15 WING MOOSE JAW — With an eye toward the future of military pilot training in Canada, Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Craig Cloete officially assumed command of 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2 CFFTS) during a change of command ceremony held July 4 at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.
LCol Cloete succeeds LCol Philippe Turcotte, who served as Commandant of the "Big 2" during a critical period of transition and modernization. Both men were celebrated during the formal ceremony, which reaffirmed the school's commitment to training the next generation of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pilots.
“The transfer of command of a unit is an incredibly important part of military life,” said Colonel Adam Carlson, Commander of 15 Wing Moose Jaw. “Commanders are chosen because of who they are: leaders who lead with courage, humility, and integrity. Both LCol Turcotte and LCol Cloete exemplify these traits.”
In his farewell remarks, Turcotte praised the professionalism of the 2 CFFTS team, noting their shared accomplishments.
“I am extremely proud of all we have accomplished in such a short period of time,” Turcotte said. “I was surrounded by a team of outstanding professionals, which enabled us to improve the quality of the training while creating a culture of professionalism, pride, and purpose.”
For Cloete, the appointment marks both a homecoming and a new chapter. He previously served six years at 2 CFFTS and is no stranger to the local community.
“I was stationed here for six years already, so a fair chunk of time from 2013 until 2019,” he said in an interview following the ceremony. “(My family and I) know Moose Jaw very well; we know the community (and) we know our way around.”
Originally from ΒιΆΉΚΣΖ΅ Africa, Cloete began his military aviation career in 1999 with the ΒιΆΉΚΣΖ΅ African Air Force. He joined the RCAF in 2013 and has held several instructional and leadership roles at 2 CFFTS, along with strategic staff positions in Ottawa.
Reflecting on his return, Cloete said the transition felt like “a little bit of relief” after a busy lead-up to the ceremony.
“Now it’s just getting settled in town and settled in a new job,” he said. “I’m really happy for LCol Turcotte and his family — they did some great stuff while they were here. So the bar has been set pretty high.”
He added that he’s most looking forward to returning to the instructional side of his career.
“It's getting back into teaching,” Cloete said. “I've really missed that in the staff roles that I've been doing up to now. So teaching the students again and working with the team to continue our progression towards that transition to the next training project (is what I look forward to).”
That project is program, that will replace the current NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program. The $11.2-billion initiative will bring new aircraft, simulators, infrastructure, and updated teaching methodologies to better align with the learning styles of today’s aviators.
“I think that we have some exciting times ahead of us,” Cloete said. “, and we've got . It's going to be great for the city; it's going to be great for 15 Wing.”
Cloete expressed gratitude to his family for their support, recalling his daughter’s birth in Moose Jaw and the lasting memories built during his earlier deployment to the Friendly City.
In his address to staff and students at 2 CFFTS, Cloete emphasized teamwork, communication, and personal excellence.
“I will always be honest with you, and I will always expect the same,” he said. “Our mission is non-negotiable. We train and mentor and we develop world-class aviators … but we achieve that mission through our people.”
He closed with a promise: “I look forward to serving with you and achieving greatness here.”
