Warrant Officer questions

[Stuffs]

I know this is a high aspiration question, and I'm a long way away from reaching this level but I have a few questions on the subject. I know this section is more for boot camp advice and stuff for poolees, but I already know and memorized most of the stuff I need to know. And I want to start stuff I need to know after boot camp.

I am aspiring to become a warrant officer in my job (hopefully a small arms technician) I want to go through the tech-route(I want to work my job, not watch others),I know you have to be enlisted for 8 years and then you apply and the decision is made by a board of current Warrant Officers..from what I understand from my research..

I intend to put forth every effort into mastering my job, my aspiration is to be one of the best in my specialization, even if it isn't small arms, although I really hope I get the job.

These are my questions.

1. Do you need college experience to get into the 8-year tech job?

2. I am prepared to get as high degree as possible through online courses or through night classes at a college near my base if possible, What classes would help me get noticed by the board(I don't want to take useless history or other classes that won't help in my specialization) , and are there advanced classes provided by the Marines in my job that I can decide to take after my basic MOS school.
- If college would help that is something I'd like to start as soon as I get on a base or as soon as possible, rather than waiting a year before I apply for a WO-1 position.

3. Are there other things I can do to help get noticed?

4. As the tech-based Warrant Officer, would I have the ability to do my job, or would I have to teach others/supervise? I enjoy positions of authority but one thing I look forward to is working my trade, rather than doing paperwork at a desk. I wanted to join as an Enlisted to work, and not to supervise.

I know there are only between 2-300 WO-1 positions in the Marine Corps, and I assume it's very competitive, I am prepared to compete my entire career, which is why I want all the advice I can get before I get through boot camp, so I can start as early as possible.

Are there any other things I can do to help get noticed? I don't want to glide through, I want to work hard and stand out.

I know this is a bit of a lot to read, and I look forward to any advice I get, because I can't find the answers to these questions in my research. Also, if this should be in another section please tell me so I can repost it.

Thanks in advance to anyone and especially any Marine that answers any of my questions, or gives me any advice related or unrelated to the subject.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Thread moved to correct forum.

[sparkie]

Moved and buried, I hope. In my life WO took at least 20.

[Omegaham]

Moved and buried, I hope. In my life WO took at least 20.

My CWO4 has been in for around twenty years. He became a WO as a staff sergeant. He's an excellent Marine, but I don't think that he was a water-walker.

Maybe you're only thinking of infantry warrant officers?

[DJ860420]

1. No you do not need college experience.
2. Everything I have heard and read said that most boards don't like college experience until you are PME complete as much as you can be. I'm not saying don't take college, but make sure you do the Marine courses first like MCI's and Cpl/Sgt course.
3. High PFT/CFT, all training high, and something that is a big boost is when you do get fitreps ask the RS/RO to put down if they think you would be a good WO.
4. As a tech based WO you will be in charge of a shop. You will be blocked from your technicians by the SNCOs most likely. Your job is to make sure the mission is getting accomplished and brief the higher ups. You will learn to love orders and references because you will live in them writing policy letters.

If you want to continue to get dirty and work in the trade I would recommend the MSgt/MGySgt route. Even if things are wrong as a WO you would get on the SNCOIC who would get on to the GySgt and so on down the chain.

One final note is yes you can apply at 8 years, but be prepared to get turned down. You will be a relatively new Sgt, and the board will have a hard decision to make a young Sgt suddenly in charge of a shop. Most get selected as senior SSgts and GySgts. But you should apply and keep applying to show that you really want it even if turned down.

[Nedward]

To correct the above, In a technical field, how fast you pick up WO will depend entirely on your expertise in your field, and how **** hot you are.

I have seen a 6 year staff sergeant pick WO well before 8 years. Then again, he was a sellar marine and technician.

[Ice Man]

To correct the above, In a technical field, how fast you pick up WO will depend entirely on your expertise in your field, and how **** hot you are.

I have seen a 6 year staff sergeant pick WO well before 8 years. Then again, he was a sellar marine and technician.

That's interesting considering the policy set forth by the Secretery of the Navy states that you have to have no less than eight and no more than sixteen years (SECNAVINST 1412.9b). Maybe the Majors and LDO's on that particular board weren't paying attention.

[Tennessee Top]

I applied to the WO program three times and obviously never was selected. There are several Marines who worked for me who are now CWO's; one of them is a career recruiting officer. One of my friends was selected to the MECEP program and made it all the way to major before retiring.

Besides the basic application where you outiline your qualifications for the MOS you're applying for, your chain of command also has to add their endorsements to your package. Let's say there are nine other applicants in your battalion for that particular fiscal years board. Your company commander will put his endorsement (endorsed with enthusiasm, confidence, etc.), and then the battalion commander may rank all ten applicants in his endorsement. If you are not the #1 ranked applicant for that battalion then the endorsements from the regimental and division commanders will not be very strong (the bottom five will not be strong at all). It's even possible the Commanding General's endorsement may rank all the applicants from his division. This gives you a small idea of why the WO boards are so competitive. WO's are considered the technical experts in their field and you may be competing against a GySgt who has been leading his shop for years. He probably knows just as much, or maybe even more, than the WO he works for. Now, if he doesn't look good in his uniform, his chances of selection diminish (an official photo to see your military appearance is part of your application...if you don't look good in your uniform don't waste your time).

[Stuffs]

Thank you to all the Marines giving me advice on this. Just to be clear I'm not expecting to make it as a WO-1 at my 8year mark, I'm just trying to get some advice early on what would help me as that is my goal and I'm willing to work as hard as possible to obtain it.

Thanks again for any advice, as these are the answers I couldn't find in my research.

[sparkie]

I don't like WOs. In my last 4 months one o my guys got taken behind and beat to shet by a WO. Yea, I made meritorious Sgt, but in my protest on this WO, I got busted. Cpl shows on my DD214. That SOB got away with it. I claim Sgt 'cause I earned it. That fkr earned a court, but he never got it.

[Omegaham]

I don't like WOs. In my last 4 months one o my guys got taken behind and beat to shet by a WO. Yea, I made meritorious Sgt, but in my protest on this WO, I got busted. Cpl shows on my DD214. That SOB got away with it. I claim Sgt 'cause I earned it. That fkr earned a court, but he never got it.

Did he just not like you or something? If I got meritoriously promoted, I wouldn't be surprised if my CWO had something to do with it. I can't imagine an officer actually stabbing a subordinate in the back like that.

[sparkie]

My fight was with the XO. He would NOT bring up charges. I persisted and lost.

[Stuffs]

I don't like WOs. In my last 4 months one o my guys got taken behind and beat to shet by a WO. Yea, I made meritorious Sgt, but in my protest on this WO, I got busted. Cpl shows on my DD214. That SOB got away with it. I claim Sgt 'cause I earned it. That fkr earned a court, but he never got it.

That sucks. Sometimes the system isn't fair. But I'm not really for judging a group based on the actions of one. The XO probably denied it just to avoid paperwork and press. Disappointing in my opinion. I intend to treat my subordinates just as well as my seniors, regardless of my rank.

That guy has to live with that fact that that's how he went about his career, that to me is just as bad if not worse than punishment.