Warrant Officer
A
Warrant Officer (
WO) or a
Chief Warrant Officer (
CWO) is a member of a military organization, with a
rank subordinate to other commissioned officers and superior to non-commissioned officers.
The warrant officer corps began in the
13th century in the nascent
British Royal Navy. At that time, nobles assumed command of the new Navy, adopting the Army ranks of
Lieutenant and
Captain. These officers often had no knowledge of life on board a ship —let alone how to navigate such a vessel or operate the guns— and relied on the expertise and cooperation of a senior sailor who tended to the technical aspects of running the ship and operating the cannons. These sailors became indispensable to less-experienced officers and were rewarded with a Royal Warrant. This
Warrant was a special designation, designed to set them apart from other sailors, yet not violate the strict class system that was prevalent during the time.
United Kingdom
In the British armed forces, a Warrant Officer is effectively a senior non-commissioned officer, although he or she holds the Queen's (or King's) Warrant. Warrant officers are not saluted, but are usually addressed by their juniors as "Sir" or "Ma'am".
British Army
In the British Army, there are two warrant ranks, Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) and Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1), which is the senior of the two. Note that it used to be more common to refer to these ranks as WOII and WOI (using Roman instead of Arabic numerals). The rank below WO2 is Staff Sergeant. Every warrant officer has an appointment, and is usually referred to by his appointment rather than by his rank. Warrant officers were generally introduced to the British Army under Army Order 70 of 1915, although a few appointments had been warranted before that time.
WO2s wear a crown on the lower sleeve, surrounded by a wreath for Quartermaster Sergeants (for all WOIIs from 1938 to 1947). Appointments held by WO2s include:
- Company Sergeant Major (CSM)\n* Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM)\n* Battery Sergeant Major (BSM)\n* Squadron Corporal Major (SCM)\n* Band Sergeant Major (BSM)\n* Band Corporal Major (BCM)\n* Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (RQMS)\n* Regimental Quartermaster Corporal (RQMC)\n* Foreman of Signals Quartermaster Sergeant\n* Foreman of Works Quartermaster Sergeant
WO1s wear a royal coat of arms on the lower sleeve, which may be surrounded by a wreath depending on appointment. Appointments held by WO1s include:
From
1938, there was also a rank of Warrant Officer Class III. The only appointments held by this rank were Platoon Sergeant Major, Troop Sergeant Major and Section Sergeant Major. The WOIII wore a crown on his lower sleeve. The rank was placed in suspension in
1940 and no new appointments were made, but it was never officially abolished.
WOs are officially designated using their rank and appointment. For instance, WO2 (CSM) Smith or WO1 (BM) Jones. However, they would usually be referred to as CSM Smith and Bandmaster Jones. WO2s are often referred to as Sergeant Major, Corporal Major or Quartermaster Sergeant or Corporal (or "Q") as appropriate, but WO1s are only ever referred to using their full appointment or its abbreviation (RSM White or Garrison Sergeant Major Black, for instance).
The three most senior warrant officer appointments in the British Army are, in descending order of seniority, the
Conductorss, the
Academy Sergeant Major and the
Garrison Sergeant Major London District, although there is some debate about this within the army.
United States
In the United States military, a Warrant Officer was originally, and strictly, a highly skilled, single-track specialty officer. However as many Chief Warrant Officers assume Officer in Charge or Department Head positions, along with the high number of Bachelor and Master degree's held within the community, their contribution and expertise as a community is ever increasing. There are in fact, no Warrant Officers in the US Navy, but rather "Chief Warrant Officer", is the correct title. In the US Navy one must have been an E-7, E-8 or E-9 to obtain the status and grade of Chief Warrant Officer. In the US Army and US Marines, one can progress to CW-1 at a grade lower than E-7, and thus have a longer career and greater opportunity to serve and grow. Upon the initial appointment to W-1 a
warrant is given by the secretary of the service, and upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer (CWO-2 and above,) they are commissioned by the
President of the United States, take the same oath and receive the same
commission and charges as all other commissioned officers, thus deriving their authority from the same source. 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. 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 position normally held by more senior officers as well. The US Army has many pilots within the CWO community, which differs in philosophy from the other uniformed services. Often in a battalion sized unit, the assistant personnel officer (S-1) and the motor pool officer are warrant officers.
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 misuunderstood by the unindoctrinated.
A Chief Warrant Officer's benefits and privileges are roughly comparable to those of a junior commissioned officer, and should be at or above those of senior enlisted. A W-1 is paid the same as an O-1 (second lieutenant or ensign), a CW-2 the same as a 0-2 (first lieutenant), and so forth.
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.
Air Force
\nThe U.S. Air Force does not currently have warrant officers.
Army
\nThe U.S. Army warrant officer 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.
Marine Corps
\nThe U.S. Marine Corps has warranted officers since
1916 as technical specialists who\nperform 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 commisioned officers use the term only if situation is informal and is accepted by the warrant officer and his superiors.
Navy
\nIn 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.
Insignia
\n
| Abbreviation | \nPaygrade and Rank | \nArmy | \nNavy / Coast Guard | \nMarine Corps |
| WO1 | \nWarrant Officer 1 | \n | \nno longer in use | \n |
| CW2 | \nChief Warrant Officer 2 | \n | \n | \n |
| CW3 | \nChief Warrant Officer 3 | \n | \n | \n |
| CW4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | \n | \n | \n |
\n| CW5 | \nChief Warrant Officer 5 | \n | \n  | \n |
See also
External links
Official sites
References
- DoD Almanac. The United States Military Officer Rank Insignia. United States Department of Defense.
Category:Military ranks