Chief Petty Officer 1st Class
Encyclopedia
Non-commissioned member
A non-commissioned member , in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as:"… any person, other than an officer, who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an officer to, the Canadian Forces…" Thus, an NCM is any member who is...
(NCM) rank of the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
. It is equivalent to a chief warrant officer
Chief Warrant Officer
Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the Canadian Forces and the Israel Defence Forces.-Canada:In the Canadian Forces, a chief warrant officer or CWO is the most senior non-commissioned member rank in the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
(CWO) in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. It is immediately senior to the rank of chief petty officer 2nd-class and its equivalents, master warrant officer
Master Warrant Officer
Master warrant officer is a senior military rank in the Canadian Forces, Singapore Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces.-Canadian Forces:...
; it is part of the cadre of warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s.
The French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
form of the rank is premier maître de 1re classe (pm 1).
Insignia
The rank insignia of the CPO1 is the Coat of Arms of CanadaCoat of arms of Canada
The Arms of Canada is, since 1921, the official coat of arms of the Canadian monarch, and thus also of Canada...
, worn on both forearms of the Service Dress tunic and on slip-ons on both shoulders of other uniforms. Unlike other Chiefs and Petty Officers, CPO1s wear the cap insignia of Naval officers, although the brim of the peak cap remains plain, the same as other Naval NCMs.
Forms of address
CPO1s are generally initially addressed as "Chief Petty Officer Bloggins" or "Chief Bloggins", and thereafter as "Chief", although in correspondence the full rank or abbreviation is used before the member's name. The Coxswain of a Royal Canadian NavyRoyal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
ship will be answered as "Coxswain" (eg. "yes Coxswain" or "no Coxswain") The full appellation "Chief Petty Officer 1st Class" in speech is generally used only when the "first class" distinction must be made, such as to distinguish between members with similar names but differing ranks, or on promotion parades. CPO1s are never addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am", regardless of the protocol for their Army and Air Force equivalents; in Naval tradition, the titles "Sir" and "Ma'am" are reserved for officers.
Appointments
One of the normal appointments of a CPO1 is that of coxswainCoxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
, the senior NCM on a ship; it is roughly analogous to an Army Regimental Sergeant-Major (RSM). Due to the unified nature of the CF, however, it is not unheard-of for CPO1s — especially those of the "purple trades
Purple trades
In the armed forces of Canada, the purple trades are occupations and careers – typically related to logistics or other support – that are not strongly linked to one of the Canadian Forces' three major 'environments' or 'elements': sea, land, or air....
", such as logistics or military police to find themselves filling the appointment of RSM in what are otherwise considered "hard" army units (such as Service Battalions).
CPO1s may also hold appointments as the senior NCM in a larger formations or on a base; these appointments, and their respective insignia, include:
- Base Chief Petty Officer (BCPO) — the Coat of Arms over crossed crusader swords
- Formation Chief Petty Officer — the Coat of Arms over the central insignia of the badge of the Canadian Armed Forces (an anchor, crossed swords and an albatross in flight).
- Fleet Chief Petty OfficerFleet Chief Petty OfficerFleet chief petty officer is a non-commissioned naval rank, typically senior to chief petty officer and ranking with army warrant officers.-Pakistan:...
(Fleet CPO) — the Coat of Arms over a small foul anchor - Command Chief Petty Officer (CCPO) — the Coat of Arms with a wreath of laurel wrapped around the base
- Canadian Forces Chief Warrant OfficerCanadian Forces Chief Warrant OfficerThe Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer or CFCWO is the senior non-commissioned member appointment in the Canadian Forces.The CFCWO holds the substantive rank of Chief Warrant Officer or Chief Petty Officer 1st Class...
(CFCWO) — the Coat of Arms with a wreath of twenty-eight maple leaves wrapped around the base and sides. The title of this highest non-commissioned position in the Canadian Forces is not, however, ever referred to as "Canadian Forces Chief Petty Officer" if the incumbent is from the Navy.
Messes and quarters
CPO1s generally mess and billet with Petty OfficerPetty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
s and other Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
s, and their Army and Air Force equivalents, Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s and Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Their mess on naval bases or installations are generally named the "Chiefs and POs Mess".