United States Coast Guard Warrant Officers

The **United States Coast Guard (USCG)** has three Warrant officer ranks. They are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers within the armed services.

## About

Highly qualified enlisted personnel in pay grades E-6 through E-9 with a minimum of eight years experience can compete each year for appointment as warrant officers (WO). Successful candidates are chosen by a board and then commissioned as chief warrant officers (CWO2) in one of twenty-one specialties. Over time, chief warrant officers may be promoted to CWO3 and CWO4. The ranks of warrant officer (WO1) and chief warrant officer five (CWO5) are not currently used in the Coast Guard. Chief warrant officers may also compete for the Chief Warrant Officer to Lieutenant Program. If selected, the warrant officer will be promoted to lieutenant (O-3E). The "E" designates over four years active duty service as a warrant officer or enlisted member and entitles the member to a higher rate of pay than other lieutenants. All warrant officers are pay grade E-9.

## All Ranks

### Chief Warrant Officer Second Class

Since the discontinuation of the Warrant Officer rank (W-1) in the US Coast Guard in 1975, a Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO-2) is the entry-level warrant officer rank in the US Coast Guard. In the US armed forces, unlike other nations' military organization, warrant officers are not considered the most senior other ranks (as opposed to commissioned officers), but rather occupy a class of their own. This warrant officer class (W) finds itself above the most senior enlisted rank (ending with pay grade E-9), but subordinate to the commissioned officer ranks (beginning with pay grade O-1).

The Chief Warrant Officer is best described as a leading technical expert who is highly-skilled in his or her specialty. Like other officers, the Chief Warrant Officer is commissioned by the President of the United States and takes the same oath as the commissioned ranks. He or she is appointed to a placement (or "billet") in a warrant specialty.

Within the first year of his or her appointment, the Chief Warrant Officer is expected to attend the two-week Chief Warrant Officer Professional Development Course to bridge the gap between the enlisted and warrant classes and help build leadership competencies.

The Chief Warrant Officer serves mainly as a technical expert, providing valuable insight and advice to commissioned officers, but he or she may be appointed to command a small vessel, unit or station within the Coast Guard. The Chief Warrant Officer is also usually involved in training and counselling roles. Their pay grade is W-2.

### Chief Warrant Officer Third Class

The Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO-3) is the mid-level warrant officer rank in the US Coast Guard. In the US armed forces, unlike other nations' military organization, warrant officers are not considered the most senior other ranks (as opposed to commissioned officers), but rather occupy a class of their own. This warrant officer class (W) finds itself above the most senior enlisted rank (ending with pay grade E-9), but subordinate to the commissioned officer ranks (beginning with pay grade O-1).

The Chief Warrant Officer is best described as a leading technical expert who is highly-skilled in his or her specialty. Like other officers, the Chief Warrant Officer is commissioned by the President of the United States and takes the same oath as the commissioned ranks. He or she is appointed to a placement (or "billet") in a warrant specialty.

Within the first year of his or her appointment, the Chief Warrant Officer is expected to attend the two-week Chief Warrant Officer Professional Development Course to bridge the gap between the enlisted and warrant classes and help build leadership competencies.

The Chief Warrant Officer serves mainly as a technical expert, providing valuable insight and advice to commissioned officers, but he or she may be appointed to command a small vessel, unit or station within the Coast Guard. The Chief Warrant Officer is also usually involved in training and counselling roles. Their pay grade is W-3.

### Chief Warrant Officer Fourth Class

Although provision has been made for a Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO-5) in the US Coast Guard since 1994, this rank is not currently in use. Therefore the Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO-4) is the highest level warrant officer rank currently in use in the US Coast Guard. In the US armed forces, unlike other nations' military organization, warrant officers are not considered the most senior other ranks (as opposed to commissioned officers), but rather occupy a class of their own. This warrant officer class (W) finds itself above the most senior enlisted rank (ending with pay grade E-9), but subordinate to the commissioned officer ranks (beginning with pay grade O-1).

The Chief Warrant Officer is best described as a leading technical expert who is highly-skilled in his or her specialty. Like other officers, the Chief Warrant Officer is commissioned by the President of the United States and takes the same oath as the commissioned ranks. He or she is appointed to a placement (or "billet") in a warrant specialty.

Within the first year of his or her appointment, the Chief Warrant Officer is expected to attend the two-week Chief Warrant Officer Professional Development Course to bridge the gap between the enlisted and warrant classes and help build leadership competencies.

The Chief Warrant Officer serves mainly as a technical expert, providing valuable insight and advice to commissioned officers, but he or she may be appointed to command a small vessel, unit or station within the Coast Guard. The Chief Warrant Officer is also usually involved in training and counselling roles.Their pay grade is W-4.

## Notes

* In order to distinguish a warrant officer's speciality they each were a pin of their speciality on their collar.