Meet the New Formation Chief

After two years at Maritime Forces Pacific, CPO1 Mike Feltham (right) has handed over his post to CPO1 Gilles Grégoire (left), with Rear-Admiral Art McDonald (centre) presiding over the event. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

CPO1 Gilles Grégoire had one reaction back in July when he learned he was heading to Victoria to become the new Formation Chief.

“I was ecstatic,” he says. “I never had a vision of ascending this far. I am a man whose big goal in life when I joined the navy was to become a Petty Officer in a warship. I feel extremely fortunate to have this opportunity.”

Like his predecessor CPO1 Feltham, Chief Grégoire always knew from a young age the navy was for him. He enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986 at the age of 17, serving as a Naval Weapons Technician.

During his 30-year career he served aboard HMC Ships Terra Nova, Yukon, Mackenzie, Annapolis, Fraser, Halifax, Ville de Quebec, St. Johns and Toronto.  In shore postings the native of Campbellton, N.B., served extensively at the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School with duties including Halifax-Class equipment instructor and senior instructor, and Naval Weapons Training Chief.

He graduated from the Non-Commissioned Officer Executive Professional Development Program at Royal Military College of Canada in 2013, earning a certificate of Military Studies.  In 2014, CPO1 Grégoire was appointed Coxswain of  HMCS Toronto where he carried out his duties in support of our NATO allies as part of Operation Reassurance.

For the past 13 months CPO1 Grégoire served as Chief Warrant Officer for the Chief of Force Development organization in Halifax, a unit responsible for developing future capabilities required to produce strategically relevant, operationally responsive, and tactically decisive military forces.

He hopes his extensive experience will serve the Formation well.

“Having that breadth of experience in the RCN is an asset. It allows me to formulate better advice for the people who are making the decisions,” says CPO1 Grégoire. “For me, the importance of its people and the welfare of the Formation as a whole is critical to the success of the RCN’s mission.”