Can someone tell me why US navy rates are commissioned as Chief Warrant Officer Grade Two. What happened to the WO1 grade in the Navy?


And on an unrelated issue,when Warrant Officers from other navies such as the British Royal Navy serve with the US Navy are they treated as Officers or Senior Rates (i.e. Chief Petty Officers?

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And on an unrelated issue,when Warrant Officers from other navies such as the British Royal Navy serve with the US Navy are they treated as Officers or Senior Rates (i.e. Chief Petty Officers?

In the British Navy, Warrant Officer is simply name of the highest enlisted rate, which would make them Geneva Cat II. At best, they would be equivalent our Master Chief (though it's really difficult to compare our enlisted paygrades, because the British Navy only has six).

Thought I haven't actually seen how foreign WO's are treated, I would guess that the Geneva Category would dictate it.

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In the British Navy, Warrant Officer is simply name of the highest enlisted rate, which would make them Geneva Cat II. At best, they would be equivalent our Master Chief (though it's really difficult to compare our enlisted paygrades, because the British Navy only has six.

You're right. Royal Navy WO1s correpond to a Master Chief:

The Royal Navy enlisted rates are:

E2 - Able Rate
E4 - Leading Rate
E6 - Petty Officer
E7 - Chief Petty Officer
E8 - Warrant Officer Class 2
E9 - Warrant Officer Class 1

No clue on the British Warrant officers but while serving in Korea met some of their Warant officers(only one rank just WO) and boy people rally wanted their words of expertise. But then again their Master Chiefs would set a new recruit popping tall quicker than anything ive seen.

MA2

In the early 1960's W-1 was a temporary rank and the holder could be reduced back to Chief. As a W-2 the person was a commissioned the promotion was permanent. This was decided as a way of getting people to advance above Chief as an expert in their field. The other option was the LDO program.

I believe that the British still salute their Warrants, out of historical reasons.
When we created the "super-enlisted" we kept warrants. The Air Force decided that E-8's and E-9's could take care of it and eliminated them.

The Brits, as part of NATO, probably had to synch up for treaty purposes, but that doesn't mean they adjusted warrants pay, privileges, or salutes.

I always thought that the Senior and Master Chiefs were to replace the Warrants but that never came about. Westpac Willie

This message has been edited. Last edited by: WestpacWillie,

Up through WW II the USN had WO & CWO.. no numbers.. a WO wore a gold specialty device on each collar and a CWO wore a silver device on each collar..

Sometime after WW II USN & USMC went to the four (three & one) numbered grades.

The WO/CWO grades were discontinued for a short period in the late 50s/early 60s with the introduction of the (as they were called then) Super Chief grades but were re-instated shortly.

Since the re-introduction in the 60s the only USN WOs that I know of were a few Nurses (in a short lived program) in the early 90s.

I believe that all of the old (pre numbers0 WOs are retired as WO-1s on the Retired List..

U.S. Naval Register
Select Retired and ALL CWOs and then sort on grade to view thw WO-1s.. note their retirement dates and date of rank..

And to throw a bit more into the mix about Warrant Officers.

The Military Compensation Act of 1947 created the pay grade system you use today, E-1 to E-9, W-1 to W-5, and those other people. The Warrant went from Warrant Officer W-1, to Chief Warrant Officer w -2 thru W-4. They were not "ranks" but pay grade designations. It was a matter of time in grade from W-1 to W-2 etc etc. But, it was still just, Warrant Officer or Chief Warrant Officer

The Warrant Officer Act of 1954 created the "ranks" of W-1 thru W-4, and the different collar/sleeve stripe insignia you see today. From a Coast Guard point, you'd be permanently appointed a W-1 and on that same day be temporarily appointed Chief Warrant Officer W-2. Three years in grade a permanent W-2. Four years in grade a Temp W-3. So on and so on. The Warrant Officer appointment scroll to W-1 was the time when you were designated by specialty, Boatswain, Machinist, Gunner, etc etc. After that the promotion was generically to Chief Warrant Officer W-2.

The pay grade E-8 & E-9 were created with the thought of eliminating the Warrant Officer, and the Air Force did eliminate them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mastersmate,

I should clear up that "generic" a bit. You still have and wear your warrant specialty, but the paperwork just identifies you as Chief Warrant Officer. Only the first "Warrant" appointment paper designated your specialty.

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The first Navy selection to E8/9 was held in 1960. E7's were promoted to both E8 and E9 at that time.

The pay grades of E-8 and E-9, Senior Chief and Master Chief, were created effective June 1, 1958, under a 1958 Amendment to the Career Compensation Act of 1949.
Eligibility for promotion to E-8, the Senior Chief level, was restricted to Chiefs (Permanent Appointment) with a minimum of four years in grade and a total of ten years of service. For elevation from E- 7 to Master Chief, E-9, a minimum of six years service as a Chief Petty Officer with a total of 13 years service was required.

Service-wide examinations for outstanding Chiefs were held on August 5, 1958, with the first promotions becoming effective on November 16, 1958. A few months later, a second group of Chiefs from the February 1959 examinations were elevated to E-8 and E-9 effective on May 16, 1959. The names of the first two groups of selectees are listed in Bureau of Naval Personnel Notices 1430 of October 17, 1958, and May 20, 1959.

Ranks of officers & sailors of the Royal Australian Navy

The ranks of officers (other than chaplains), in descending order of seniority, are:

(a) Admiral of the Fleet;
(b) Admiral;
(c) Vice-Admiral;
(d) Rear-Admiral;
(e) Commodore;
(f) Captain;
(g) Commander;
(h) Lieutenant-Commander;
(i) Lieutenant;
(j) Sub-Lieutenant;
(k) Acting Sub-Lieutenant;
(l) Midshipman.

The ranks of sailors, in descending order of seniority, are:

(a) Warrant Officer;
(b) Chief Petty Officer;
(c) Petty Officer;
(d) Leading Seaman;
(e) Able Seaman;
(f) Seaman;
(g) Recruit and Apprentice, which have the same seniority.

The ranks for Naval Police, in descending order of seniority, are:

Ranks for Naval Police Ranks
(a) Chief Superintendent - Captain
(b) Superintendent - Commander
(c) Chief Inspector - Lieutenant-Commander
(d) Inspector - Lieutenant
(e) Sub-Inspector - Sub-Lieutenant
(f) Warrant Officer - Warrant Officer
(g) Sergeant - Chief Petty Officer
(h) Senior Constable - Petty Officer
(i) Constable - Leading Seaman
(j) Recruit Constable - Able Seaman

Comparative List of
Military and Naval Ranks

British Army - Royal Navy
Field Marshal - Admiral of the Fleet
General - Admiral
Lieutenant-General - Vice Admiral
Major-General - Rear Admiral
Brigadier - Commodore
Colonel - Captain
Lieutenant-Colonel - Commander
Major - Lieutenant Commander
Captain - Lieutenant
Lieutenant - Sub-Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant - Midshipman

ALL
After retiring in 75, I lost track of the WO status in USN. Understand that today, the WOs are in P cola, flying Helos. Also, there are fewer WOs than in the 80s and 90s, in that the community is smaller. Also the WOs now have a higher Graduate Degree percentage than before.
The specialty experience and education seem to be the assignment criteria for the WOs now.
Comments.?
end
LKA

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Originally posted by Brandolf:
I believe that the British still salute their Warrants, out of historical reasons.

No they don't. Brit Warrants are E8s and E9s.

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Originally posted by Chief_Two:
Can someone tell me why US navy rates are commissioned as Chief Warrant Officer Grade Two.

If I may be a bit nitpicky, but "rates" cannot be "commissioned" as warrants.

A commissioned officer receives a commission (official document signed by the President).

A warrant receives a warrant (document issued by the Department of the Navy), as I recalled.

A warrant cannot be "commissioned," but they are considered officers.

Historically warrants were issued to persons with exceptional technical knowledge. Commissioned officers are selected for their broad general knowledge.

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Originally posted by Limpet6:

quote:

Originally posted by Chief_Two:
Can someone tell me why US navy rates are commissioned as Chief Warrant Officer Grade Two.

If I may be a bit nitpicky, but "rates" cannot be "commissioned" as warrants.

A commissioned officer receives a commission (official document signed by the President).

A warrant receives a warrant (document issued by the Department of the Navy), as I recalled.

A warrant cannot be "commissioned," but they are considered officers.

Historically warrants were issued to persons with exceptional technical knowledge. Commissioned officers are selected for their broad general knowledge.

Warrant Officer 1s are appointed officers but all Chief Warrant Officers are commissioned officers.

The only WO1 I ever saw was the E division officer on the USS LaSalle in 1975. He wore the electrician specialty mark on his collar.

Up into the '70s individuals were first advanced to W1. At that time one could also go to W1 from E6. The Navy decided that thre was a conflict with the LDO program which also selected from the same pool. It was decided that it would be better to have Warrants who started out with more time and experience under their belts. From that point the requirement became E7 with at least 12 years in. As a compensation for their late entry to the Warrant ranks, they were/are promoted to CWO2 from the beginning and use of W1 was discontinued. An exception was the Physicians assistant program started up in the mid '70's which promoted individuals from lesser ranks than E7 to W1. Of course that has been changed and PA's are no longer warrants but instead are promoted to the "O" ranks from the start.