The Warrants have arrived

[e6bflyer]

Elbowing through the briefing spaces in the line shack yesterday and noticed a couple of strange looking shoulder insignia. Our first class of Navy CWO students have started in primary. This should be an interesting experiment. Not so much from our end, I expect that most of them will do very well. I know that about 0% of my college education has been used since I started flying. It will just be interesting to see how they are received by their follow on communities and what kind of future these guys have.
I was stopped a couple of months back in Chennault by an Army Major and 1st LT, they both had nothing good to say about the Army flying Warrant Officer program and how it effects the carrer progression and flying time of their commissioned folks. Hopefully none of that will bleed over into the Navy side.
I know this has already been discussed in previous threads, just found it interesting to see them in the flesh.

 

[xmid]

I expect that most of them will do very well. I know that about 0% of my college education has been used since I started flying.

I believe its pretty much a requirement to have a college education to be competitive for the program isnt it?

One of the guys on here that got picked up for it, when asked why he didn't just apply for OCS, said it was because he was too old. Warran was the only way he could fly.

 

[statesman]

I believe its pretty much a requirement to have a college education to be competitive for the program isnt it?

No you do not need a college degree. You must have an Associates at least.

That being said I'm sure there are enough enlisted folks out there with BS/BA degrees that only having and Associates might put you in a poor position for selection.

One of the guys on here that got picked up for it, when asked why he didn't just apply for OCS, said it was because he was too old. Warran was the only way he could fly.

The age requirement for the Warrant program is the same as for URL. 27 years.

 

[Rubiks06]

So if we have the CWOS taking up more of the JO billets does this mean that its going to free up more people on the commissioned side for IA tours?

 

[Steve Wilkins]

So if we have the CWOS taking up more of the JO billets does this mean that its going to free up more people on the commissioned side for IA tours?

Warrants are commissioned officers too.

 

[xmid]

No you do not need a college degree. You must have an Associates at least.

That being said I'm sure there are enough enlisted folks out there with BS/BA degrees that only having and Associates might put you in a poor position for selection.



The age requirement for the Warrant program is the same as for URL. 27 years.

Exactly why I said TO BE COMPETITIVE. I think we're thinking on the same wavelength here. Most of the guys that are showing up at Whiting right now probably have a bachelors.

As far as the age limit, maybe they are extending waivers to warrant officers because the guy on here was well past the limit.

 

[SemperGumbi]

When they were talking about this program a few years ago I thought it was kind of pointing out the problems with the airwing. Granted, at the time I was a civiliat gov. employee, btu still knew of the ground-job heavy nature of the Navy/Marine pilots.

Myself (although not having seen the problems first hand at the time) and a lot of the more experienced guys I worked with all thought it was odd that they were adding WO's because they realized they had tasked their O pilots with too many jobs. Um, hello? Why not spend less than half the money in salary and a lot less training and hire a civilian clerk to be the _________ (fill in blank) officer?

Wait, this is all covered in another thread...

So anyway, good heads up that the WO's (who I, too, am pretty sure will do well) are actually here after all the talk about it.

 

[scarnuts]

Most of the guys that are showing up at Whiting right now probably have a bachelors.QUOTE]

The guy I know at Whiting finished his associates just weeks prior to applying to the program. (via CLEP) I think that it is a great program for folks without a bachelors. I just hope they show up in the TACAMO community.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Warrants are commissioned officers too.

Just to clarify for the Marines that might be reading this. WO1's are NOT commissioned, CWO2's and above are. WO1's don't exist in the Navy.

 

[SemperGumbi]

Are they going to all communities now? I know that wasn't the plan from the start...has it changed?

 

[Pags]

Why not spend less than half the money in salary and a lot less training and hire a civilian clerk to be the _________ (fill in blank) officer?

the last thing the navy needs is another GS using up my oxygen.

 

[Brett327]

Are they going to all communities now? I know that wasn't the plan from the start...has it changed?

No

Brett

 

[brownshoe]

No you do not need a college degree. You must have an Associates at least.

That being said I'm sure there are enough enlisted folks out there with BS/BA degrees that only having and Associates might put you in a poor position for selection.



The age requirement for the Warrant program is the same as for URL. 27 years.

Back in my time, (Vietnam) if you just had just two years of college you could become an officer, and even fly, if you wanted. (Now A4’s, Hey Joe, and Catmando, please chime in to verify what I’ve said here ‘cause’ at 60 my memory slips a bit…)

But it seems to me that now the service needs folks so maybe the rules have changed a bit. Ever hear of the rank “Commodore” in the USN? The requirements and regulations seem to adjust as the needs of the military change. I remember going to Yuma once on the Cecil Field station plane, a Dakota. The pilot was an E-9 marine the copilot was a navy O-4. That E-9 marine earned his wings during Korea as I later learned. Heck…Chuck Yeager was an enlisted pilot.

Now maybe I’ve guessed wrong here, but maybe, the navy is short a few good people right now. To me, as ground crew, I didn’t give a crap about your education… I loaded a plane with bombs, armed your cannons with 20MM shells and I didn’t want to see any of it come back home.

Steve

 

[steeleshark2]

I am the guy on here the people have been talking about. Yes, I am over age 27, I am 31 to be exact. They allowed four year waivers for NFOs and 2 year for pilots. I am currently at VT-4 Primary training. I only have an Associates but have had a lot of other things that helped me get selected. If you have questions, do not hesitate to message me or ask here.

 

[Hozer]

I don't know. The flying LDO program has been less than a success. Although there is at least one guy on this board who can speak to it much better than I.
It is a difficult path. So what are they going to do? Be super JO's, never go to the boat? Then their career stops there. Seems similar to Army WO's.
I guess if you want to stay in the plane, rock on.
But I, and many others, argued for Super JO's as a way to solve manning concerns, and let Command-desire guys pursue the more traditional paths. We were shunned, because naturally, most guys would say let me be a Lieutenant forever as long as I fly. But they wouldn't have the bodies needed for the 0-4/0-5 DH and CS boards.
Plus, they (WO) don't have advocates at NPC. On a squadron level, what do you do? Stuff a 2 year PPC/TACCO in NATOPS or Asst Ops, even though there is a much more experienced WO sitting in Skeds? It'll make a mockery of the senior JO ground jobs in a squadron, and it could affect crews too. Enlisted guys could gravitate towards a all Warrant Officer crew. Probably only natural.
I'll shut it now...