The RCAF Reserve Celebrates a New CWO

Magazine Article / January 27, 2020 / Project number: RCAF-Excelsior-Winter-2020-05

The RCAF Reserve celebrated a milestone occasion on 20 September, 2019 when Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Keith Mitchell, RCAF Reserve Careers Chief, received his CWO Scroll. This particular occasion was all the more special as LGen Al Meinzinger, Commander RCAF, and CWO Denis Gaudreault, RCAF CWO, who were visiting 14 Wing for a town hall event, made the presentation.

CWO Mitchell, a Search and Rescue Technician by occupation and an RCAF Headquarters staff member, manages the careers of the RCAF Reserve non-commissioned members (NCMs) while remotely employed at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia. He entered the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserve as a Field Engineer in 1980. After 25 years as a Regular Force member, he transferred back to the Reserve Force with the RCAF Reserve. Over his military career, CWO Mitchell has served as Section Commander with the Special Service Force Airborne Engineers, as a Para Rescue team leader, as the Readiness Training Flight (RTF) Master Warrant Officer, National Civil Air Search and Rescue Association NCM Liaison Officer, and as a Training and Recruiting Supervisor. He has deployed to countries all over the world in support of CAF operations including, Germany, France, Africa, Italy, Croatia, Spain, and Afghanistan and, most notably, conducted training with the French Foreign Legion in the jungles of French Guyana in South America.

The entire RCAF Reserve has, at any given time, only about a dozen CWOs on strength. These Chiefs are serving in a wide variety of leadership roles, from the squadron level up to higher headquarters positions across Canada.

Senior non-commissioned members promoted to the rank of CWO receive a special scroll signed by the Minister of National Defence. The Scroll instructs the CWO to “carefully and diligently to discharge your duty as such by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging, as required, by the established regulations of the service…”. In so performing “all manner of things” our Reserve CWOs are highly esteemed for their dedication to service, and for the wisdom and expertise they offer to junior members working their way up through the ranks.

Congratulations, CWO Mitchell!