Canadian Joint Forces Command Sergeant-Major - Biography

Chief Warrant Officer D.J. Crawford, MMM, MSM, CD

Chief Warrant Officer Crawford enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Primary Reservist on the 21st of February 1991. He transferred to the regular force on the 25th of October 1995 and was posted to The 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment.

During his over 34 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, CWO Crawford has served with the Royal Montreal Regiment, the Royal New Brunswick Regiment, the Royal 22e Regiment and The Royal Canadian Regiment within both the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Land Forces Central Training Area, Director General International Security Policy, Strategic Joint Staff, Chief of the Defence Staff, Director General of Military Careers and 1st Canadian Division HQ.

CWO Crawford has eight operational deployments. Three deployments in the Balkens spanning from Croatia in 1993 with the 1st Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, Bosnia in 1998 with the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment and 1999, in Kosovo with the 1st Battalion again. In 2003, he deployed to Turkey with the National Support Element as part of a theatre activation team. He deployed twice to Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006 with the ISTAR Reconnaissance Squadron and The 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. He deployed in 2021 in Ukraine as the Task Force Sergeant Major for Op UNIFIER. His last deployment was as TF Sergeant Major in fall of 2024 during Op GLOBE with 1st Canadian Division HQ.

CWO Crawford was promoted to his current rank effective March 23, 2020 and assumed the role of Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment on April 06, 2020. On June 30, 2022, CWO Crawford was appointed as 2 CMBG Brigade Sergeant Major. He was appointed 1st Canadian Division HQ Sergeant Major on June 20, 2024. On December 2, 2025 he was appointed to his current role as the Canadian Joint Forces Command Sergeant-Major.