Becoming a Warrant Officer

The Process

Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) Positions

Soldiers who wish to become flight warrant officers go through a different process then technical warrants: Initial Entry Rotary Wing Application Process.

Technical Positions

  1. Selection
    • Applicants must be able to fill an existing or projected MOS vacancy and meet all requirements for the desired MOS (including qualification in a listed feeder MOS)
    • Unit Commanders must conduct interviews with applicants, and if necessary conduct a unit review board to determine the best qualified applicants. Applicants are chosen based on demonstrated leadership, knowledge and decision making ability.
    • Once the commander makes their selection, the candidate will prepare a "Predetermination Packet" with the assistance of a officer/warrant officer mentor.
  2. MOS Predetermination
    • The applicant must request approval from the DA MOS proponent for entry into the career field. This request must be prepared and forwarded through official channels to state headquarters using the Predetermination Checklist.
    • On receipt by The Adjutant General (TAG), it is reviewed and forwarded to the installation where the DA MOS manager is located. If disapproved, it will be returned to the applicant for additional documentation. If approved it will be forwarded to state headquarters. This process takes 60 to 120 days, depending on the DA MOS proponent.
    • Approved predetermination packets will be transmitted to the requesting unit for preparation of the Warrant Officer candidate appointment application package.
  3. Candidate Appointment Screening
    • Upon notification of a favorable predetermination, the applicant must complete an appointment application (application checklist) for consideration by the Federal Recognition Board held at the state headquarters. The board determines applicant eligibility for attendance at the Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) and appointment as a Warrant Officer.
    • The application packet must be endorsed by the unit commander and forwarded to the Officer Personnel Manager (OPM) at state headquarters. On approval it will be forwarded to the Federal Recognition Board for appropriate action.
    • If the Federal Recognition Board determines the applicant to be eligible, an order appointing them as a Warrant Officer Candidate (WOC) is issued and a primary MOS of 09W00 is awarded. If the applicant is not found qualified, the application will be returned with any additional requirements noted. Packages may then be resubmitted for consideration once requirements have been met.
    • After appointment as a WOC, the unit/commander will request available class dates. In addition they should ensure that a mentor, preferable a recent WOCS graduate, helps prepare the candidate.
  4. WOCS Attendance
    Currently, there are three options for the completion of WOCS:
    • Attend the six week Active Component WOCS.
    • Attend the four week WOCS-Reserve Component; Phases I and II with up to a one year break between phases.
    • Attend the four week WOCS-Reserve Component; Phases I and II are completed back to back.
  5. Former Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers
    • Applicants in this category must complete a packet using the Predetermination Checklist for the Warrant Officer Program, which may be found on page C-2 of this guide.
    • Former Warrant Officers and commissioned officers, once their approved predetermination is received, must prepare an application for appointment IAW NGR 600-101 and send it through command channels to the Officer Personnel Manager (OPM).
  6. Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC)
    WOBC trains newly appointed warrant officers to be technically qualified in their assigned MOS. There are three methods for completing WOBC:
    • Active Component (AC) Courses. The AC courses vary from 5 to 40 weeks.
    • Reserve Component (RC) Courses. The RC courses are normally shorter than AC versions to accommodate reserve components. Most RC courses are shorter resident phases, which also include non-resident phases.
    • Some proponent schools allow “testing out” as an alternate means of certifying technical proficiency. Testing out means that the proponent prepares a test covering the required tasks for certification and applicants must pass the entire test to be certified as technically proficient. Testing out is limited to those applicants with an extensive background or education in the MOS.

Attendance at the AC or RC version of WOBC is based on the proponent’s determination or other regulatory guidance. If a MOS proponent specifies that the applicant must attend the AC course then the individual must do so in order to be MOS certified.