Photo By Master Sgt. Naurys Marte | Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Thomas E. Perry III, mobility officer with the 1st...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- Warrant officers are highly specialized officers. They are self-aware and adaptive combat leaders, trainers, staff officers and advisors. Warrant officers are competent and confident warriors, innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teachers, and developers of specialized teams of Soldiers—Department of the Army Pamphlet 600-3.
During the 98th birthday of the Warrant Officer Cohort, the Soldiers of the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) joined the celebration. To bring awareness of the benefits of becoming an Army warrant officer, several activities were organized, including a 5k run, a cake cutting ceremony at the dining facility, and a recruiting briefing.
At the recruiting briefing, some of the benefits outlined focused on differences of pay, promotions, and education between being a warrant officer and an enlisted Soldier in the Army.
“Some of the reasons to go warrant officer are the increased leadership and technical training, more responsibility, increase in pay, faster promotions than the enlisted, and paid civilian and military certifications,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard D. Brumfield, recruiter with U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
The pay difference may alone be an incentive for many noncommissioned officers to make the switch. However, retirement pay was a driving factor for some.
“The retirement pay seems beneficial, especially because I am approaching the 20-year mark.” said Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Hayner, country container authority with the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
Besides an increase in pay, there are also many opportunities for warrant officers when it comes to furthering their careers in and outside the Army. The cohort offers paid training and technical certifications.
Yet, tangible incentives are not the main reasons why most noncommissioned officers chose to become warrant officers, said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Francisco Villarreal, logistics automation with the 1st TSC.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Jade V. Morman, sustainment cell noncommissioned officer with the 1st TSC, has an intangible reason to become a warrant officer, but she has experienced how competitive becoming a warrant officer can be. Morman has applied twice with no success.
“I have my packet ready. This is my third time applying to be a warrant. The first time it was very competitive; I had college credits, but I didn’t have a degree. The second time I applied, it was still competitive and, I had not finished my civilian education. So, I had to wait to reapply.
“I waited longer than required until I completed my degree. Now I have an associate’s degree in general studies, a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, and I’m currently working on my Master of Business Administration with supply chain management concentration at Ashford University, San Diego,” said Morman.
Nevertheless, what has driven Morman to continue to pursue the warrant officer rank is not the pay, education, or promotion incentives; but her observation of the work ethics of a warrant officer when she was a junior enlisted Soldier.
“When I was a specialist at Fort Hood, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jubaba Kemp taught me how to properly do my job; he is now a Chief Warrant Officer 4. He was the property warrant officer. I told him I would someday do his job; I’ve been chasing that dream ever since,” said Morman.
Becoming a warrant officer is very competitive, confirmed Brumfield as he proceeded to specify that there are only 43 MOSs available in the cohort and some have higher requirements.
NCOs interested must meet the minimum basic requirements mandated by the cohort.
Some of the basic requirements to become a warrant include U.S. citizenship, an armed services vocational aptitude battery general technical score of 110 or higher, a high school diploma or GED, final secret security clearance, the ability to pass the Army physical fitness test and meet the high/weight requirements.
Also, a letter of recommendation is required from at least a Warrant Officer 3 and the recommendation must be from a warrant officer who also has the same military occupational specialty for which the Soldiers are applying, said Brumfield. “Some MOSs require a recommendation from a Chief Warrant Officer 4 or 5.”
Those interested in aviation, must also pass the flight physical for aviators.
“Warrant officers are bridge builders; we find ways to repair, foster teams, and figure out how to do things better,” said Villarreal. “We leverage personnel with business and apply them to support the warfighter.”
Brumfield recommended, to those interested in becoming a warrant to read over the Warrant Officer 2025 which outlines the future of the cohort.
More information about the Warrant Officer Cohort can be found at http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2016 10:17 |
| Story ID: | 205320 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 393 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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