Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer

The Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer (abbreviated CAF CWO) (Adjudant-chef des Forces armées canadiennes in French) is the senior non-commissioned member appointment in the Canadian Armed Forces. The post was created in 1978 with the first appointment of Chief Warrant Officer Robert Osside. CAF CWO is a position created by the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) to assist the CDS in their duties and advise them on all issues relating to non-commissioned members (NCMs).[1][2] CWO Bob McCann, MMM, MSM, CD, is the current CAF CWO since March 17, 2023.

Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer
Insignia worn by the CAF CWO
Incumbent
Bob McCann, MMM, MSM, CD
since March 17, 2023
Department of National Defence
Canadian Armed Forces
TypeSenior Enlisted Advisor (SEL)
AbbreviationCAF CWO
Reports toChief of the Defence Staff
FormationJuly 7, 1978
First holderRobert Osside

Rank and insignia

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The CAF CWO holds the substantive rank of Chief Warrant Officer (if Army or Air Force) or Chief Petty Officer 1st class (if Navy). Even if the incumbent is a Chief Petty Officer, the appointment title remains "Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer".

The rank insignia of the CAF CWO is the coat of arms of Canada in coloured thread, surrounded by a wreath of 20 maple leaves in gold thread, worn on the lower sleeve of the service dress jacket. The cap badge is the coat of arms of Canada, in full-colour metallic thread.

List of appointment holders

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No. Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Term of office Defence branch Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 CWO
Robert Peter Angelo Osside OMM, CD
(1930–2010)
July 7, 1978 July 5, 1982 3 years, 363 days Army[a] [3]
2 CPO1
Fred Gilbert McKee OMM, CD
(1935–2008)
July 5, 1982 July 13, 1984 2 years, 8 days Navy[b] [3]
3 CWO
Joseph Gilles Jules Turgeon MMM, CD
July 13, 1984 June 26, 1987 2 years, 348 days [3]
4 CWO
John Marr OMM, CD
June 26, 1987 July 22, 1991 4 years, 26 days [3]
5 CPO1
James D. Carroll OMM, CD
(?–1996)
July 22, 1991 July 25, 1995 4 years, 3 days Navy[b] [4]
6 CWO
Guy Parent MMM, CD
July 25, 1995 June 15, 1999 3 years, 325 days [3]
7 CWO
Joseph Jean Louis Maurice Dessureault OMM, CD
June 15, 1999 June 28, 2001 2 years, 43 days Army[a] [3]
8 CPO1
Richard Lupien MMM, CD
June 28, 2001 August 20, 2004 3 years, 23 days Navy[b] [3]
9 CWO
Daniel Gilbert MMM, CD
August 20, 2004 July 30, 2007 2 years, 344 days Air Force[c] [3]
10 CWO
Greg Lacroix MMM, CD
July 30, 2007 July 12, 2010 2 years, 347 days Army[a] [3]
11   CPO1
Robert Cléroux MMM, CD
July 12, 2010 July 5, 2013 2 years, 358 days Navy[d] [5]
12   CWO
Kevin West MMM, MSM, CD
July 5, 2013 July 5, 2018 5 years, 0 days Air Force
13   CWO
Alain Guimond MMM, CD
July 5, 2018 September 3, 2020 2 years, 60 days Army [6]
14 CPO1
Gilles Gregoire MMM, CD
September 3, 2020 April 14, 2023 4 years, 62 days Navy [7]
15 CWO
Bob McCann MMM, MSM, CD
April 14, 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 204 days Army [8][9]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Officially, the Army was Force Mobile Command of the Canadian Forces until 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Officially, the Navy was named Maritime Command until 2011.
  3. ^ Officially, the Air Force was named Air Command until 2011.
  4. ^ Cléroux was serving as CF Chief Warrant Officer when Maritime Command was renamed the Royal Canadian Navy on 16 August 2011.

References

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  1. ^ "Table of Ranks and Appointments". Canadian Soldiers.
  2. ^ Bélanger, Yves (12 June 2018). "The Osside Institute: a source of pride for CWO West". The Maple Leaf. The Institute was renamed in 2014, to honour the memory of the very first Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer, CWO Robert Osside.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Gathering of the CF Chief Warrant Officers". Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.|
  4. ^ Green, Mary Ellen (20 October 2008). "Building renamed for exceptional leader" (PDF). Lookout Newspaper. Volume 53, No.42, p.7
  5. ^ "PR-CO". The Wall Street Journal. 5 July 2013.|[dead link]
  6. ^ Rehman, Mishall (29 November 2016). "Combat Engineer CWO Alain Guimond appointed Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer". Canadian Military Family Magazine.
  7. ^ "CAF welcomes CPO1 Gilles Grégoire: 14th CAF Chief Warrant Officer". Canadian Military Family Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Message from the Chief of the Defence Staff on the Appointment of Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann as the 15th Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer". Government of Canada. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer Change of Appointment". www.canada.ca. 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2023-04-14.