Policy

7th Command Chief Warrant Officer for the RCAF Announced

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Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Renee Hansen will be the 7th Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Lieutenant General Eric Kenny announced the appointment in CANFORGEN 05/24 on January 15, 2024.

Objective and Transparent Selection

“The RCAF CCWO selection was objective and transparent in line with improvements that have been implemented within both general officer and strategic CWO selection processes. Opportunity to be considered for RCAF CCWO was more inclusive, soliciting interest beyond l2 CWO,” stated the CANFORGEN.

The current 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer, CWO Hansen, was born and raised in Brandon, Manitoba, joining the Primary Reserve in 1992 as an administrative clerk.

“In 2001, CWO Hansen component transferred to the Regular Force where she was subsequently posted to the Armour School at Combat Training Centre Gagetown,” reads the CWO’s bio.

Deployed to Afghanistan

CWO Hansen deployed twice to Afghanistan, in 2006 as the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team Chief Clerk and again in 2008 with Task Force 1-08 as the Battle Group Orderly Room Sergeant, where her efforts earned her a Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command Commendation.

In 2015, she was promoted to Master Warrant Officer and named a member of the Order of Military Merit.

“In 2017, she eagerly accepted the challenge of fulfilling the Station Warrant Officer position in Canadian Forces Station Alert, and upon her return from Alert was posted to Ottawa as a part of the Director Air Staff Coordination team.”

In 2021, CWO Hansen was posted to the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ont. where she would earn a Certificate in Advanced Military Studies.

Career Highlights

CWO Hansen has had an extensive career serving on the prairies, in Alert, Afghanistan twice and on the East Coast.

Her service includes:

1992 – Joined Primary Reserve, Brandon, Manitoba,
2001 – Component transferred to Regular Force,
2001 – Armour School Combat Training Centre, Gagetown, NB,
2004 – 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Shilo, Manitoba,
2006 – Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team Chief Clerk, Afghanistan,
2008 – Battle Group Orderly Room Sergeant, Afghanistan,
2009 – Canadian Army Headquarters, Ottawa
2010 – Director Military Career Support Services Personnel Evaluation Report Processing,
2013 – Director Senior Appointments as Director Senior Appointments Coordinator,
2015 – Wing Superintendent Clerk, 8 Wing Trenton, Ont.
2017 – Station Warrant Officer, Canadian Forces Station Alert, Nunavut,
2017/2018 – Director Air Staff Coordination Team, Ottawa
2019 – Squadron Chief Warrant Officer at 426 Transport Training Squadron, Trenton, Ont.
2021 – Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ont.
2022 – 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer, Trenton, Ont.

“In 2021, CWO Hansen was posted to the Royal Military College of Canada, where she would earn a Certificate in Advanced Military Studies.”

Left, Chief Warrant Officer Renee Hansen, then a Master Warrant Officer presented with the Order of Military Merit from past Governor General Julie Payette in Ottawa at a Nov. 10, 2017, ceremony. Image by Sgt. Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall, OSGG.

Rigorous Process

The CANFORGEN noted applicants were subjected to a “rigorous process” including:

Proactive disclosure and background checks,
A comprehensive review included assessing personal attributes, leader character, past performance, and potential ratings,
A panel interview chaired by the RCAF DCOMD, which included a general officer from CPCC, an assistant deputy minister, and two strategic level (level 1) CWOS,
Individual interview with Comd RCAF, and
A confirmatory MULTIRATER 360 assessment.

“Given the talent of our members, each stage of the selection process required difficult choices. I would like to congratulate all of the applicants for their interest in the position and impressive career accomplishments to date. Their continuing service to the RCAF and Canada is greatly appreciated,” read the CANFORGEN.

RCAF Commander Congrats

“I extend my sincere congratulations to CWO Hansen on their upcoming appointment which will take effect in APS 2024. This appointment reflects your significant contributions to the RCAF and carries with it a heightened degree of expectation of your personal and professional attributes.

“As senior enlisted advisor to Comd RCAF on all issues concerning quality of life and quality of service of our aviators and defence team members, i expect that you will embody the CAF ethos, lead by example and exemplify the high level of trust which our members deserve,” said LGen Kenny.