US Warrant Officers

[dartford]

There's been a lot of hot air spouted about the status of Warrant Officers in the US Armed Forces on various military websites.

Can someone confirm whether the Royal Navy regards US WOs as Officers or Senior Rates.

[Dogwatch]

Dartford, dont know what your bonefides are given the small number of posts you have made on MF, but this is very similar to a thread which is running on the pprune (professional pilots rumor network, military aircrew section), which I log into regularly.

If this is intended as a bite? then before anybody answers, have a look at the thread.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread ... did=189612

[dartford]

No it's not - straightforward question. This is one of the threads I saw, but no conclusive answers!

[GD]

Straighforward answer is - you treat them just the same as British Warrant officers unless Part 1 Orders say different. Same goes for all other ranks. Doesn't matter if they're senior or junior, you treat them the same as the British rank unless it is officially decreed otherwise.

Beats me why the 'Mericans have kept the rank. It is very British.

and no - you don't salute them. You call them 'sir' but then again in the guards you call a sergeant sir.

[Hostage_Negotiator]

US warrant officers are Nato OR9 equiv.
This equates them to WO1 (Army) or WO (RAF) hence no compliments!!!!
Comp[liments are paid to OF! and above only!!!!!!!!
However saying that at Skopje we had an OF9 who was a Spaniel/Collie cross !!!!

[GD]

Doesn't matter what their grade is. Same thing applies across the board. You treat all ranks from foreign forces the way you have been taught to treat the same or equivalent rank in your own. Until your own Part 1 Orders say different.

Same goes in reverse. If foreign servicemen fail to pay compliments they should not be chastised. Their commanders are to be sought out and the rank explained to them.

[Sticky Blue]

I met a US CWO something who told me she was the same as my Colonel
"So you are a half Colonel, what does that make your Colonels then?"
"No, I'm a CWO"
"So you are not the same as my Colonel?"
"Yes but not in a rank way"
"What way then?"
"I don't know but I am the same"

I was confused and didn't salute her either, wound her up a treat when I called her by her christian name
"Only my husband calls me that name you can call me ma'am"
"So, does that mean we are not dating then?"

I get the feeling she didn't like me when she only invited the other two I was traveling with round to her house for dinner. I stayed in the hotel, got hammered at the cocktail party and cannot say anymore for fear of incriminating myself I had a better time than them and didn't have to put up with her nagging, I get that at home for free!

[GD]

I remember asking a US general if they called all their colonels Joe. He told me they did. I then asked what their privates were called.

"BALLS SON" He said.

[Hostage_Negotiator]

CWO = RSM
Command Warrant Officer which equates to roughly a SAC A/Cpl in the RAF!!!!!!!!!

[GD]

I thought it meant 'Chief'. Still wouldn't 'warrant' a salute

[dartford]

I met a US CWO something who told me she was the same as my Colonel
"So you are a half Colonel, what does that make your Colonels then?"
"No, I'm a CWO"
"So you are not the same as my Colonel?"
"Yes but not in a rank way"
"What way then?"
"I don't know but I am the same"

I was confused and didn't salute her either, wound her up a treat when I called her by her christian name
"Only my husband calls me that name you can call me ma'am"


"So, does that mean we are not dating then?"

I get the feeling she didn't like me when she only invited the other two I was traveling with round to her house for dinner. I stayed in the hotel, got hammered at the cocktail party and cannot say anymore for fear of incriminating myself I had a better time than them and didn't have to put up with her nagging, I get that at home for free!

Great story!!!

Apparently their NATO codes are WO1 to WO5, neither 'OF' nor 'OR' - no wonder people get confused!

[hammockhead]

US warrant officers are like pre-1949 RN warrant officers, who had wardroom privileges and were saluted. However, as we only have army-style warrant officers now, i.e. the old Fleet Chief Petty Officers, who are not saluted, it is unclear what current RN practice would be as regards US warrant officers.

IIRC Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy defines an officer as Officer Cadet (or Midshipman?) and above. Given that the old Commissioned Warrant Officers are now Sub-Lieutenants (until 1983 Sub-Lieutenants (Special Duties)), their US equivalents should also be considered officers. US non-commissioned warrant officers should _probably_ also be treated similarly, as pre-1949 RN warrant officers outranked midshipmen.

All this is conjecture, as there is no reference to old-style warrant officers in QRRN. Probably best to write to the naval attache at the British Embassy in Washington DC, who will be more used to this sort of thing. It is worth noting that in the RN all warrant officers, commissioned or otherwise, ranked below Lieutenants RN, so there is no question of the nonsense about "being equivalent to a colonel".

[harry hackedoff]

Phew, what a relief, mickhead Welcome aboard by the way, you`re just what this site needs. Another bleeding Matelot

Elmer has always looked upon our Corps as his older, smarter, cuzz. He isn’t averse to proffing the bits he likes, mind.
Woolly pully for instance , and Blues, or Lovats or the RM Sniper Course. And the rank of Corporal (which was unknown to him.) Best thing he proffed was the rank of Sarnt Major. Again it was unknown to him and both ranks are fairly recent introductions. Prior to this he had various grades of Sgt,( which seemed to be everybody who wasn`t either an Officer or a PFC, private first class= biff just out of Paris )
I like Elmer, he’s got some bloody good guys in his Corps. In recent years he’s been hitting the UC dojos to the max. After they finally binned the "Elmer don’t do FIBUA" myth, in Fallujah, they’ve been cracking on with hand to hand like it was going out of style. Steady on, El, you might hurt yerself son.
It`s not all one way of course. The Gravs who are living through Cdo 21 changes are making strongest case to be supplied with sidearms in quick release rigs a la Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children. Preferred weapon of choice is the Sigg Sauer.
Would I salute an Officer wearing an American uniform?

Fark orff, why would I be wearing an American uniform