Fort Belvoir, Va. (July 17, 2014) - The "Quiet Professionals" celebrated their 96th birthday July 9 at the Fort Belvoir USO Warrior and Family Center, and thanks to some jokes and outstanding speakers, it wasn't all that quiet.
Fort Belvoir stepped in to host the Warrant Officer Corps' birthday, marking the first time the Belvoir-based group has had the honor.
Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army Reserve Phyllis J. Wilson, who is based out of Fort Belvoir, said the event is annually held at the Pentagon, but this year Vice Chief of the Army Gen. John F. Campbell and Army Staff Senior Warrant Officer Dave Williams hosted the event in Fort Rucker, Ala. Wilson took the reins and hosted the celebration, complete with cake and raffle prizes for attendees at Fort Belvoir.
"The USO is a great venue," Wilson said. "It just worked out really well."
Hosting the celebration on post also meant the local warrant officers were able to attend the celebration. Wilson said when the celebration is held at the Pentagon, it can be difficult for the local officers to attend.
In attendance at the USO event were many dignitaries and Vietnam-era war veterans. Frank Dyer, who is one of the oldest living warrant officer veterans and a Vietnam veteran, was in attendance, as was Don Hess, the founder and president emeritus of the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Association, a retired chief warrant officer and veteran of the Korea and Vietnam wars.
The USAWOA is a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of current, retired and former warrant officers and their Families.
Retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Sinn was the keynote speaker. Sinn is currently the vice president of finance and administration for the Association of the United States Army, and the father of a current warrant officer.
"I have skin in the game. My youngest son's a warrant officer," he said.
Wilson explained that members of the Warrant Officer Corps pause on July 9 every year to celebrate the milestone. The cake cutting itself is symbolic of the corps' long history. When cutting the cake, the first piece is offered to the guest of honor. At the Fort Belvoir celebration, that person was Sinn. The second piece is offered to the oldest warrant officer attending, which was Hess, and he in turn passes on the third slice to the youngest warrant officer in the room. This year's youngest warrant officer, at the tender age of 33, was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Wade Gettle Jr. He joined Sinn and Hess to cut the cake with a sword before the cake was handed out to the rest of the warrant officers and guests.
Brig. Gen. Gracus K. Dunn, commanding general, 85th Support Command, and deputy commanding general for support, First Army Division West, Fort Hood, Texas, noted the evolution of the warrant officer corps during its 96-year history, and said throughout the changes, the professionalism of the members has always remained strong.
"You have evolved and continued to make this a professional Army by being that quiet warrior behind the scenes, not in front," he said. "You get the job done. You put the ball in the end zone, and that's what counts. You maintain the Army values and our virtues, and what it means to be Army Strong."
Sinn lauded the USAWOA for its hard work and dedication to the community.
"I'm going to join the Warrant Officer Association this week -- you'll see my name up here. I'll be willing to bet you, that this warrant officer son that I have, who once in a while still listens, becomes one too," he told the crowd to cheers. "We'll make a small incremental gain in your leadership."
Wilson, who is the president of the Lord Fairfax Silver Chapter of the USAWOA, told the crowd about the association's current fundraising drives, which included a raffle. The money is given out to charitable groups and to support warrant officers.
"That's why the WOA is in place, is to give back to the community," she said.
The Warrant Officer Corps will mark its 100th birthday in 2018.
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