United States Army Warrant Officers (2024)

The United States Army (USA) has five Warrant officer ranks. They are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers within the armed services.

About[]

Army warrant officers are technical experts, combat leaders, trainers, and advisors. They serve in 17 branches and 67 warrant officer specialties, spanning the Active Component (i.e., Regular Army), the Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve. Warrant officers command the Army's waterborne and seagoing vessels, most Army bands, and as aircraft commanders of most Army Aviation aircraft. In addition, they may be found in command of various small units and detached teams.

The Army uses warrant officers to serve in specific positions which require greater longevity than the billet duration of commanders and other staff officers. The duration of these assignments results in increased technical expertise, as well as increased leadership and management skills.

Regardless of rank, Army warrant officers are officially addressed as Mister (Mrs., Miss, Ms.).

British forces who work with the U.S. Army often call chief warrant officers "CWO", as British forces usually abbreviated ranks.

Training[]

The body of warrant officers in the Army is composed of two communities: technicians and aviators. Technicians typically must be sergeants (E-5, 'NATO: OR-5) or above in a related specialty to qualify to become a warrant officer. A waiver may be granted on a case-by-case basis if the applicant has comparable experience in the government service or the civilian sector. The aviation field is open to all applicants, military or civilian, who meet the stringent medical and aptitude requirements.

A brown shield shaped patch with a yellow border. Yellow stars are in each corner, surrounding crossed yellow cannons superimposed by a torch in yellow, which in turn is superimposed by a blue sea mineThe Warrant Officer Career College shoulder sleeve insignia was authorized for wear in 2008

The JFK Special Warfare Center and School, Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute beret flash was authorized for wear in 2013After selection to the warrant officer program, candidates attend Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), which is developed and administered by the Warrant Officer Career College (USAWOCC) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Army candidates on active duty must attend the course at Fort Rucker. Candidates in the United States National Guard attend the course either at Fort Rucker, or one of the National Guard's Regional Training Institutes. After graduation, all candidates are promoted to warrant officers (WO1). Technicians attend training at their respective branch's warrant officer basic course (WOBC), where they study advanced subjects in their technical area before moving on to their assignments in the Army. Aviation-branched warrant officers remain at Fort Rucker to complete flight training and the aviation WOBC.

Special Forces warrant officer candidates from both the active and national guard components attend the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course (SFWOTTC) at the Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The course includes both WOCS and WOBC, tailored to the unique training and experience of the Special Forces Sergeant. Candidates must be a staff sergeant (E-6, NATO: OR-6) and above, and have served three years on an operational detachment.

All Ranks[]

The Army warrant officer is a self-aware and adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor. Through progressive levels of expertise in assignments, training, and education, the warrant officer 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 careers. 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.

Warrant Officer 1[]

Warrant Officers are recognized as the most technically and tactically competent soldiers of differing certain specialties in the Army.

The base rank for Warrant Officers is Warrant Officer 1 (WO1). Still recognized as technical and tactical experts at this rank, WO1's serve from the team level (7 to 25 soldiers, depending on the type of team) thru the battalion level (around 800 soldiers).

A WO1 is an officer appointed by warrant with the requisite authority pursuant to assignment level and position given by the Secretary of the Army.

Their primary focus is becoming proficient and working on those systems linked directly to their AOC/MOS, that is, their area of concentration (officer AOC), or an enlisted rank's military occupational specialty (MOS). Warrant officers are classified by warrant officer military occupational specialty, or WOMOS. As they become experts on the systems they operate and maintain, their focus migrates to integrating their systems with other branch systems.Their pay grade is W-1.

Chief Warrant Officer 2[]

The next level of Warrant Officer from WO1 is Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2). CW2's are more experienced tactical and technical experts in their specific military craft.

As with WO1's, they serve from the team level to the battalion level, but there are generally less of them than they are WO1's, and these warrant officers answer to the CW2.

CW2s and above are commissioned officers with the requisite authority pursuant to assignment level and position as given by the President of the United States.Their primary focus is becoming proficient and working on those systems linked directly to their AOC/MOS, that is, their area of concentration (officer AOC), or an enlisted rank's military occupational specialty (MOS). Warrant officers are classified by warrant officer military occupational specialty, or WOMOS. As they become experts on the systems they operate and maintain, their focus migrates to integrating their systems with other branch systems.

CW2's are perhaps the most common of the Warrant Officer ranks as they serve from the team level to the battalion level, they may also be put in charge of their own unit.

CW2's are recognized as even more technically and tactically competent than non-commissioned officers (NCO's), aiding them in the performance of their duties by using the expertise and experience to aid the unit in whatever its mission set is. Promotion to this rank is expected to happen for 75% of CW1's within three to five years of service. Their pay grade is W-2.

Chief Warrant Officer 3[]

The next level of Warrant Officer from CW2 is Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3). CW3's are even more experienced tactical and technical experts in their specific military craft, recognized by members of the military as advanced experts.

Chief warrant officer three (CW3): The CW3s are advanced level technical and tactical experts who perform the primary duties of technical leader, trainer, operator, manager, maintainer, sustainer, integrator, and advisor. They also perform any other branch-related duties assigned to them. As they become more senior, their focus becomes integrating branch systems into larger Army systems.

They can serve from the team level (7 to 25 soldiers) all the way thru the brigade level (5000 soldiers). They directly support operations at these levels, or between them, with their extensive experience and expertise in their craft.

Given their level of expertise and that at which they serve, CW3's are a more rare rank in the Army then they are in the other armed forces. Promotion to this rank is expected to happen for a mere 30% of CW2's within five to nine years of service as a CW2, for only those that acquire deep level expertise in their fields and great leadership and instructor ability will be promoted to it. Their pay grade is W-3.

Chief Warrant Officer 4[]

After CW3, the next level of the Warrant Officer ranks is Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4). CW4's stand even more experienced tactical and technical experts in their specific military craft than CW3's.

Chief warrant officer four (CW4): The CW4s are senior-level technical and tactical experts who perform the duties of technical leader, manager, maintainer, sustainer, integrator, and advisor and serve in a wide variety of branch level positions. As they become more senior, they focus on integrating branch and Army systems into joint and national-level systems.

CW4's are also recognized as more capable leaders and perhaps the most knowledgeable technical experts in their chosen craft in the units in which they serve.

Soldiers holding the rank of CW4 serve at unit levels from battalion to brigade to division to corps and in some cases in levels above corps, such as combatant command or forces command.

With a level of technical and tactical expertise matched by no one in the Army save other soldiers of their rank and surpassed only by soldiers holding the rarely awarded rank of CW5, CW4's are rare in the Army and invaluable to its functioning.

The duties and responsibilities that they discharge include serving as technical experts and leaders, systems managers, sustainment providers and experts, systems and unit integrators, advisors, and maintainers.

As they attain even more experience and expertise while serving in the grade of CW4, soldiers bearing this rank learn to focus on integrating efforts across the Army (i.e. Infantry, Armor, Aviation, etc.), which operations are known as combined, and across the military (i.e. Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.), which operations are known as joint. Promotion to this rank only happens to 10% of CW3's, for only those that have shown themselves beyond proficient in instruction, chosen field expertise and lower officer guidance towards promotion are awarded this rank. Their pay grade is W-4.

Chief Warrant Officer 5[]

Perhaps the rarest rank in the United States Army, the rank and title of Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) is given to those soldiers displaying unsurpassed mastery of the technical and tactical aspects of their chosen branch of military service.

Chief warrant officer five (CW5): The CW5s are master-level technical and tactical experts who perform the primary duties of technical leader, manager, integrator, and advisor. They are the senior technical experts in their branches and serve at brigade and higher levels. They also serve as Command Chief Warrant Officers (CCWO) for large commands at the brigade level and higher.

In addition, CW5's show very strong leadership skills as well as an understanding of both combined and joint operations in tandem with a demonstrated understanding of and willingness to attempt innovation.

CW5's are recognized as the most capable of leaders in the Warrant Officer Corps and the undisputed most knowledgeable tactical and technical experts in their chosen craft in the units in which they serve.

Soldiers holding the rank of CW5 serve at unit levels from brigade up to forces command.

The duties and responsibilities that CW5's discharge include all those assigned to CW4's, such serving as technical experts and leaders, systems managers, sustainment providers and experts, systems and unit integrators, advisors, and maintainers.

In addition to being charged with ensuring that all these duties and responsibilities are executed, CW5's are also tasked with advisor senior leaders in the Army. More specifically, they are looked to for insight on how the Army could better function both internally and as a member of the whole military power of the United States.

Although rarely recognized publicly or lauded for their contributions, CW5's are invaluable to the functioning of the Army in the present but also as it adapts to a changing world and the future. Promotion to this rank only happens to 2% CWO4's, for only those that shown themselves to be competent beyond their CWO4 peers in lower officer guidance, chosen field expertise and instruction and cooperation will be promoted to this rank.Their pay grade is W-5.

Insignia Gallery[]

Notes[]

• In 2004 President of the United States Henry Isaac Hayes agreed to update the Army warrant officer insignia to make them look more modern. The old style was in use from 1956.

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