WOMA Again

As 1993 came to a close, Congress was nearing approval of the 1994 Defense Authorization Act. The legislation included a military pay raise, despite opposition from the President, as well as readiness initiatives, repeal of restrictions preventing Navy and Marine Corps women from serving on all Navy ships, funding for facility maintenance, financial assistance for military spouses, and other personnel-related measures.

At the same time, the Warrant Officer Management Act (WOMA), from which the Coast Guard had previously been excluded, once again came under review.
Facing budget constraints and personnel reductions, the Coast Guard sought input from the Association while simultaneously preparing legislative language to pursue inclusion under WOMA authorities.
In September 1993, a comprehensive survey was mailed to all Association members. The survey requested opinions not only on WOMA, but also on broader issues affecting the warrant corps, including health care, retirement benefits, and quality-of-life concerns.
By fiscal year 1995, the Coast Guard planned to actively pursue adoption of WOMA as part of the broader budget and appropriations process.
The debate, which had first surfaced several years earlier, was far from settled and continued to reflect the tension between flexibility in personnel management and protection of the established warrant officer career structure.