4 Wing and CFB Cold Lake Welcome New Chief Warrant Officer in Change of Appointment Ceremony

Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Carlos Oliveira, incoming 4 Wing CWO (left), Colonel Mark Hickey, 4 Wing Commanding Officer (right), and CWO Dipen Mistry, outgoing 4 Wing CWO (right), sign the Change of Appointment (CoA) documents during the 4 Wing CoA Ceremony at the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on 19 June 2025 – All photos by Corporal Kastleen Strome, Royal Canadian Air Force Imagery Technician

4 Wing and Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Cold Lake marked a significant transition on June 19th as Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Carlos Oliveira officially assumed the role of Wing Chief Warrant Officer, taking over from CWO Dipen Mistry in a formal Change of Appointment ceremony held inside the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess.

CWO Mistry had served as Wing Chief since July 2023. Enrolling in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1995, he began his career as an infantry reservist before transferring to the Intelligence Branch in 2001. Over the next two decades, he supported missions across Canada and around the world, from Operation ENDURING FREEDOM to NATO’s counter-terrorism efforts, and served with Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). Mistry is slated to become the next Chief Warrant Officer for 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg this July.

Incoming Wing Chief, CWO Carlos Oliveira, brings a diverse background rooted in aviation operations and leadership. He joined the CAF in 1991 as a reserve Airframe Technician and transferred to the Regular Force in 1997, working on the CH-146 Griffon. Throughout his career, he has served with distinction in domestic and international operations, including Op PALLADIUM in Bosnia and Op IMPACT in Iraq. He has also trained and mentored countless Flight Engineers as an instructor and leader. Most recently, Oliveira served as Squadron CWO at 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Edmonton.

The ceremony was presided over by 4 Wing Commander, Colonel Mark Hickey, and attended by a gathering of dignitaries, including the mayors of Cold Lake and Bonnyville, friends, family, and colleagues. The event honoured CWO Mistry’s dedicated service and officially welcomed CWO Oliveira into his new role.

Colonel Mark Hickey, 4 Wing Commanding Officer (left), presents a departure gift to Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Dipen Mistry, outgoing 4 Wing CWO (right) during the 4 Wing Change of Appointment Ceremony at the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on 19 June 2025.

Colonel Mark Hickey, 4 Wing Commanding Officer and Reviewing Officer, addresses the audience during the 4 Wing Change of Appointment Ceremony at the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on 19 June 2025.