Warrant Officer

A warrant officer (WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. In most countries they are effectively senior non-commissioned officers, although technically in a class of their own between NCOs and commissioned officers. In the United States military system, however, officers at the Chief Warrant Officer level are in fact commissioned officers and are afforded the same privileges and courtesies, such as terms of address and salutes, as other commissioned officers.

United States

In the United States military, a warrant officer was originally, and strictly, a highly skilled, single-track specialty officer. But as many chief warrant officers assume positions as officer in charge or department head, along with the high number of bachelor's and master degree's held within the community, their contribution and expertise as a community is ever-increasing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are no "warrant officers" per se in the U.S. Navy, but rather "chief warrant officer" is the correct title. In the U.S. Navy, a sailor must be in one of the top three enlisted ranks to be eligible to become a chief warrant officer. In the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines, a person can progress to the warrant officer rank at a grade lower than E-7, and thus have a longer career and greater opportunity to serve and grow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Warrant officers in the U.S. Marines are sometimes informally referred to as "gunner," a term of respect similar to the informal "gunny" moniker frequently given to enlisted Gunnery Sergeants. The term is derived from one of the original functions of a warrant officer, that being the command of a gunnery or artillery detachment, although it is no longer technically accurate as warrant officers can and do hold a wide variety of billets. Although commonly used, "gunner" is traditionally reserved only for artillery and infantry weapons warrant officers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Upon the initial appointment to WO1 a warrant is given by the secretary of the service, and upon promotion to chief warrant officer (CW2 and above) they are commissioned by the President of the United States, take the same oath and receive the same commission and charges as commissioned officers, thus deriving their authority from the same source.

Related Topics:
Warrant - President of the United States - Commission - Commissioned officer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chief warrant officers can and do command detachments, units, activities, and vessels as well as lead, coach, train, and counsel subordinates. As leaders and technical experts, they provide valuable skills, guidance, and expertise to commanders and organizations in their particular field.

Related Topics:
Detachment - Unit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Even when commissioned, they remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers who are generalists, though many chief warrant officers fill lieutenant and lieutenant commander billets throughout the US Navy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines, CWO's may fill positions normally held by more senior officers as well. The US Army has many pilots within the warrant officer community, which differs in philosophy from the other uniformed services. Often in a battalion sized unit, the military personnel technician (adjutant), medical technician, and maintenance technician are warrant officers.

Related Topics:
U.S. Army - U.S. Marines

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Each branch of the military "runs" the "Chief Warrant Officer" program in slightly different ways. Little is known or published concerning the chief warrant officer, and consequently they are often misunderstood by the unindoctrinated.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A chief warrant officer's benefits and privileges are the same as those of a commissioned officer depending on warrant officer grade. Warrant Officers are paid closely to commissioned officer pay grades but because they normally have more years in service, their pay is often higher. A WO1 is paid slightly higher than an O-1 (second lieutenant or ensign), a CW2 is paid roughly the same as an O-3/O-4 (captain/major), a CW3 is paid approximately the same salary as an O-4/O-5 (major/lieutenant colonel), and a CW4 is paid roughly the same as an O-5/O-6 (lieutenant colonel/colonel).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard one must have been a senior enlisted (E7 through E-9) to gain the commission.

Related Topics:
United States Navy - United States Coast Guard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Air Force

The United States Air Force no longer employs warrant officers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The USAF inherited warrant officer ranks from the U.S. Army at its inception in 1947, but their place in the Air Force structure was never made clear. When Congress authorized the creation of two new senior enlisted ranks in the late 1950s, Air Force officials privately concluded that these two new "supergrades" could fill all Air Force needs then performed at the warrant officer level, although this was not publicly acknowledged until years later. The Air Force stopped appointing warrant officers in 1959, the same year the first promotions were made to the new top enlisted grade, Chief Master Sergeant. Most of the existing Air Force warrant officers entered the commissioned officer ranks during the 1960s, but tiny numbers continued to exist for the next 21 years.

Related Topics:
1947 - Congress - 1950s - 1959 - Chief Master Sergeant - 1960s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The last active duty Air Force warrant officer, CWO James H. Long, retired in 1980 and the last Air Force Reserve warrant officer, CWO Bob Barrow, retired in 1992. Since that point, the U.S. Air Force rank of Warrant Officer has been considered obsolete.

Related Topics:
1980 - 1992

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Perhaps an uninteded result, the absence of warrant officers in the U.S. Air Force has made its enlisted structure somewhat "top-heavy" and the lower non-commissioned officer ranks can find promotions difficult to achieve at times.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Army

The U.S. Army warrant officer (AWO) is the highly specialized expert and trainer who, by gaining progressive levels of expertise and leadership, operates, maintains, administers, and manages the Army's equipment, support activities, or technical systems for an entire career. The Army program began with the warranted Headquarters Clerk in 1896.

Related Topics:
U.S. Army - 1896

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Marine Corps

The U.S. Marine Corps has warranted officers since 1916 as technical specialists who

Related Topics:
U.S. Marine Corps - 1916

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

perform duties that require extensive knowledge, training and experience with particular systems or equipment. Their duties and responsibilities are of a nature beyond those required of senior noncommissioned officers. Marine Corps warrant officers provide experience and stability in the officer ranks in critical specialty areas. The primary purpose for warrant officers is to create and maintain a selected body of personnel with special knowledge of a particular military specialty.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Within the U.S. Marine Corps, the term "gunner" is used in place of "warrant officer" or "chief warrant officer" when addressing or referring to the warrant officer. This term of address is considered informal or "friendly" and its use is highly dependent on the protocol required by the particular situation and the warrant officer's expectations regarding military conduct and courtesy. Normally, it is considered disrespectful for a non-NCO (E-1 to E-3) to address a warrant officer as "gunner". By custom, NCO's and commissioned officers use the term only if situation is informal and is accepted by the warrant officer and his superiors.

Related Topics:
Gunner - Protocol - NCO

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While the term "gunner" is informally used for a Marine Corps Warrant Officer, it is technically incorrect. Only a Chief Warrant Officer, CWO2-CWO5, serving in the MOS 0306 "Infantry Weapons Officer" is designated as a "Marine Gunner". A Marine Gunner replaces the Chief Warrant Officer insignia on the right collar with a bursting bomb insignia.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Navy

In the U.S. Navy, warrant officers are technical specialists whose skills and knowledge were an essential part of the proper operation of the ship. Based on the British model, the U.S. Navy has had warrant officers among its ranks, in some form or another, since December 23, 1775, when John Berriman received a warrant to act as purser aboard the brig USS Andrea Doria. That warrant was considered a patent of trust and honor but was not considered a commission to command.

Related Topics:
U.S. Navy - December 23 - 1775 - USS ''Andrea Doria''

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Insignia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~