Posted on Nov 18, 2013
Should the Air Force bring back the "Buck Sergeant" and/or CWO?
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With the draw-down creeping ever so closely now, leadership will start to retire and will have a limited leadership for the junior enlisted. Unless there will be some kind of way to balance the chain-of -command, would a buck sergeant be a way out of this issue and/or a Chief Warrent Officer?
Posted in these groups: 
Air Force
Air Force
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 16
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2 cents... from a Green and Blue perspective...<br>US Army retired Chief Warrant Officer (Signal)<br>Prior Service Air Force TSgt and SrA BTZ... <br><br>1. Buck Sergeant<br>- Air Force version of the Corporal. NCO authority<br>- SrA = a Specialist (all work - no leadership role)<br>- Bring it back ... When I made Buck Sergeant I was recognized by Superiors/everyone as a leader.<br><br>2. Warrant Officer<br>- not a day in 8 years did I ever wish I was an NCO again. <br>-
My daily concern was that my Commander was covered all the
Signal/Communications/COMSEC functions of my Ranger Battalion. He never
worried and I didn't let him. I was the Chief Technology Officer of the
unit. I made sure the technical /technologies ran, I worked with Vendor
Management, Contracting and served as the focal point for all technical
discussions with the Base (Post) Communications. <br><br>- Air Force
made a big mistake taking away the set of individuals who daily were
neck deep in the technical aspects the job. The Air Force in the 60's
thought that by creating E8 amd E9 (SMSgt and CMSgt) that they would be
the technical experts on a daily basis. In my interactions in two wars
... in both Army and Joint environments, I was more involved
technically than any Senior NCO of any branch.<br><br>- Commander's came
to me BEFORE any Senior NCO and I was called to see the Task Force
Commander and BN Commander's. Very seldom did they go brief the "Boss"!<br><br>Background:
The Air Force a little discussed population of long term SSgt and
TSgt"s. They do not wish to be managers or leaders. Just technies,
fixing planes, radios, fighting fires and solving crime. The Air Force
carries them to 20 and they punch out. <br>They would be a good it to be
Warrant Officers. They can be techy all day long and not worry about
being promoted to MSgt and ending up as the Mobility NCO, Health and
Welfare NCO or some other lame position that really is a dead-end.<br><br>I liked being in the Air Force... I LOVED being a Warrant Officer.<br><br>Good topic... bring them both back.<br><br>DT<br>Chief Warrant Officer (Retired).. former Air Force Guy! <br>
My daily concern was that my Commander was covered all the
Signal/Communications/COMSEC functions of my Ranger Battalion. He never
worried and I didn't let him. I was the Chief Technology Officer of the
unit. I made sure the technical /technologies ran, I worked with Vendor
Management, Contracting and served as the focal point for all technical
discussions with the Base (Post) Communications. <br><br>- Air Force
made a big mistake taking away the set of individuals who daily were
neck deep in the technical aspects the job. The Air Force in the 60's
thought that by creating E8 amd E9 (SMSgt and CMSgt) that they would be
the technical experts on a daily basis. In my interactions in two wars
... in both Army and Joint environments, I was more involved
technically than any Senior NCO of any branch.<br><br>- Commander's came
to me BEFORE any Senior NCO and I was called to see the Task Force
Commander and BN Commander's. Very seldom did they go brief the "Boss"!<br><br>Background:
The Air Force a little discussed population of long term SSgt and
TSgt"s. They do not wish to be managers or leaders. Just technies,
fixing planes, radios, fighting fires and solving crime. The Air Force
carries them to 20 and they punch out. <br>They would be a good it to be
Warrant Officers. They can be techy all day long and not worry about
being promoted to MSgt and ending up as the Mobility NCO, Health and
Welfare NCO or some other lame position that really is a dead-end.<br><br>I liked being in the Air Force... I LOVED being a Warrant Officer.<br><br>Good topic... bring them both back.<br><br>DT<br>Chief Warrant Officer (Retired).. former Air Force Guy! <br>
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Sgt Fred Beltzer
Eliminate Airman Basic or better yet Sr. Airman, non event anyway. Bring back Buck Sgt. aka Sgt.; three strips traditionally means Sgt. It just makes sense, also provides a much needed recognition.
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TSgt James Potter
I would rather work the flight line in a blizzard than sit in the office and write EPR's
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Only if they give a slight increase in pay. For the increase in responsibility that comes with the monicre.
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I would definitely say bring back Buck Sergeant as it was a great transition period for supervision purposes. Their are no pay differences between a SrA or a Buck Sergeant. The only reason the Air Force got rid of buck sergeant was to save money on the stripes being made.
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