FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — Warrant officers from across the installation celebrated the 104th U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps birthday at Historic Brown Parade Field July 8.
For 104 years, U.S. Army Warrant Officers have been defending the United States with distinction and honor, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Aaron Anderson, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center command chief warrant officer and Chief Warrant Officer of the Military Intelligence (MI) Corps.
“Established by an act of Congress in July 1918, the Warrant Officer cohort has provided invaluable skills, leadership, and technical expertise upon which our Army has come to rely,” he said. “On 9 July 2022, we honor Army Warrant Officers both past and present for their exemplary leadership, professionalism, technical expertise and passionate service to the Army, and the Nation.”
In 1945 approximately 400 warrant officers were added to the counterintelligence ranks, and in 1984, the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School established the Warrant Officer Education Training Program. The Military Intelligence Branch has eight military occupational skills, which is the most of any warrant officer branch.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Pete Davis, Warrant Officer Training Branch chief, was a keynote speaker during the event and said it was a privilege and honor to serve as both an MI Warrant Officer Assignment Manager and MI Warrant Officer Proponent.
“I feel fulfilled when observing warrant officers perform that critical function of advising a senior leader; taking the vision, lines of effort and end state of an O-grade,” Davis said. “Then, witnessing a warrant officer convolve that guidance into a course of action to enable the engine and backbone of our Army to execute that intelligence warfighting function to provide timely situational understanding to decision makers.”
Army warrant officers make up less than three percent of total Army strength, but still have responsibilities that include training Soldiers, organizing and advising missions, and serving as the Army’s technical experts and trusted advisors.
The 104th birthday gives warrant officers time to reflect on the accomplishments and valuable contributions warrant officers have made to the Army over the past century, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Deshawn Bell, Network Enterprise Technology Command command chief warrant officer and keynote speaker.
“The reason we are a consistent force multiplier within the Army is because of our tight community and our ability to forge relationships within our community,” Bell said. “Our ability to network, share, and collaborate is the cornerstone of what we are about and what the Army values and expects from us.”
Addressing the younger warrant officers within the Corps, Bell said they should be prepared for their current and future bosses to ask for advice in areas that are outside of their military occupational speciality.
“Having a diversified warrant officer network will provide you the ability to easily get support to solve problems outside of your knowledge area when challenges undoubtedly arise during your warrant officer journey,” he said. “What better way to provide an efficient, accurate response than to leverage your extended warrant officer network.”
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