Heritage of the Army

Question 1

What branch of military did Warrant Officers first orginate from?

Answer 1

Navy

Question 2

What were Warrant Officers traditionally used for in the U.S. Navy?

Answer 2

Technical specialists whose skills and knowledge were an essential part of the proper operation of the ship.

Question 3

When were Warrant Officers first introduced into the U.S. Navy?

Answer 3

Since the conception of the U.S. Navy

Question 4

When were Warrant Officers first introduced into the U.S. Army?

Answer 4

1896 and specifically to the Headquarters Clerk (later designated the Army Field Clerk).

Question 5

What is the officially recognized birthday of the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps?

Answer 5

9 July 1918. At the time, personnel
appointed as warrant officers were not commissioned
officers, and initially were considered civilian. It was
eventually determined that warrant officers held military
status by the Judge Advocate General.

Question 6

What is the Act of July 9, 1918?

Answer 6

This Act provided for the establishment of Warrant Officers in the Regular Army?s Coast Artillery Corps of a service thereafter to be known as the ?Army Mine Planter Service,? consisting for each planter in the service of the United States, of one master, one first mate, one second mate, one chief engineer and one assistant engineer, ?who shall be warrant officers appointed by and holding their offices at the discretion of the Secretary of War.?

Question 7

What was initially used to designate rank for Warrant Officers in the Army?

Answer 7

Bands of brown braid designated rank, four bands for chief engineer and master, three bands for assistant engineer and first mate, and two bands for second assistant engineer and second mate. The official color of the warrant officer corps is brown, and originated with the warrant officers of the Mine Planter Service. Their insignia of rank were simply bands of brown cloth worn on the uniform sleeve.

Question 8

What four positions aboard vessels that planted sea mines did Warrant Officers serve?

Answer 8

masters, mates, chief engineers and assistant engineers

Question 9

What was the National Defense Act of 1920?

Answer 9

Provided for warrant officers in clerical, administrative and band-leading activities and authorized up to 1120 warrant officers on active duty. Appointment and assignment procedures, published in 1920, provided for appointments in the Army-at-large rather than in specific branches and warrant officers were excluded from performing duties from which enlisted personnel were also excluded (summary court officer, defense counsel, officer of the day, and assistant adjutant).

Question 10

How was appointment to Warrant Officer made?

Answer 10

Made as a reward for enlisted soldiers that had done a good job and to commissioned officers that either did not hold the education or some other special skill to remain a commissioned officer.

Question 11

What was the warrant officer insignia that was introduced in 1921?

Answer 11

“Eagle Rising”

Question 12

What were the results of congressional action in 1922 that affected the Warrant Officer Cohort?

Answer 12

Reduced the number of warrant officers authorized from 1120 to 600 (exclusive of the Mine Planter Service and band-leaders) and further prohibited appointment of additional warrant officers.

Question 13

What happened to the Warrrant Officer Cohort between WWI and WWII?

Answer 13

In 1939, warrant officers who were qualified pilots were declared eligible for direct appointment to lieutenants in the Army Air Corps and further depleted the warrant officer force.

Question 14

What was the Public Law 230?

Answer 14

In 1941, authorized appointments up to one percent of the Regular Army enlisted strength. This law further established two pay rates for warrant officers, Warrant Officer Junior Grade (W1) and Chief Warrant Officer (CW2)

Question 15

What happened to the rank designation relative to enlisted ranks and commissioned officers in November of 1942?

Answer 15

In November of 1942, War Department defined the position of the warrant officer in the rank order as being above all enlisted ranks and immediately
below all commissioned officers.

Question 16

What happened in January 1944 that affected women?

Answer 16

January 1944 saw the authorization of appointment of women as warrant officers and by the close of World War II, forty-two female warrant officers were serving on active duty.

Question 17

What was the Career Compensation Act of 1949?

Answer 17

1949 provided two new pay rates for warrant officers. The designations of Warrant Officer Junior Grade and Chief Warrant Officer were retained; however, the grade of Chief Warrant Officer was provided with pay rates of W2, W3 and W4.

Question 18

What was the Warrant Officer Personnel Act (WOPA)?

Answer 18

In 1954, the Warrant Officer Personnel Act (WOPA) established warrant officer ranks of W1 through W4, and officially eliminated the Mine Planter Service. With this action, the early period of the development of the Warrant Officer Corps closed and launched the beginning of the modern era in warrant officer history.

Question 19

What were the differences in retirement between male and female?

Answer 19

20 years of active federal service for male officers was 62, as opposed to 53/55 for female officers with 20 years active federal service.

Question 20

What did studies during the 1950s determine?

Answer 20

That there was a ?vital need? and proposed that appointment to warrant officer should be based on the needs of the Army and not simply as a reward for long and faithful service. One study, conducted by the Department of Defense, recommended that the corps be completely eliminated and replaced with the Limited Duty Officer (LDO). This concept had been in practice in the U.S. Na

Question 21

What happened on 21 January 1957 as a result of a Department of Army Study?

Answer 21

A new warrant officer concept was announced and provided the following guidelines: (1) The need for the warrant officer and the
continuation of the corps was affirmed.(2) The warrant officer category would not be considered as a reward or incentive for enlisted personnel or
former commissioned officers.(3) The first published definition for a warrant officer was established in AR 611-112 and defined the warrant officer

Question 22

What happened in 1966 that affected career development?

Answer 22

The first Warrant Officer Professional Development Program (WOPDP) is published in DA PAM 600-11.

Question 23

What happened at the end of 1972 into 1973 in the RA?

Answer 23

RA was reopened for warrant officers and a tri-level education system had been established and provided formal training at the basic or entry level. The three levels were redesignated as ?entry?, ?advanced? and ?senior? levels respectively.

Question 24

What did the Warrant Officer Division at PERSCOM provide in 1975?

Answer 24

A centralized career management center for all warrant officers (excluding the JAG and Medical Corps).

Question 25

Due to needs, what happened in 1978 affecting Reserve and Guard Warrants?

Answer 25

They were integrated into the Army’s professional development program.

Question 26

What study began in 1984?

Answer 26

The Total Warrant Officer Study (TWOS). This was the first Department of the Army-level comprehensive study of warrant officer management (preappointment to retirement) across the total Army.

Question 27

What was the mission statement of the TWOS?

Answer 27

?Examine the role and utilization, professional development, management, compensation programs, policies and procedures, and recommended changes where the effect would enhance combat readiness for the Total Army?

Question 28

When was the Warrant Officer Entry Course established?

Answer 28

October 1984 - This ceased all direct appointments and training was conducted at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for non-aviation Warrants.

Question 29

What did the TWOS establish in regard to utilization and rank?

Answer 29

Three distinct leels of utilization and rank o f Master Warrant Officer 4 (MW4). (1) Entry level ? warrant officer ? WO1/CW2 (2) Middle level ? senior warrant officer ? CW3/CW4 (3) Master level ? master warrant officer ? MW4 (later changed to CW5)

Question 30

What was the Warrant Officer Management Act (WOMA)?

Answer 30

Passed Congress in December 1991 bringing major revision to Title 10 of the U.S. code and is the basis for the management of the active duty warrant officer corps.

Question 31

What were the key provisions of WOMA?

Answer 31

(1) A single promotion system for warrant officers. (2) Tenure requirements based on years of warrant officer service. (3) WOMA approved the grade of CW5 - (TWOS had recommended that grade). (4) Selective mandatory retirement boards for retirement-eligible warrant officers. (5) Automatic integration into the Regular Army at CW3

Question 32

What was the Warrant Officer Leader Development Action Plan (WOLDAP)?

Answer 32

Passed in February 1992. Is a total Army plan designed to ensure the both active and reserve warrant officers are appointed, trained and utilized to a single standard (One Army - One Standard).

Question 33

What were the key provisions of the WOLDAP

Answer 33

(1) Accession goal of eight years or less time in service for warrant officer candidates. (2) A comprehensive warrant officer education system. (3) Conditional appointment to WO1 upon completion of WOCS (4) Civilian education goals of an Associate degree prior to eligibility for promotion to CW3 and a bachelor degree prior to eligibility for promotion to CW4. (5) Establishment of the Warrant Officer Career College (WOCC). (6) Pinpoint assignments for CW5.

Question 34

What was the Army Training and Leader Development Panel (ATLDP)?

Answer 34

Released in August 2002, focused on training
and leader development requirements for warrant officers as
the Army transforms to the Future Force. This study (Phase
III), the third conducted by the ATLDP, was part of the
largest self-assessment ever done by the Army.

Question 35

What were the conclusions of the ATLDP?

Answer 35

Need to change to support full spectrum operations, integrate warrants into the larger officer corps (began in 1980s but never completed), Needs to clarify roles, change professional development, training/education, and manning.

Question 36

What changes took place on 9 July 2004 (86th anniversary)

Answer 36

Branch certified warrants switched from Eagle Rising to branch insignia, rank of CW5 changed to current designation

Question 37

What are WO1 and WO2’s primary focus?

Answer 37

Becoming proficient and working on those systems linked directly to their AOC or MOS. As they become experts on the systems they operate and maintain, their focus migrates to integrating their systems with other branch systems.

Question 38

What are CW3’s primary focus?

Answer 38

As they become more senior, their focus becomes integrating branch systems
into larger Army systems.

Question 39

What are CW4’s primary focus?

Answer 39

As they become more senior they focus on integrating branch and Army systems into joint and nationallevel systems.

Question 40

What are CW5’s primary focus?

Answer 40

They are the senior technical expert in their branch and serve at
brigade and higher levels.