Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force
The Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) (previously known as the Chief of the Air Staff’s Warrant Officer) is the senior RAF appointment for a warrant officer (WO), and therefore the most senior non-commissioned appointment in the Royal Air Force (RAF).[1] The person holding this military appointment advises the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF.[1][2] The post was created in 1996 as the Chief of the Air Staff’s Warrant Officer.[1][3] The post was re-titled Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) on 1 July 2021.[4]
Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force | |
---|---|
![]() WORAF insignia | |
Ministry of Defence | |
Style | Warrant Officer |
Abbreviation | WORAF |
Reports to | Chief of the Air Staff |
Appointer | Air Force Board |
Term length | Not fixed, typically 2–3 years |
Formation | May 1996 |
First holder | WO Greg Dutton |
Website | Official Website |
List of holders
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Chief of the Air Staff | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer | |||||||
1 | ![]() |
Greg Dutton MBE, BEM | May 1996 | January 1998 | 1 year, 8 months | Sir Michael Graydon Sir Richard Johns |
|
2 | ![]() |
Jim Andrews MBE, BEM | January 1998 | January 2000 | 2 years | Sir Richard Johns | |
3 | ![]() |
René Michael Stuart MBE | January 2000 | May 2003 | 3 years, 4 months | Sir Richard Johns Sir Peter Squire |
|
4 | ![]() |
Robert 'Bob' Loughlin MBE | May 2003 | November 2006 | 3 years, 6 months | Sir Jock Stirrup Sir Glenn Torpy |
[5] |
5 | ![]() |
Lyndsay Morgan MBE | November 2006 | July 2009 | 2 years, 8 months | Sir Glenn Torpy | [2] |
6 | ![]() |
Gary Wilcox MBE | July 2009 | February 2012 | 2 years, 7 months | Sir Stephen Dalton | [2] |
7 | ![]() |
Graeme Spark MBE | February 2012 | October 2014 | 2 years, 8 months | Sir Stephen Dalton Sir Andrew Pulford |
[6] |
8 | ![]() |
Clive Martland MBE (born 1968) |
October 2014 | October 2016 | 2 years | Sir Andrew Pulford Sir Stephen Hillier |
[1] |
9 | ![]() |
Jon Crossley | October 2016 | October 2019 | 3 years | Sir Stephen Hillier Sir Michael Wigston |
[1] |
10 | ![]() |
Jake Alpert MBE | October 2019 | July 2021 | 1 year, 9 months | Sir Michael Wigston | [1][7] |
Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force | |||||||
10 | ![]() |
Jake Alpert MBE | July 2021 | Incumbent | 9 months | Sir Michael Wigston | [1][4] |
The Royal Navy equivalent is the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy (WORN),[8] and in the Royal Marines the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. The British Army's recent equivalent is the Army Sergeant Major.[9]
See also
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force — United States Air Force (USAF) equivalent
- Sergeant Major of the Air Force — South African Air Force (SAAF) equivalent
- Warrant Officer of the Air Force — Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) equivalent
References
- "Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer". Royal Air Force website. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- Lesley Woods, ed. (27 July 2009). "Welsh Warrant Officer steps down from top job". Royal Air Force website. RAF. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- "RAF Halton Hosts the Chief of the Air Staff's Conference for Warrant Officers". RAF Halton website. RAF. 2010. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
The conference has taken place annually for the last 12 years, since the post of Chief of the Air Staff’s Warrant Officer (CASWO) was created.
- "Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force Families Federation. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- "Bob's proud to protect the crown jewels". Ipswich Star. IpswichStar.co.uk. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- "Airing issues with the boss" (PDF). Navy News. 1 June 2013. p. 37. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- @ChiefofAirStaff (5 October 2019). "Thank you WO Jon Crossley. A brilliant 3 years as Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer. Welcome WO Jake Alpert" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Warrant Officer in a class of his own". Royal Navy website. RoyalNavy.mod.uk. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- "Janes | Latest defence and security news".