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In 2005, the Department of the Army developed a
new definition to encompass all warrant officer
specialties and grades.
"The Army WO is a self–aware and adaptive technical
expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor. Through progressive levels
of expertise in assignments, training, and education, the WO
administers, manages, maintains, operates, and integrates Army systems
and equipment across the full spectrum of Army operations. Warrant
Officers are innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic
teachers, confident warfighters, and developers of specialized teams of
soldiers. They support a wide range of Army missions throughout their
career. Warrant officers in the Army are accessed with specific levels
of technical ability. They refine their technical expertise and develop
their leadership and management skills through tiered progressive
assignment and education."
(DA Pamphlet 600-3, p. 3-9)
Further clarification of the role of a
warrant officer is found in Field Manuals 6-22:
“Warrant officers possess a high degree
of specialization in a particular field in contrast to the more general
assignment pattern of other commissioned officers. Warrant officers
command aircraft, maritime vessels, special units, and task organized
operational elements. In a wide variety of units and headquarters
specialties, warrants provide quality advice, counsel, and solutions to
support their unit or organization. They operate, maintain, administer,
and manage the Army‘s equipment, support activities, and technical
systems. Warrant officers are competent and confident warriors,
innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teachers, and
developers of specialized teams of Soldiers. Their extensive
professional experience and technical knowledge qualifies warrant
officers as invaluable role models and mentors for junior officers and
NCOs.” (Fm 6-22, p. 3-12)
Additional expectations are shown in Field
Manual 7-0.
Warrant officers must be technically
and tactically focused and able to perform the primary duties of
technical leader, advisor, and commander. Through progressive levels of
expertise in assignments, training, and education, warrant officers
perform these duties during all operations and at all levels of command.
While their primary duties are those of a technical and tactical leader,
warrant officers also provide training and leader development guidance,
assistance, and supervision. Warrant officers provide leader
development, mentorship, and counsel to other warrant officers,
officers, NCOs, and Army civilians. Warrant officers lead and train
functional sections, teams, or crews. Finally, they serve as critical
advisors to commanders in conducting organizational training. (FM 7-0,
p. 4-22)
The Army Warrant Officer Corps is comprised of over 25,000 men and
women of the active Army and reserve components.
Warrant officers are technical experts that manage and maintain
increasingly complex battlefield systems. They enhance the Army's ability
to defend our national interests, and to fight and win our nations wars.
Candidates who successfully complete Warrant Officer Candidate School
are appointed in the grade of Warrant Officer One. When promoted to Chief
Warrant Officer Two, warrant officers are commissioned by the President
and have the same legal status as their traditional commissioned officer
counterparts. However, warrant officers remain single-specialty officers
whose career track is oriented towards progressing within their career
field rather than focusing on increased levels of command and staff duty
positions.
Grade Structure
There are five grades within the Army Warrant Officer
Corps A person is initially appointed as a Warrant Officer (WO1), and
progresses to Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2) after 2 years. Competitive
promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Three (CW3), Chief Warrant Officer Four
(CW4), and Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) occur at approximately six
year intervals for Aviation Warrant Officers and five year intervals for
those in other branches.
Branches and Specialties
Warrant Officers possess military occupational specialties (MOS) in
many basic branches.
These branch schools (MOS proponents) and their locations are:
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BRANCH COLORS |
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Adjutant General
Fort
Jackson, South Carolina
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Air
Defense Artillery
Fort
Bliss, Texas
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Aviation
Fort
Rucker, Alabama
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Engineer
Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri
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Field Artillery
Fort
Sill, Oklahoma |
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Judge Advocate General
Charlottesville, Virginia
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Medical Service
Fort
Sam Houston, Texas
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Military Intelligence
Fort
Huachuca, Arizona
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Military Police
Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri
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Ordnance
Aberdeen
Proving Grounds, Maryland and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama |
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Quartermaster
Fort
Lee, Virginia |
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Signal
Fort
Gordon, Georgia |
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Special Forces
Fort
Bragg, North Carolina |
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Transportation
Fort
Eustis, Virginia
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Veterinary
Fort
Sam Houston, Texas |
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Within a branch there are multiple specialties. For example, there are
two specialties within the Adjutant General Branch, Personnel Officer and
Bandmaster.
Where They Serve
Warrant officers serve at all levels of the Army.
Typically, junior warrant officers are assigned at the tactical level,
whereas senior warrant officers are assigned at higher levels such as
Brigade and above, and also to positions on the Army Staff at the Pentagon.
In addition, warrant
officers serve with Department of Defense, joint organizations, and other military services.
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Last updated
19 February 2009 |
