Time-in-Grade Reduction

Within 18 months, on October 15, 1976, ADM Owen W. Siler released ALDIST 257, reducing the time-in-grade requirement for promotion to W-4 from five years to four years.

However, ADM Siler declined to support deep selection for warrant officers, stating that he was not convinced that either the Service or the warrant corps would benefit from such a policy.
New Programs and Member Support Initiatives
While pay, promotion, and retirement issues remained central concerns, the Association began expanding its support programs for members and their families.
One of the first new initiatives focused on enhancing health benefits by exploring supplemental medical insurance options. In March 1977, members were polled and asked to complete questionnaires to assess healthcare needs and determine the viability of such a program.
That same year, the Association established a college scholarship program to assist dependents of members enrolled in undergraduate studies. Funding was generated through raffles, donation solicitations, and contributions from local clubs, which by that time numbered 23 nationwide.
Nearly $3,000 was awarded during the first two years of the program. By 1981, largely due to continued support from local clubs, the Association Scholarship Fund had grown to more than $7,500.
The fund was later renamed the CWO John A. Keller CW&WOA Scholarship Grant. Three grants are awarded each August, recognizing first-, second-, and third-place recipients pursuing education beyond high school.
Within ten years of its establishment, the program had assisted more than 30 students and, by 1987, awarded nearly $7,000 annually in grants.