News

Combined ceremony highlights 12 Wing leadership transition

From left, Col Tara Willis, new Wing Commander at 12 Wing Shearwater, signs documents at the Wing Change of Command Ceremony alongside BGen J.S. Davis, Deputy Commander Force Generation, 1 Canadian Air Division, and her predecessor, Col David Holmes.
CPL OLIVIA MAINVILLE

Combined ceremony highlights 12 Wing leadership transition 

By Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff 

A gift presentation from Col Holmes (left) to CWO Wezenbeek.
CPL ALEXANDRE ARSENAULT

The maritime aviation community gathered at 12 Wing Shearwater on August 9 for a unique moment in the Wing’s history, as both the Wing Commander and Wing Chief Warrant Officer passed their leadership responsibilities to new successors in a combined Change of Command and Change of Appointment ceremony.  

Held inside the 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron hangar, the event marked a transition of senior leadership at a Wing that plays a critical role for both the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). With the weekend already filled with significant RCAF and RCN milestones and commemorations, the occasion drew senior leaders from both services, including RCN Commander Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee and RCAF Commander Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet. 

The decision to combine the ceremonies was fitting, given the strong partnership that outgoing 12 Wing Commander Colonel (Col) David Holmes and Wing Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Kevin Wezenbeek forged during their time in office. Both leaders spoke about the bond that developed between them, describing both professional respect and genuine friendship, while also reflecting on the importance of the Wing Comd/CWO relationship as the foundation of leadership at any RCAF Wing. 

That spirit of teamwork was a central theme throughout the ceremony. CWO Wezenbeek pointed to people-focused initiatives like the 12 Wing Innovation Program and Junior Member Advisory Council as leading to some of the most meaningful moments of his appointment.  

He’ll soon be commissioning as an RCAF officer and moving to a new role within 12 Wing, as CWO James McCarron steps in as the new Wing CWO. 

CWO McCarron comes to Shearwater after recently serving as Formation Chief for Canadian Element NORAD in Colorado Springs. He thanked mentors and colleagues for their support in guidance through his career, leading him to a role where he now hopes to foster innovation and inclusivity across the wing. 

After presiding over the official changeover of Wing CWOs, Col Holmes spoke about the successes and challenges that shaped his time in command of 12 Wing. He noted the uncertainty surrounding the CH-148 Cyclone after the helicopters were temporarily grounded earlier this year, but also commended his team for successfully receiving some of the last new Cyclones, building on capabilities, and efficiently delivering frontline aircrew and technicians for deployments. 

12 Wing Shearwater also welcomed a new Wing Chief Warrant Officer during the August 9 ceremony. From left, incoming CWO James McCarron, Col David Holmes, and outgoing CWO Kevin Wezenbeek.
CPL ALEXANDRE ARSENAULT

“I was especially proud last fall when all six HELAIRDETs (Helicopter Air Detachments) were deployed at the same time, a first for the Cyclone era. This was enabled by the work of our 12 OSS (Operational Support Squadron) and our HQ teams,” Col Holmes said. 

The Wing’s new Commander is no stranger to Shearwater; Col Tara Willis is back at 12 Wing after several previous postings and deployments, including as Deputy 12 Wing Operations Officer and later as the Commanding Officer of 12 Air Maintenance Squadron. It was noted that much of her career has been spent supporting the CH-124 Sea King and then introducing the CH-148 Cyclone helicopters. Other career highlights include a deployment in 2016 as a Military Liaison Officer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, and to Mali in 2021 as the Canadian Task Force Commander of Operation Presence. 

“The world we live in is increasingly dangerous. The rules-based international order is being questioned, and we need to be ready. Readiness means we must always be prepared to deliver operational effect, safely, efficiently and without hesitation,” Col Willis told the crowd gathered in the hangar after officially taking command. She added a commitment to work to address capability and availability gaps, while asking her team to also get the most out of the tools they have currently.

“We’ll face challenges, operational, institutional, and personal, but we are not defined by our challenges, we are defined by how we meet them. And we, 12 Wing, are up to this challenge,” she said.