Meet the Chief RCAF Chief Warrant Officer Gérard Poitras discusses his long and satisfying journey to the upper ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces. By Ken Pole C Appointed in 2015, RCAF Chief Warrant Officer Gérard Poitras expects to leave his current post next year. His 34-year military career has taken him all over the world. What’s next? Time will tell. DND Photo 30 RCAF Today 2017 Canadian military recruiters relied for years on the slogan “there’s no life like it,” and it’s a pitch with which Gérard Poitras, chief warrant officer (CWO) of the Royal Canadian Air Force, would agree. His 34-year career has taken him from New Brunswick to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, with stops in some 60 countries in between. As CWO, he’s tied into a network of colleagues within the RCAF and allied air forces, as well as within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) generally. Warrant officers and CWOs interact closely with their officers. Poitras’ is LGen Mike Hood, commander of the RCAF, who has an office nearby at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa and whom he sees formally and informally on a regular basis. While Hood’s mandate is advising the chief of the defence staff, Gen Jonathan Vance, an Army careerist, on all things RCAF, Poitras keeps his own boss in touch with what’s going on down through the ranks, as do his counterparts in other commands. “We meet about monthly as part of the Chief Warrant Officers Council,” he said in an exclusive interview for RCAF Today. “We discuss any and all issues that are relevant to the NCMs (non-com- missioned members) across all environments because we also want to attack issues as they arise or share best practices. “It’s a very open forum; we’ve become very good friends. We’ve all known each other for some years because as you get pro- moted, you get to know who the players are. Of course, I always bring an Air Force flavour to the meeting.” Poitras explained that CWOs have three distinct roles: co-stewards of their commanders’ professional environments; custodians of the non-commissioned members corps; and as part of the leadership team. “As part of our leadership team, I’m responsible for morale, welfare, the well-being, the professional development, the discipline and deportment of all the personnel employed in the Air Force.” As for meetings with Hood, there is no set schedule. “I had a chat with him about 45 minutes ago, off-the-cuff because his door was open and I walked in,” said Poitras. “We have a weekly meet- ing where all the generals and myself will sit with the commander and discuss issues. But I am one of the very few individuals who will walk into his office at any time to discuss whatever issue I feel