Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer

Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer (CAF CWO; French: Adjudant-chef des Forces armées canadiennes) is the title of the senior non-commissioned member in the Canadian Armed Forces. The post was created in 1978 with the appointment of Chief Warrant Officer Robert Osside. The position is an appointment by the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) to assist in various duties and advise on all issues relating to non-commissioned members (NCMs).^[1][2] CWO Bob McCann has been the CAF CWO since March 17, 2023.

Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer
Adjudant-chef des Forces armées canadiennes
Insignia worn by the CAF CWO
Incumbent CWO Bob McCann since March 17, 2023
Department of National Defence Canadian Armed Forces
Type	Senior enlisted advisor (SEA)
Abbreviation	CAF CWO
Reports to	Chief of the Defence Staff
Formation	July 7, 1978
First holder	Robert Osside
Website	Official website

Rank and insignia

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

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Defence environment	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, 320 days	Navy	[7]
15		CWO Bob McCann MMM, MSM, CD	April 14, 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 97 days	Army	[8][9]

Notes

1. Officially, the Army was Force Mobile Command of the Canadian Forces until 2011.
2. 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.