The Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development activated the Air Force's Warrant Officer Training School in a ceremony on Maxwell Air Force Base, June 28.
The U.S. Air Force dissolved its Warrant Officer Corps in 1958 following the creation of the senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant ranks, who assumed the duties previously filled by warrant officers. These SNCOs took on specific technical duties but were never relieved of their institutional requirements.
The new Warrant Officer Corps career path aims to address critical operational needs while maintaining highly perishable skills and leveraging the deep expertise and technical capabilities of warrant officers. The newest addition to the Air Force's professional warfighters will serve as a corps of technical integrators and credible advisors, leading teams in our joint force who execute critical missions across our national security enterprise.
Within the Holm Center, WOTS will train warrant officers on the foundational principles which complement their technical prowess and enable them to successfully perform their role in an era of Great Power Competition.
"The reintroduction of warrant officers to the Air Force is another example of the force adapting personnel policies to best compete in emerging security landscapes." said Brig. Gen. Houston R. Cantwell, Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development commander. "The warrant officer will serve on the virtual frontlines, allowing us to stay ahead of rapidly advancing threats while safeguarding national security interests in both the information technology and cyber career fields."
The decision to introduce two cyber and information technology focused warrant officer AFSCs, signified a pivotal moment for the Air Force, representing a strategic shift towards bolstering technical proficiency and operational effectiveness. These technical experts will remain actively engaged in and abreast of advancements in their career field to remain at the forefront of change.
As part of the WOTS program, trainees will be introduced to service expectations through program learning outcomes which include physical training, team-building and academics related to leadership and communication skills necessary for those serving in the warrant officer corps. The curriculum will concentrate on the five Warrant Officer Foundational Principles; communicate, advise, influence, innovate and integrate.
"We are in the business of producing Airmen," said Maj. Nathaniel Roesler, WOTS commandant. "These specialists come to us with technical expertise, and our mission is to develop them to be better warfighters, advisors, and integrators, ready to fly, fight and win during Great Power Competition. We will answer that call."
The inaugural class, comprised of approximately 30 candidates, will train active-duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard personnel across an eight-week course located at Maxwell AFB. They are scheduled to start training in October 2024 and graduate in December 2024, where they will earn the designation of warrant officer during a WOTS graduation ceremony. The first class of WOTS graduates are scheduled to report to their duty locations no later than January 2025. The second WOTS class, also comprised of approximately 30 candidates, is scheduled for early 2025.
Upon graduation from WOTS, the newly minted warrant officers will be assigned to a range of Air Force units supporting both Air Force and joint force operational requirements. Their assignments will align with operational requirements and member preferences to optimize mission effectiveness and enhance technical readiness. Additional WOTS classes will be announced annually through Air Force's Personnel Center's Personnel Services Delivery Memorandum system.
