Posted on Oct 13, 2014
Should the Army (or the other services) revise the W-1 through W-4 rank insignia to be in line with the other military services?
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In 1954 the Army approved the attached Warrant Officer rank insignia as a revision from the previously authorized insignia because all the military services concurred in the design and this insignia served as the Warrant Officer insignia from 1956 through 1972 when the insignia was redesigned to the current Army Warrant Officer insignia we know today.
In 2004 the Army revised the CW5 rank insignia from the previously authorized Master Warrant Officer insignia to the current W-5 we know today due to "the increasingly joint nature of operations with the Department of Defense and the expanded use of the most senior warrant officers in joint operations". As of today the Army's W-1 through W-4 rank insignia are the only military officer insignia that is not uniform among officer insignia across the services.
Should the Army revise the W-1 through W-4 insignia to be in line with that of the other services, similar to the 1956 authorized insignia? Should the other services revise their W-1 through W-4 insignia to mirror the "dot" system that we use?
http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15751&CategoryId=9186&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services
In 2004 the Army revised the CW5 rank insignia from the previously authorized Master Warrant Officer insignia to the current W-5 we know today due to "the increasingly joint nature of operations with the Department of Defense and the expanded use of the most senior warrant officers in joint operations". As of today the Army's W-1 through W-4 rank insignia are the only military officer insignia that is not uniform among officer insignia across the services.
Should the Army revise the W-1 through W-4 insignia to be in line with that of the other services, similar to the 1956 authorized insignia? Should the other services revise their W-1 through W-4 insignia to mirror the "dot" system that we use?
http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15751&CategoryId=9186&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services
Warrant Officers
Officer
Rank
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 19
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I think the Army should keep its current insignia. "They" took away our Eagle Rising insignia; that was enough.
I think the Army's W-1 through W-5 insignia are simple, straightforward, and - dare I say - elegant. If the other services want to change their insignia (which I doubt), that would be fine by me. :-)
I think the Army's W-1 through W-5 insignia are simple, straightforward, and - dare I say - elegant. If the other services want to change their insignia (which I doubt), that would be fine by me. :-)
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The Army gets it right with the KISS approach to WO rank insignia. As an Army veteran, and now working as an Army civilian contractor, I do come in contact with Army Warrant Officers, so I can immediately identify who is a WO1 or a CW3.
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John H Green Jr
I have never been able to figure out why the other services use the combination they use. I agree with others here. The Army uses a simple straight forward approach. Subdued insignia of other services is a bit hard to figure out at a glance. I always thought CW5 should have 5 thin dots instead of the single vertical bar.
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I like them the way they are, the Army's and everyone else's, why would we make them all the same?
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CW4 Keith Dolliver
I agree, I like them as well. I guess my main point is they are the only officer ranks in the military that aren't uniform across the services.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
Except for O-3. Navy and Jarheads have the bar across bottom and top and Army and Air Force have the bar above the bottom and below the top.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
The little bars that connect the Big bars are at he ends for the Navy and a small bit from the end for the Army and AF.
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