Warrant Officers

[biomed441]

With the USAF Re-introducing Warrant officers, I'm curious how this might apply to CAPs rank structure and or if it should at all?   It looks like the new USAF Warrant Officers are only for specific career fields (IT and cyber operations) so application is already limited in scope here, so I don't particularly see application for CAP. I'd venture to say most CAP IT officers would rather progress through the traditional PD Program and officer grades, though theoretically could be offered a warrant path instead since there are 5 levels for warrants to progress in.   

Or, for those members who are AF Warrant officers and also members of CAP, which if I recall a few of the first graduates of the new warrant program are CAP members.  Would CAP Match their grade or require they progress through the CAP Officer program instead. 

Random thoughts. No real opinion either way and can see more reasons to NOT bring back warrant officers than for it, but who knows.

[CAP9907]

Another solution searching for a problem, just like the NCO program. Our rank structure is already warped with random Col's and way too many Lt Col's running around with no command responsibilities. Just no.

[Slim]

Or, for those members who are AF Warrant officers and also members of CAP, which if I recall a few of the first graduates of the new warrant program are CAP members.  Would CAP Match their grade or require they progress through the CAP Officer program instead. 

One of those new WOs is a member of my wing, is currently a CAP SMSgt, our wing NCO advisor and IT director.  Unless/until CAP brings back warrant grades, he has no intention of changing that status.

I could see an instance where WOs might come back into CAP and be useful, but that is highly unlikely to happen, and I'm not really a proponent of it.  Just a passing thought I had while discussing some CP related items with a few others (sitting around trying to solve all of CAP's problems).

Otherwise, since we're all expected to be technical experts in one or more areas, with increasing levels of education, training and responsibilities, I really don't see much of a need for WOs in CAP.

[SarDragon]

As far as I'm concerned, warrant officers in CAP can stay gone. I was one many moons ago, and there wasn't much functional difference from regular officers. It wasn't even a 21 and under thing. When I joined, I knew a couple of WOs in their 40s.

[MHC5096]

Our version of Warrant Officers already exist...FO, TFO, and SFO. Those grades are reserved for senior members under the age of 21. As it is, a good portion of our membership doesn't even know what they are. I remember attending a Vermont Wing SLS back in the early 90s as a 20 year old Senior Flight Officer. I kept being told I was in the wrong classroom and that the Cadet Advisory Council meeting was down the hall. Current and former military Warrant Officers can already receive an equivalent regular officer grade. No reason to make things more complex than they already are.

[PHall]

Well if you want to bring Warrant Officers back to CAP you'll have to convince the Air Force it's a good idea since the Air Force controls the officer grades in CAP.

CAPR 35-5, 22 Nov 2016, Para 1.5.10.  Changes to CAP Grade Structure.  The Air Force has authority over the CAP grade structure. Requests for changes to the CAP General Officer Grade Structure must be approved by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Requests for changes to the CAP Grade Structure for Colonels and below will be approved by the CAP-USAF/CC.