Thank you to all for their service to our great country!
The following is information on the Warrant Officer ranks:
The last CWO pilot retired from the Corps sometime between 1992 -1995. He was flying with HMX-1 at Quantico at the time. I well remember reading an artical about him in the base paper when I was stationed there sometime during those years.
The USAF's last Warrent Officer was appointed as a WO-1 in 1958 and retired in the late 1970's.
Prior to Congress passing the dreaded Warrant Officer Management Act (WOMA) in 1991 all WO-1's were appointed officers by their Service Secretary. They received their Commission from the Congress when promoted to CWO-2. Actually, the Senate approves military officer promotions and forwards the "lists" to the President for signature. I do not think the House is invloved in this.
The WOMA created the rank of CWO-5 but also made all services manage and promote their warrant officers in the same way. Prior to the WOMA the Naval Services (USN and USMC) Commissioned at CWO-2. I am not certain that the Army ever Commissioned a warrant officer. They had seperate "clubs" for Commissioned Officers and warrant officers.
The WOMA provided that WO-1's would no longer be appointed but would indeed be Commisioned. The WOMA also made the services tighten up on promotions of CWO-2 through CWO-5. We CWO's could no longer tell the CO to "pound sand! After WOMA if a CWO was passed over for promotion twice (perhaps because they told off the CO) they would be forced to retire or to "get out" if they had not reach the magical 18 years of service. Yes, at 18 years the military have "tenure" for a 20 year retirement.
Finally, the WOMA made the services Commission their Limited Duty Officers (LDO) which were previously appointed from their permanent CWO ranks. Only the Naval Services have LDOs. The Army can't figure out how to use LDO but the Navy and Corps sure can! Also, the WOMA now requires services to count their LDO against their Congressionaly authorized number of officers.
Mark Ouellette
Proud member of the Warrant Officer Protection Association
Captain USMC, ret. (Former CWO-3 and darn proud of it!!!)
Last edited by MarkOue; 07/31/08 06:13 PM.
