
This warrant officer class (W) finds itself above the most senior enlisted rank (ending with pay grade E-9), but subordinate to the commissioned officer ranks (beginning with pay grade O-1). In the US armed forces, unlike other nations' military organization, warrant officers are not considered the most senior other ranks (as opposed to commissioned officers), but rather occupy a class of their own.

The Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO-3) is the mid-level warrant officer rank in the US Coast Guard. The Chief Warrant Officer is also usually involved in training and counselling roles. The Chief Warrant Officer serves mainly as a technical expert, providing valuable insight and advice to commissioned officers, but he or she may be appointed to command a small vessel, unit or station within the Coast Guard.
Coast guard enlisted ranks professional#
Within the first year of his or her appointment, the Chief Warrant Officer is expected to attend the two-week Chief Warrant Officer Professional Development Course to bridge the gap between the enlisted and warrant classes and help build leadership competencies. He or she is appointed to a placement (or "billet") in a warrant specialty. Like other officers, the Chief Warrant Officer is commissioned by the President of the United States and takes the same oath as the commissioned ranks. The Chief Warrant Officer is best described as a leading technical expert who is highly-skilled in his or her specialty. Since the discontinuation of the Warrant Officer rank (W-1) in the US Coast Guard in 1975, a Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO-2) is the entry-level warrant officer rank in the US Coast Guard. All warrant officers are pay grade E-9.Īll Ranks Chief Warrant Officer Second Class The "E" designates over four years active duty service as a warrant officer or enlisted member and entitles the member to a higher rate of pay than other lieutenants. If selected, the warrant officer will be promoted to lieutenant (O-3E). Chief warrant officers may also compete for the Chief Warrant Officer to Lieutenant Program. The ranks of warrant officer (WO1) and chief warrant officer five (CWO5) are not currently used in the Coast Guard.

Over time, chief warrant officers may be promoted to CWO3 and CWO4. Successful candidates are chosen by a board and then commissioned as chief warrant officers (CWO2) in one of twenty-one specialties. Highly qualified enlisted personnel in pay grades E-6 through E-9 with a minimum of eight years experience can compete each year for appointment as warrant officers (WO).
