Posted on Mar 24, 2023
In-Service Officer/Warrant Officer Programs
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The United States Army Reserve (USAR) offers several in-service Officer and Warrant Officer accessioning programs that can help Soldiers advance their careers. In this blog post, we'll explore what it means to be a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the USAR, as well as the benefits and requirements of these positions.
Commissioned Officers in the USAR are leaders who are responsible for planning and executing missions, as well as leading and training Soldiers. They are typically college-educated and have completed the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, or Officer Candidate School (OCS), which is a program that provides officer training to prior enlisted Soldiers and civilians with college degrees. Some Officers are commissioned through the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, receive a Direct Commission, or are accessed from other service branches through interservice transfers.
Benefits of Serving as a Commissioned Officer:
● Opportunities for career advancement through promotions and professional development
● Opportunities to lead and mentor Soldiers, and to develop leadership skills that are valuable in civilian careers
● Access to a range of military benefits, including healthcare, education benefits, and retirement benefits
● Opportunities for international travel and exposure to other cultures
● Competitive pay and benefits packages
Requirements to apply for Officer Candidate School:
● Must be between 18 and 40 years old at time of selection panel convening (Waivers Available)
● Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (No Waivers)
● Must have a GT score of 110 or higher (No Waivers)
● Must have as a minimum, an interim secret security clearance at time of application submission (No Waivers)
● Must have a four-year college degree or higher from an accredited institution (No Waivers)
● Must pass the standard 6 event ACFT without any restrictions or alternate events (No Waivers)
● Must meet the retention height/weight standards (No Waivers)
● Must meet medical standards for appointment (Waivers Available)
● Must be of good moral character (Moral Waivers Available)
Warrant Officers in the USAR are highly skilled technical experts who are responsible for providing technical leadership and expertise to Soldiers and units. They are typically enlisted Soldiers who have demonstrated exceptional technical expertise in their field and have been selected to become Warrant Officers.
Benefits of Serving as a Warrant Officer:
● Opportunities for career advancement through promotions and professional development
● Opportunities to lead and mentor Soldiers, and to develop leadership skills that are valuable in civilian careers
● Access to a range of military benefits, including healthcare, education benefits, and retirement benefits
● Opportunities to specialize in a technical field and to become an expert in that field
● Competitive pay and benefits packages
Requirements to apply for Warrant Officer Candidate School:
● Must be between 18 and 46 years old, 18-36 for Aviation Warrant Officers (Waivers Available)
● Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (No Waivers)
● Must have a GT score of 110 or higher (No Waivers)
● Must have as a minimum, an adjudicated secret security clearance at time of application submission (No Waivers)
● Must have a high school diploma or equivalent (No Waivers)
● Must pass the standard 6 event ACFT without any restrictions or alternate events (No Waivers)
● Must meet the retention height/weight standards (No Waivers)
● Must meet medical standards for appointment (Waivers Available)
● Must be of good moral character (Moral Waivers Available)
In conclusion, serving as a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the USAR can be a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. Both positions offer opportunities for career advancement, leadership development, and access to a range of military benefits. Commissioned Officers are responsible for leading and training Soldiers, while Warrant Officers provide technical expertise and leadership. If you are interested in serving as a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the USAR, be sure to review the specific requirements and talk to an Army Reserve Career Counselor about your options.
I want to learn more about becoming an Officer or Warrant Officer: https://rly.pt/41ToC1G
Commissioned Officers in the USAR are leaders who are responsible for planning and executing missions, as well as leading and training Soldiers. They are typically college-educated and have completed the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, or Officer Candidate School (OCS), which is a program that provides officer training to prior enlisted Soldiers and civilians with college degrees. Some Officers are commissioned through the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, receive a Direct Commission, or are accessed from other service branches through interservice transfers.
Benefits of Serving as a Commissioned Officer:
● Opportunities for career advancement through promotions and professional development
● Opportunities to lead and mentor Soldiers, and to develop leadership skills that are valuable in civilian careers
● Access to a range of military benefits, including healthcare, education benefits, and retirement benefits
● Opportunities for international travel and exposure to other cultures
● Competitive pay and benefits packages
Requirements to apply for Officer Candidate School:
● Must be between 18 and 40 years old at time of selection panel convening (Waivers Available)
● Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (No Waivers)
● Must have a GT score of 110 or higher (No Waivers)
● Must have as a minimum, an interim secret security clearance at time of application submission (No Waivers)
● Must have a four-year college degree or higher from an accredited institution (No Waivers)
● Must pass the standard 6 event ACFT without any restrictions or alternate events (No Waivers)
● Must meet the retention height/weight standards (No Waivers)
● Must meet medical standards for appointment (Waivers Available)
● Must be of good moral character (Moral Waivers Available)
Warrant Officers in the USAR are highly skilled technical experts who are responsible for providing technical leadership and expertise to Soldiers and units. They are typically enlisted Soldiers who have demonstrated exceptional technical expertise in their field and have been selected to become Warrant Officers.
Benefits of Serving as a Warrant Officer:
● Opportunities for career advancement through promotions and professional development
● Opportunities to lead and mentor Soldiers, and to develop leadership skills that are valuable in civilian careers
● Access to a range of military benefits, including healthcare, education benefits, and retirement benefits
● Opportunities to specialize in a technical field and to become an expert in that field
● Competitive pay and benefits packages
Requirements to apply for Warrant Officer Candidate School:
● Must be between 18 and 46 years old, 18-36 for Aviation Warrant Officers (Waivers Available)
● Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (No Waivers)
● Must have a GT score of 110 or higher (No Waivers)
● Must have as a minimum, an adjudicated secret security clearance at time of application submission (No Waivers)
● Must have a high school diploma or equivalent (No Waivers)
● Must pass the standard 6 event ACFT without any restrictions or alternate events (No Waivers)
● Must meet the retention height/weight standards (No Waivers)
● Must meet medical standards for appointment (Waivers Available)
● Must be of good moral character (Moral Waivers Available)
In conclusion, serving as a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the USAR can be a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. Both positions offer opportunities for career advancement, leadership development, and access to a range of military benefits. Commissioned Officers are responsible for leading and training Soldiers, while Warrant Officers provide technical expertise and leadership. If you are interested in serving as a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the USAR, be sure to review the specific requirements and talk to an Army Reserve Career Counselor about your options.
I want to learn more about becoming an Officer or Warrant Officer: https://rly.pt/41ToC1G
Posted in these groups: 
Army Reserve Careers Group
Army Reserve Careers Group
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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Thank you everyone for this clarification. I was told, am not sure, that when I pinned on my bars as a WO2, that I was the first in Fort Huachuca to be Commission as the first Army Warrant Officer on the military intelligence field. I haven't been able to verify this but am still researching before announcing it as a real.
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Refresh my memory, I thought Warrant Officer was also commissioned Warrant Officers
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COL (Join to see)
Thanks Chief. You are correct. Warrant Officers and Officers take the same oath and are both commissioned.
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COL (Join to see)
OK….After a bit more research, Warrant Officers take the same oath and W-1s are appointed. However, here’s what I found as well: “Article II, section 3, of the U.S. Constitution provides that the President "shall Commission all the Officers of the United States," including officers of the uniformed services as well as civilian officers. Commissions of officers in the armed services are issued in the name of the President, although authority to sign on the President's behalf is generally exercised by the secretary of the department in which the officer is being commissioned. This includes not only "commissioned officers" but also "commissioned warrant officers" (warrant officers in the pay grades of W-2 through W-5). Warrant officers at the grade of W-1 are appointed by warrant by the secretary of their respective service, except in the Coast Guard where they are appointed by secretarial commission.”
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My experience with Warrant Officers was 22 years in the Aviation branch. The vast majority of my pilots were Warrant Officers (roughly 10 Warrant Officers for every Lieutenant). Warrant Officers held positions of responsibility (Instructor Pilot, Maintenance Test Pilot, etc) and they sometimes held platoon leader positions, but that was very seldom and until a Lieutenant filled that position.
I showed up to my first platoon leader job with less than 500 hrs of flight time, but was in charge and outranked Warrant Officers who had more than 4000 hrs of flight time and 20 yrs of service. Lieutenants outrank CW5s, but there was never any ambiguity in those relationships: the Warrant Officers are the technical experts, and the Lieutenants and Captains are the leaders. It wasn't until I was a Major in an assault battalion that I had surpassed the bulk of Warrant Officers in my battalion in both flight time and aviation unit experience.
Even if both Warrant Officers and Officers are commissioned, in a very practical and real sense it was the Lieutenants and Captains who were held responsible for the leadership, training, and conduct of Warrant Officers, NCOs, and Enlisted in the unit.
I will say, however, that my respect for senior Warrant Officers was such that I sometimes found myself calling them "Sir," especially during check rides (and Warrant Officers flight train and evaluate Lieutenants, Captains, Majors, and higher ranks..... ;)
I showed up to my first platoon leader job with less than 500 hrs of flight time, but was in charge and outranked Warrant Officers who had more than 4000 hrs of flight time and 20 yrs of service. Lieutenants outrank CW5s, but there was never any ambiguity in those relationships: the Warrant Officers are the technical experts, and the Lieutenants and Captains are the leaders. It wasn't until I was a Major in an assault battalion that I had surpassed the bulk of Warrant Officers in my battalion in both flight time and aviation unit experience.
Even if both Warrant Officers and Officers are commissioned, in a very practical and real sense it was the Lieutenants and Captains who were held responsible for the leadership, training, and conduct of Warrant Officers, NCOs, and Enlisted in the unit.
I will say, however, that my respect for senior Warrant Officers was such that I sometimes found myself calling them "Sir," especially during check rides (and Warrant Officers flight train and evaluate Lieutenants, Captains, Majors, and higher ranks..... ;)
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