Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction 02/16 – Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class and Chief Warrant Officer Strategic Employment

1. Identification

Date of Issue: 2017-04-05

Date of Modification: 2025-02-28

Application: This Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction (CAFMPI) serves as the formal direction for the strategic employment and succession planning of chief petty officers, 1st class (CPO 1) and chief warrant officers (CWO).

Supersession: CMP Instr 09/03, NCM Senior Appointments and Key CPO 1/CWO Positions

Approval Authority: Chief of Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Administrative Response Centre (ARC)

2. Definitions

Career Management and Planning (gestion et planification des carrières)

Career Management (CM) and Career Planning ensure the availability of experienced and capable members who are prepared to assume roles as they become available. This is accomplished by managing, administering and assigning Regular Force personnel to critical positions to satisfy the needs of the service in accordance with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) manning priorities. Career management and planning increases professional knowledge through career courses and develops experience and progression through controlled postings. It is transparent and effective in its assignment of Regular Force personnel to meet the current and future needs of the CAF while considering individual aspirations.

Core Positions (postes centraux)

These positions are occupational and tactical in nature. They are required for development by each Service. Core positions provide CPO 1 and CWOs with the necessary opportunities to gain the experience required for further advancement.

Critical Positions (postes essentiels)

Critical positions are made up of Senior Appointed (SA) positions and Key Positions (KP) either within the Environmental Command Structure (ECS) or pan CAF. Those positions form a fundamental part of the leadership teams at the operational and strategic levels of the CAF. Those positions are also utilized for continued development of CPO 1 and CWOs who have the potential to excel in command and institutional positions. Personnel appointed to those positions are succession planned and must have the expected leadership attributes. Those personnel are mentors and leaders of the institution, working in the operational and strategic realms and have a great capacity to influence their organizations.

Succession Management and Planning (gestion et planification de la relève)

Succession Management (SM) and Succession Planning (SP) is a leadership function at all levels. It is an integrated and systematic process that allows for the identification of current and future leadership requirements for critical positions, in order to develop and retain leadership continuity necessary to mission success. SM and SP develop pools of talent to fill appointments that are critical to the CAF’s ongoing operations and long-term goals. This process enhances and strengthens members’ potential to acquire the competencies, experience and training needed to attain critical positions. In SM, career managers work in collaboration with the succession planners to ensure the application of the ECS plans. Career managers are vital in the application of this instruction and the SP process.

3. Policy Direction

Overview

3.1 The objective of this instruction is to provide transparency, consistency and inclusiveness in the selection and appointment of CPO 1 and CWOs beyond the tactical level. Thus ensuring that the CPO 1 and CWOs selected for those positions meet the requirements associated with effective leadership, followership and cooperation within the CAF.

Policy Statement

3.2 It is expected that CPO 1 and CWOs will serve the needs of the CAF. CPO 1 and CWOs who are selected for critical positions have a moral and professional obligation to the CAF to accept this appointment for its normal tenure.

3.3 This instruction provides direction for the development of CPO 1 and CWOs who have multiple years of service remaining.

4. CAF Authorities

Authority Table

4.1 The following table identifies the office and their responsibilities for SA and KP:

5. Strategic Employment Process

Mandate

5.1 To ensure the continuity of a Chief Cadre that can deliver CAF capabilities in response to Government mandate, formal selection processes are employed. Centralized under the DSA, these methods ensure that the right person is at the right place, at the right time with the right competencies and for the right reasons. Collaborative CM and SM will continually evolve in order to meet the future demands of broader institutional leadership needs.

Overview

5.2 The Strategic Employment Process shown in annex B is the process of governing and appointing CPO 1 and CWOs to pan CAF and Environmental positions. Each of the CAF boards must be synchronized with each of the ECS succession plans and ECS boards. The Strategic Employment Process is made up of 4 types of boards, each having a specific mandate:

1. ECS Succession Boards;
2. Personnel Management Boards;
3. Personnel Appointment Boards; and
4. Confirmation List.

5.3 There may be more than one board of each type within the ECS as well as at the CAF level depending on the needs of the service at that time. These meetings are synchronized so as to build on each other throughout the year in order to manage the current and future needs of the institution.

Environmental Succession Board

5.4 Environmental Succession Boards are conducted within each of the three ECSs only. These boards are synchronized with the pan CAF boards to ensure that the right person is at the right place, at the right time with the right competencies and for the right reasons to fill critical positions. The ECS boards are governed by the respective ECSs and therefore have their own guidance for appointment and management boards. These boards take place before Personnel Appointment Board 2 as indicated in annex A. Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS), Military Personnel Command (MPC) and Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) do not play a direct role in environmental succession planning other than recommending potential candidates to ECSs. Environmental succession decisions are the exclusive domain of the ECSs.

Personnel Management Board

5.5 The CAF Personnel Management Board (CAF PMB) deals specifically with policy and guidance related to CPO 1 and CWO positions management. There are two meetings per posting cycle, normally scheduled in the spring and fall of each year as indicated in Annex A. The PMB’s main focus is a holistic review of all CPO 1 and CWO positions, guidance and policies.

5.6 The objectives for the CAF PMB is to:

1. Redefine and expand the “strategic level” for SA and KP CPO 1 and CWOs in order to optimize their contribution to operational and institutional leadership;
2. Optimize the Senior Appointment Succession Planning Process;
3. Evolve the Strategic Employment Model;
4. Analyze and integrate non-commissioned member (NCM) personnel management issues and lessons learned;
5. Review, analyze, and develop personnel policies and procedures and Standard Operating Procedures impacting the Senior NCM cadre;
6. Address all CPO 1 and CWO personnel issues and challenges in all functional areas;
7. Review or confirm SA and KP openings for active posting season (APS) +1;
8. Review processes from the past cycle;
9. Resolve outstanding issues from the past cycle;
10. Review or approve any Progressive Model changes; and
11. Review and update CAFMPI 02/16.

5.7 The composition of the CAF PMB is as follows:

1. Chairperson: DGMC;
2. Co-Chair: DSA;
3. Secretary: DGMC CWO;
4. Senior Advisor: CAF CWO;
5. Members:
   1. RCN - Director General Naval Strategic Readiness (DGNSR) & Command Chief Petty Officer (CCPO);
   2. CA - G1 & CA SM;
   3. RCAF - Strategic Planning & CCWO;
   4. MPC - Chief of Staff (COS) & CCWO;
   5. VCDS - COS & CCWO; and
   6. CJOC - J1 & CCWO;
6. Advisors:
   1. DSA CPO 1 or CWO Environmental Career Managers; and
   2. Environmental Succession Planners.

Personnel Appointment Board

5.8 The CAF Personnel Appointment Board (CAF PAB) deals specifically with the process of identifying vacant or soon to be vacant pan CAF positions and the selection of the appropriate CAF member to fill those positions as outlined in Annex A.

5.9 For L1 CPO 1 and CWO positions, DSA will solicit the ECSs for nominations. The files will be forwarded to the appropriate L1 Commander who will conduct interviews and select the candidate.

5.10 For level 2 CPO 1 and CWO positions outside the ECS and below, DSA will solicit the ECSs for nominations. The selection of a candidate will be done through the CAF PAB process.

5.11 The CAF PAB process consists of four boards per posting cycle whose timings are identified in annex A:

1. CAF PAB 1 – Ratification;
2. CAF PAB 2 – Selection;
3. CAF PAB 3 - Professional development verification; and
4. CAF PAB 4 - Employment Forecast.

5.12 The composition of the CAF PAB is as follows:

1. Chairperson: DGMC;
2. Co-Chair: DSA;
3. Secretary: DGMC CWO;
4. Senior Advisor: CAF CWO;
5. Members:
   1. RCN - CCPO;
   2. CA - CA SM;
   3. RCAF – CCWO;
   4. MPC - CCWO;
   5. VCDS - CCWO; and
   6. CJOC - CCWO;
6. Advisors:
   1. DSA CPO 1 or CWO Environmental CMs; and
   2. Environmental Succession Planners.

CAF Personnel Appointment Board 1 – Ratification

5.13 PAB 1 is the first board in the cycle. This board is scheduled for early fall and deals with the ratification and out of cycle selection for positions for the upcoming APS.

5.14 The board will:

1. Confirm that the chain of command and the member have been informed of the planned appointment;
2. Identify any issues or unplanned vacancies for the approaching APS; and
3. Discuss and address any issues for the upcoming APS.

5.15 The product of this board is a list of all the selected pan CAF SA and KP candidates for the positions that are changing in the APS. From this board, DSA through respective ECSs and career managers, will action postings based on the Record of Decision (ROD).

CAF Personnel Appointment Board 2 – Selection

5.16 This board is scheduled post ECSs boards and deals with the selection of personnel for the upcoming APS +1 posting season. The timing of this board ensures that ECSs have sufficient time to review files and identify those personnel who have the competencies to take on the challenges of pan CAF leadership positions. This selection should be completed at least one year in advance of the posting year in question for pan CAF positions to allow for the completion of any required professional development training. From this board, DSA, through respective ECSs and career managers, will action postings based on the ROD.

CAF Personnel Appointment Board 3 – Professional development verification

5.17 This board takes place post-CAF PAB 2. In this board, the required training is identified and planned for members selected at CAF PAB 2. This allows for the required training to be completed by personnel before the upcoming APS +1 posting season. This board also selects CPO 1 and CWOs for Developmental Period 5 programs based on the three ECSs recommendations. CPO 1 and CWOs will be placed on selected leadership training courses based on the ROD from this board.

CAF Personnel Appointment Board 4 – Employment Forecast

5.18 This board is scheduled for late spring, pre-APS and discusses position openings and extension requirements for personnel for the current APS +2. The board produces a list which identifies positions that are planned to open for the APS +2 posting season. This list is used to plan for the next CAF PAB 2 selection board for the following APS cycle. The ROD will become the basis for the next APS cycle.

Confirmation List Board

5.19 The CAF Confirmation List Board is a single meeting which happens once per posting cycle in advance of CAF PAB 2. The aim of this board is to develop one overarching master list of all CPO 1 and CWOs nominated by each ECSs with the potential to fill critical pan CAF positions. This board is scheduled post-ECSs selection boards to allow for a more refined list of personnel for consideration from the ECSs.

6. Succession Planning

Overview

6.1 Each environment has its own succession planning process. The challenge is not to only plan to meet the needs of its own environment, branch, or occupation but to have an overarching plan for developing institutional leaders that can influence at the strategic level. Support occupations that have affiliation with all three environments must influence and input their succession plans and needs to the appropriate ECS. Collaboration between Chains of Command, Corps, Branches, Regiments, Career Managers and Succession Planners is vital to safeguarding proper coordination of the member’s progression.

6.2 As critical positions at the Command, Group and Formation level become vacant, the selection of replacements must be done sequentially, beginning with the selection of the member for the most senior position. The sequential selection process harmonizes the already established Navy, Army and Air Force succession planning processes. It will also minimize the requirement to initiate last minute selection boards for CPO 1 and CWO positions both in or outside of their own Environmental Commands and will ensure a smooth transition for the selection of the CPO 1 and CWOs into and out of critical positions across the institution.

6.3 In order for this succession planning to be effective, positions and required skills must be identified and matched against a member’s competencies. Branches, Corps, Regiments and occupations succession plan their members with the intent to address gaps between the member’s current competencies and future needs of the institution. Succession Planners and Career Managers work together to place the right person, in the right position, at the right time with the right competencies and for the right reasons (5Rs).

6.4 The RCN, CA and RCAF each have their own distinctive succession plans for their respective uniformed members:

1. The RCN follows Naval Order (NAVORD) 5002-7 (under revision), Succession Planning Process - Non-Commissioned Officers
2. The CA follows CAO 11-79
3. The RCAF follows ACO 1000-8, Air Force Personnel Management

6.5 Although the selection process is well refined for the three environments; the Branches, corps and regiments need to align their processes with their respective environmental services, as well as the selection process of Pan CAF SA.

7. Chief Petty Officer 1st class and Chief Warrant Officers Pyramidal Construct – Definitions

Overview

7.1 The progression and appointment of CPO 1 and CWOs for positions within these levels need not always follow a pattern of having completed a lower-level position in order to progress to next higher level. CPO 1 and CWOs who have the 5Rs for a position may skip a level if selected.

Command Positions (to include Chief Level 1)

7.2 CPO 1 and CWOs employed in Command Appointments form an integral part of the most senior leadership team of the CAF. These positions of significant influence require visionary leaders who are agents of change, leaders of leaders and act as one of the most senior advisors to the chain of command. They are custodians of the NCM Corps and must be fully dedicated to the professional ideology of the CAF. Command CPO 1 and CWOs are employed at the strategic levels and must possess the highest levels of social, cognitive and adaptive capacities. They are vital to the effective communications of their Commander’s intent and vision, therefore exceptional communication and interpersonal skills are essential. 

1. CL0: This level consists of the CAF CWO.
2. CL1: This level consists of the level 1 CPO 1 and CWOs.

Formation positions (to include Chief Level 2)

7.3 CPO 1 and CWOs employed at the Formation, Fleet and Division levels, form an essential part of the senior leadership team at the operational level. These are senior advisors to their commanders who possess an increased level of influence with their organization. CPO 1 and CWOs in these positions are institutional leaders who must display high levels of adaptability, behavioral flexibility and organizational awareness. They have a high level of influence and must have a breadth of knowledge and understanding of institutional affairs, including the effects of strategic decisions. In order to fulfill these roles, these personnel must have a diverse set of skills, expertise, attributes and professional competencies. 

1. CL2: This level consists of those positions filling Command CPO 1 and CWO functions as well as National Defence Headquarters Group, Operational Command and Formation CPO 1 and CWOs.

Senior Appointment and Key Positions (to include Chief Levels 3, 4A and 4 B)

7.4 CPO 1 and CWOs employed in Senior Appointments form a fundamental part of the command team (Leadership team) at the tactical or strategic level of the CAF. These positions are leadership or Advisor in nature and are utilized for continued development of CPO 1 and CWOs. Personnel selected for these positions must be in possession of specific skill sets, competencies and job experience requirements. The majority of these positions are not assigned to a specific occupation, although they may be assigned to a specific Service. These personnel are mentors and leaders of the institution and have a great capacity to influence their organizations. They must demonstrate the highest levels of creativity, teamwork, stamina and self-confidence. They must be expert communicators with high degrees of judgment and vision.

1. CL3: This level consists of all remaining Senior Appointments, higher Formation CPO 1 and CWOs not in Level 1 or Level 2.
2. CL4: This level consists of the Key Positions in the CAF and within the Branches, Corps, Groups and ECSs. Influence is exercised at the operational and at the strategic levels.

Core Positions (to include Chief Levels 5 and 6)

7.5 These positions are for newly promoted CPO 1 and CWOs and are considered critical for further development by each Service. Core positions are normally at the tactical level (there could be some employed in technical positions, although this would be the exception) that provides CPO 1 and CWOs with the necessary opportunities to gain experience required for further advancement. These positions must undertake an adaptable approach to employ and develop CPO 1 and CWOs towards strategic level employment.

1. CL5: This level consists of the first positions that are beyond entry into the rank. A member employed as a Coxswain, regimental sergeant-major, Squadron CWO or those positions that have been identified as equivalent.
2. CL6: This level is where members are employed directly within their military occupational structure identification as CPO 1 or CWOs and those positions that are clearly entry level CPO 1 and CWOs, i.e. when a member is promoted to CPO 1 or CWO.

8. Supplemental Information

Pay

8.1 Pay for CPO 1 and CWOs selected for SAs is governed by Compensation and Benefits Instructions for the Canadian Forces (CBI) 204.30, Pay - Non-Commissioned Members.

Second Language

8.2 Linguistic requirements for positions vary, it is expected that talented individuals work towards improving and maintaining their second official language (SOL) skills. As well SOL training for Regular Force CPO 1 and CWOs must be identified early.

8.3 ECSs should identify those members who are selected for SAs or KPs up to 14 months in advance of taking on the responsibilities of the position. This affords the possibility to develop a SOL training plan for certain members.

Controlled Rank

8.4 DSA is the managing authority for the controlled rank of CPO 1 and CWO. As per Canadian Forces Organization and Establishment Policy CFP 219, DSA is the approving authority on Establishment Changes and other items which affect the CPO 1 and CWO cadre.

9. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Associated DAOD

• CBI 204.30, Pay - Non-Commissioned Members
• DAOD 5031-0, Learning and Professional Development

Other References

• Beyond Transformation: The CPO 1/CWO Strategic Employment Model (Pending approval)
• CFP 219, Canadian Forces Organization and Establishment Policy
• NAVORD 5002-7, Succession Planning Process - Non-Commissioned Officers (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• CAO 11-79, Army Succession Planning (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• ACO 1000-8, Air Force Personnel Management (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)

10. Annexes

1. Annex A – Personnel Appointment Board Selection Process
2. Annex B – Strategic Employment Process
3. Annex C – Chief Petty Officer 1st class/Chief Warrant Officers Positions