From Oklahoma Frontline, March 2009, page 10, 'Warrant Officers: Way Ahead':

'A new CW5 rank insignia is being considered for approval this year; the current Chief Warrant Officer 5 rank (coin slot) could be replaced by a silver eagle rising. The change will require DOD approval. The addition of a limited number of CW6 billets is being discussed at DA Level; if it comes to pass, how many and where they will serve is part of the issue.'

http://www.ok.ngb.army.mil/pdf/Frontline.pdf

If they change the grade insignia for CW5, I will ensure that I am never promoted that high. I saw the discussions about this on other, more official channels, and all of the proposals were simply just gaudy. I think it would be an atrocity to replace the simple and cohesive design of the bar with the rising eagle. O-6 wannabe comes to mind.

But these are just my thoughts.

Likely to cause confusion with an O6 at a distance. And what insignia would be used for the new CW6?

You know that one Army motto. If it isn't broke, keep fixing it until it is. That seems to ring true here. Who is behind all these insignia changes?

Sergeant Major, of course.

Likely to cause confusion with an 06 at a distance? And what are we confused with now? A 2LT!
Anyone who would not accept a CW5 promotion because they think the rank looks gaudy, should certainly not be promoted.
I don't mind the current coin slot, but I don't care if we use the rising eagle.
No CW5 I know is an 06 wanna-be. CW5 is the best rank in the military, and frankly we get more respect than most 06s.
I am in favor of a Command Chief CW6 rank for CCWOs and other command and representative positions.

W6 and the insignia change is a joke.

There are a team of people with nothing better to do thinking this crap up. Probably self serving top of the W-rank pyramid who have been hiding out at Rucker thoughout GWOT.

Maybe more time should be spent fixing the abortion that is the Advance Course. (or should I say the CPT's Armor course rebadged on the handout covers to read Warrant.)

I saw the new W5 rank and W6 whatif's survey last year sometime and was just as dumbfounded then as I am now over the whole thing.

Quite possibly the same team of people that had the Rucker gate guards parroting, "Support and defend!"
Glad someone fixed that...

That was for the senior aviators' leader conference. You know....the proverbial canine - equine show. I asked the guy during a random gate search one night. He agreed it was uber-gay.

Regarding the rank addition / change:

What is a W-6 going to do that a 5 can't, work at a division level doing ALO stuff and advisory stuff? Oh wait, 2's and 3's already do that.

This is the good idea fairy after a thunder- run in Seoul. Someone should tell that f*&^%er to shut their mouths and stay in their lane. We have done without it for this long, and I agree with az max: the system isn't broke, so lets not attempt to fix it until it is.

This won't happen anytime soon as any changes will have to be agreed with the Navy and Marines.

Look at the 2002 proposal to Commission WO1s - still being proposed!

a. How do you confuse a silver bar with dots or coin slot for a gold bar?

b. Any new rank insignia design must be vetted with TIOH and approved by the Army Chief of Staff. In 1970, a rank insignia for W-6 was designed and approved, and there is no way that design can be confused with a 1LT (or a 2LT, for that matter).

c. I don't need a coin slot to retire, so making the coin slot never really appealed to me in the first place.

d. Some ranks are too far from the tip of the spear to be worth pursuing.