ARMY WARRANT OFFICERS
THE ROLE OF WARRANT OFFICERS
Army Warrant Officers (WO) make up the technical foundation of the U.S. Army. They are highly-trained technical experts who specialize in one of 48 technical areas including intelligence, aviation, and engineering. Although they make up less than three percent of total Army strength, Warrant Officers have great job responsibility that includes training Soldiers, organizing and advising on missions, and serving as the Army’s technical experts and trusted advisors.
HOW TO BECOME A WARRANT OFFICER
If you're an enlisted Soldier with a passion for a specific field and you aspire to serve as a technical expert, the Army Warrant Officer path may be right for you. You can compete for a spot in Warrant Officer Candidate School by submitting an application and letter of recommendation to the confirmation board.
Warrant Officer Candidate School is a six-week program designed to assess your potential for a Warrant Officer appointment and prepare you to serve in a specific branch of the Army. Beyond technical training, the program is designed to build the leadership skills needed to manage others.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A WARRANT OFFICER
Enlisted Soldiers must obtain the rank of Sergeant (E5) or higher to be considered for Warrant Officer Candidate School. (There is no minimum rank requirement for Aviation Warrant Officer applicants. View the full list of requirements for aviation candidates.) Candidates must also apply for Warrant Officer Candidate School while on active duty and have at least 12 months remaining on their enlistment contract.
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to basic Army requirements qualified Warrant Officer candidates must:
- Be younger than 46 years old (age waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis)
- Earn a General Technical score of 110 or higher on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)
- Complete required non-commissioned Officer Leadership courses (Does not apply to aviation candidates)
- Have documented proficiency in a specialty area and in your MOS (Does not apply to aviation candidates)
WARRANT OFFICERS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN YOU ENTER THE ARMY AS A WARRANT OFFICER?
Only Aviation Warrant Officer candidates are able to become a Warrant Officer without any prior service experience. All other candidates must be serving on active duty and have a rank of at least Sergeant.
DO WARRANT OFFICERS OUTRANK OFFICERS?
Commissioned Officers outrank Warrant Officers. However, Officers rely on Warrant Officers’ technical expertise to successfully complete missions and thus, regard them as trusted and esteemed colleagues.
WHAT IS A CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER?
There are five grades of Warrant Officers. A Chief Warrant Officer is an individual who has been promoted past the entry rank of Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) and earned a rank of Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2) or above.
HOW MUCH DO WARRANT OFFICERS MAKE IN THE ARMY?
The base salary for Warrant Officers (W1) is between $32,000 and $40,000, depending on your Army experience. The longer you serve and the further you move up in rank, the more money you will earn.
HOW LONG DO WARRANT OFFICERS SERVE?
Upon completion of the Warrant Officer Basic Course, Technical Warrant Officers incur a six-year service commitment on active duty. Aviation Warrant Officers incur a 10-year service commitment after completing Warrant Officer Flight School.
HOW LONG IS ARMY WARRANT OFFICER SCHOOL?
Warrant Officer Candidate School is a six-week program.
HOW DO WARRANT OFFICERS GET PROMOTED?
Warrant Officers are eligible for promotions based on performance and time served in each rank. For example, after completing two years as a Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) and passing additional Warrant Officer leadership courses, you can be promoted to Warrant Officer 2 (WO2).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WARRANT OFFICER PROGRAM
Learn more about becoming a Warrant Officer and the Warrant Officer program
If you’ve dreamed of becoming an Aviation Warrant Officer, there is no better career path to take in the U.S. Army than that of Warrant Officer Flight Training. Learn to pilot state-of-the-art Army aircraft and turn your dreams into a reality.
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