Warrant Officer of the Air Force
| Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Air Force (WOFF-AF) | |
|---|---|
 Robert Swanwick since 1 December 2015 | |
| Style | Warrant Officer of the Air Force (Warrant Officer) |
| Term length | 3 years |
| Inaugural holder | Richard ('Dick') Newton |
Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF) is the most senior Warrant Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It is a singular appointment – it is only held by one person at any time. The special insignia for the WOFF-AF is the Australian coat of arms with a wreath around it. The current Warrant Officer of the Air Force[1] is Robert Swanwick.
Based on the United States Air Force practice of appointing a Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the WOFF-AF is responsible to the Chief of Air Force (CAF).
The appointment is the equivalent of the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A) in the Australian Army and Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N) in the Royal Australian Navy.
The post was created by the then Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal I.B. Gration, to provide a conduit between Air Force’s senior leadership and the airman ranks.[2]
Appointees
| # | Name | Term began | Term ended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newton, Richard ('Dick')Richard ('Dick') Newton AM | 15 February 1993 | 1996 | [2] |
| 2 | Tuckey, BryanBryan Tuckey OAM | 1996 | 1999 | |
| 3 | Boydell, JohnJohn Boydell | June 1999 | 2 August 2002 | [3][4] |
| 4 | Hall, PeterPeter Hall AM | 2 August 2002 | 2005 | [3] |
| 5 | Woolnough, RayRay Woolnough AM | 2005 | 2008 | [5][6] |
| 6 | Millar, John ('JJ')John ('JJ') Millar AM | 16 December 2008 | 4 November 2011 | Promoted to Squadron Leader on leaving post[6][7] |
| 7 | Pentreath, MarkMark Pentreath CSM | 4 November 2011 | 1 December 2015 | [1][8] |
| 8 | Swanwick, RobertRobert Swanwick | 1 December 2015 | Incumbent |
Memorabilia
The WOFF-AF has some items that may be presented on occasion, such as the Challenge Coin.
References
- 1 2 "Warrant Officer of the Air Force". Our People. RAAF. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- 1 2 "Warrant Officer of the Air Force" (PDF). Oral History Program - Snippets: No.3. Office of Air Force History.
- 1 2 "Our new WOFF". Air Force 44 (11). June 2002. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
- ↑ "Revved up for Retirement". Air Force 44 (14). August 2002. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
- ↑ "Last air mail for WOFF-AF" (PDF). Air Force 50 (21): 2. November 2008.
- 1 2 "NEW WARRANT OFFICER OF THE AIR FORCE". Media Release MSPA 404/08. Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
- ↑ "Was a great ride, but JJ now on to next challenge" (PDF). Air Force 53 (22): 2. November 2011.
- ↑ "WOFF-AF new ground" (PDF). Air Force 53 (22): 2. November 2011.
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