth to the Health Services Group on international operations and in military clinics within Canada.

This form of employment is entirely voluntary, provides no job security and fewer benefits (e.g., medical and dental) than the other classes of service.

[12] Members of the Primary Reserve may serve in routine domestic operations, or be called up in cases of national emergency as an aid to civil power.

[citation needed] In case of a severe national emergency, an Order in Council may be signed by the Governor General of Canada acting under the advice of the federal cabinet to call reserve members of the Canadian Forces into active service.