Warrant officer (United States)

rdf:langString Warrant officer (United States)

rdf:langString left

rdf:langString A brown shield shaped patch with a yellow border. Yellow stars are in each corner, surrounding crossed yellow cannons superimposed by a torch in yellow, which in turn is superimposed by a blue sea mine

rdf:langString Warrant Officer

rdf:langString Warrant Officer Career College Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

rdf:langString Comm. Warrant Officer

rdf:langString U.S. Navy Warrant Officer One combination cover device

rdf:langString JFK Special Warfare Center and School, Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute Beret Flash

rdf:langString Overview of Warrant Officer history and function within the U.S. Army

rdf:langString horizontal

rdf:langString US Army Warrant Officer video.ogv

rdf:langString right

rdf:langString USN warrant collar insignias 1951–1956

rdf:langString no

rdf:langString USN WW2 CWO Rank Insignia.svg

rdf:langString USN WW2 WO Rank Insignia.svg

rdf:langString Usawocc-patch.jpg

rdf:langString US Army Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute Flash.png

rdf:langString right

rdf:langString U.S. Army warrant officer recruiting film

rdf:langString In the United States Armed Forces, the ranks of warrant officer (grades W‑1 to W‑5; see NATO: WO1–WO5) are rated as officers above all non-commissioned officers, candidates, cadets, and midshipmen, but subordinate to the lowest officer grade of O‑1 (NATO: OF‑1). This application differs from the Commonwealth of Nations and other militaries, where warrant officers are the most senior of the other ranks (NATO: OR‑8 and OR‑9), equivalent to the U.S. Armed Forces grades of E‑8 and E‑9. Warrant officers are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers. While the ranks are authorized by Congress, each branch of the uniformed services selects, manages, and uses warrant officers in slightly different ways. For appointment to the rank of warrant officer one (W‑1), normally a warrant is approved by the secretary of the respective service. However, appointment to this rank can come via commission by the service secretary, the department secretary, or by the president, but this is less common. For the chief warrant officer ranks (CW‑2 to CW‑5), these warrant officers are commissioned by the president. Both warrant officers and chief warrant officers take the same oath as other commissioned officers (O‑1 to O‑10). Warrant officers can and do command detachments, units, vessels, aircraft, 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.