Warrant Officer (Rank)

The rank of Warrant Officer (W-1) is a rank senior to enlisted officers, but junior to commissioned officers.
A warrant officer (WO) is an officer in Starfleet who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, and a non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer, often by virtue of seniority.
Warrant officers are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers, and while the ranks are authorized by the Federation Council, each branch of the uniformed services selects, manages, and uses warrant officers in slightly different ways. For appointment to warrant officer one (W‑1), a warrant is approved by the secretary of the respective service. For chief warrant officer ranks (W‑2 to W‑5), warrant officers are commissioned by the President of the United Federation of Planets and take the same oath as regular commissioned officers (O‑1 to O‑10).
Warrant officers can and do command detachments, units, activities, vessels, aircraft, shuttles, and armored vehicles, as well as lead, coach, train, and counsel subordinates. However, the warrant officer's primary task as a leader is to serve as a technical expert, providing valuable skills, guidance, and expertise to commanders and organizations in their particular field. They may be technical experts with a long service as enlisted personnel, notably engineering enlisted officers, or direct entrants, notably for Starfleet shuttle and fighter pilots.
Category:Starfleet Rank
Category:Warrant Officer