CANFLTANT welcomes new Fleet Chief
By Nathan Stone,
Trident Staff
Canadian Fleet Atlantic (CANFLTLANT) welcomed a new Fleet Chief on July 24 as Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1) Paul Greene officially took over the role in a ceremony on the flight deck of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Frédérick Rolette.
Commander CANFLTLANT, Commodore (Cmdre) Jacob French, presided over the event and highlighted the significance of the Fleet Chief position within the formation.
“If done well, it is a cross-connecting key linchpin in our Navy.”
The Fleet Chief is the most senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the fleet. Their primary role is to provide the perspective of the Non-Commissioned Members (NCMs) to senior leadership.
CPO1 Greene succeeded the outgoing CPO1 Patrick Mackey.
Reflecting on his two-year tenure, CPO1 Mackey noted the fleet’s high operational tempo.
“We had multiple ships and units deployed in the Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean, Baltic, Caribbean, Arctic, Antarctic, Black Sea, and many other regions around the world.”
That tempo is not expected to slow, but CPO1 Mackey expressed confidence in CPO1 Greene’s ability to rise to the occasion, calling him “absolutely the right person for the job.”
Incoming Fleet Chief CPO1 Paul Greene brings 27 years of experience to his new role, having begun his naval career in 1999 as a Steward. He most recently held the position of Coxswain aboard HMCS Montréal.
The new Fleet Chief expressed enthusiasm for the challenges ahead, saying the navy is entering an exciting period with new ships and missions on the horizon.
“It is the people who drive this Navy,” he said. “We are going to block out the noise and continue to keep our heads down and deliver on behalf of Canada and Canadians.”
He made a point to credit his family for his success, thanking his wife Brandis and their children for their continuing support.
In his new role, CPO1 Greene will be working closely with Cmdre French and the rest of Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) Command Team.
Cmdre French said he was looking forward to working with CPO1 Greene as Fleet Chief.
“Your job is to be the advisor for the commander and other officers within the chain of command, to be a mentor to the sailors with a firm understanding of their challenges, and the challenges of the coxswains,” he said, also noting the Chief’s role as an enforcer of standards – not just in the outward things such as dress and deportment, but also culture discipline, safety and readiness.
In executing those duties, Cmdre French described the outgoing CPO1 Mackey as a “completely reliable fireside partner,” who consistently addressed the fleet’s most complex challenges.
CPO1 Greene said he would “continue down the path,” laid by his predecessor and that he feels “honoured,” to represent the fleet’s NCMs.
“We have great sailors, we have good people, this is a good Navy,” he said.
