New Developments

In 1977, the Office of Personnel established a study group to examine new directions for the warrant corps. The group was tasked with considering several key initiatives:

• Creation of an Officers Indoctrination Class for warrants.
• Development of formal indoctrination instruction for newly appointed warrant officers.
• Revision of the warrant officer examination process.
• Implementation of more selective and rigorous competition for promotion.
The Association was invited to participate in the study. President CWO Dave T. Daniels joined the working group along with five other warrant officers.
To gather input, nearly 1,200 questionnaires were mailed to Association members. Within two weeks, approximately 900 responses were returned—an impressive level of engagement that demonstrated how strongly members felt about the future of the corps.
According to Daniels, most respondents agreed that the warrant officer examination required revision. Nearly all expressed a desire for advancement opportunities beyond W-4. Many members, particularly retirees reflecting on their careers, also argued that the mandatory 30-year retirement restriction should be lifted. They noted that being forced to retire—often around age 50—placed them at a disadvantage in civilian employment, as many employers were hesitant to hire individuals at that stage of life.
Support was also strong for the establishment of a formal officers indoctrination course designed to prepare warrant officers for broader responsibilities.
Personnel data compiled for the study revealed two notable trends. Over the previous seven years, the number of warrant officers retiring as W-3 had more than tripled, while retirements at the W-2 and W-4 levels had declined by 50 percent.
Opportunities for advancement also evolved during this period. The Warrant-to-Lieutenant program, originally launched in 1967 and discontinued five years later, was reinstated in 1978 on a limited and tightly controlled basis.
Applications were once again accepted from CWO3s and CWO4s, this time limited to members with 18 to 26 years of service. Initially, 10 warrants were selected for promotion. Over the next three years, additional selections followed: 14, then 17, and finally 18 chief warrant officers were appointed to lieutenant.
At the same time, the study group recommended—and the Office of Personnel approved—an increase in Officer Candidate School age eligibility for warrant officers, extending eligibility up to age 40.