CFAWC Chief Warrant Officer

CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
RALPH MERCER

Chief warrant officer (CWO) Ralph Mercer enrolled in the Canadian Forces (CF) in 1978 as an Aero Engine Technician as part of the Con-Train Project. After Trade qualification 3 training in Borden, CWO Mercer was posted to T58 Engine Bay in Shearwater where he sailed on the Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Iroquois and did a NATO deployment with the HMCS Assiniboine. In 1982, he was posted to Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment in Cold Lake and re-mustered to Flight Engineer (FLT ENG) in 1983. CWO Mercer’s first posting as a FLT ENG was on the Twin Huey and later the Labrador as part of 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Trenton. In 1987, CWO Mercer was promoted to Sergeant and moved to Greenwood as part of 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron on CP 140 Auroras. In 1989, he was posted to 404 Maritime Patrol and Training Squadron as a FLT Deck Instructor. 1995 saw CWO Mercer attend the first course for the CH 146 Griffon in Fort Worth Texas. CWO Mercer was also posted to 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron Gagetown as Senior FLT ENG Instructor and flt WO. In the summer of 1999, he deployed with 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron to Kosovo as part of operation KENETIC rotation 0. CWO Mercer was promoted to master warrant officer (MWO) in 2001 and posted to 429 Transport Squadron Trenton as the FLT ENG leader. In 2003, he was promoted to his current rank of CWO and posted to 436 Transport Squadron as the Squadron Chief Warrant Officer. 2004 saw him posted to Ottawa to work with the Director General Military Human Resource Policy and Planning and Military Occupational Structure Analysis Redesign and Tailoring as the FLT Engineer trade subject-matter expert. In 2005, CWO Mercer was posted to 1 Wing Headquarters (HQ) Kingston where he served as the A3 and HQ CWO. He was selected for the CWO Knowledge Acquisition Program in 2007 and attended the Royal Military College. CWO Mercer was appointed to his current position as the Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Center (CFAWC) CWO in 2008.

ROLE of the CFAWC CWO

The Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Center CWO is an integral member of the Doctrine Development Team and is assigned to many of the projects ongoing within the unit. The CFAWC CWO also collaborates with Land Force Doctrine and Training System, Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre, Capability Advisory Groups, Wings, 1 Canadian Air Division and Air Force CWO to ensure that non-commissioned members’ issues and perspectives are addressed throughout doctrine development. The CFAWC CWO monitors developments in Aerospace Power doctrine and Strategy world wide and assesses or commissions assessments of other nations’ aerospace power operations/technology and doctrine for applicability to CF aerospace power operations. In that role, the CFAWC CWO publishes documents, reports and research notes on aerospace power issues. The CFAWC CWO participates in auditing exercises and war games and assists in the collection and analysis of information that will help to develop and validate aerospace concepts & doctrine for the CF.