Posted on Sep 12, 2020
How do officers address warrant officers in the Army?
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I recently joined the state guard where I live as a 2LT. We use the army rank structure. I was wondering how I would address a WO1; WO2 thru WO5 I just call chief.
Posted in these groups: 
WO1
Warrant Officers
WO1 Warrant Officers
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 19
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If you outrank me, I prefer you just call me "Keith". If you don't know my first name, then I prefer Mr. Dolliver. I personally cringe every time I hear "Chief" and I'm annoyed that the Army changed it to be an official title of address.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
CW4 Keith Dolliver - No problem, I understand, actually Mister or Ms is the proper address for any Warrant Officer or Chief Warrant officer in any verbal communication or greeting . The use of the word Chief as a greeting has no official sanction or requirement for a verbal greeting of a Warrant Officer of any rank, W1 to W5.
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CW4 Keith Dolliver
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter - Partially correct... that was the case until July. The Army just revised it's Command Policy and now Chief in addition to Mr./Ms. is an official Title of Address for W2-W5. It's my own little pet peeve I suppose because Chief has always been a colloquial term, like "Top" or "First Shirt". I have no problem with those that prefer it (mostly Tech warrants, not aviators), but it should stay a colloquialism.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
CW4 Keith Dolliver - Yes, and it seems the term ended up being a change. I actually had worked for an Air Force CWO ,(W4) in My earlier USAF days when there were still Warrant officers in the USAF. Before My USAF service a had been a Cadet in a Military Academy, Bordentown Military Institute, Bordentown, NJ where the training program was U.S. Army ROTC . We were taught the ranks and addresses of each service. We did have one CWO on the school Staff whom We did address as Mister. We had an active duty Army staff there to train us of both Officer's and NCO's.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
I got to ask, why? As a ground tech in the motor pool "Chief" is always referred to with reverence.
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Ask them how they would prefer to be addressed, then do that.
My first fleet assignment the PersO was a CWO-2, and kind of a grumpy hate Lieutenants kind of guy. When I was checking in to the battalion, I asked him how I should address him, he smiled and said "I don't care..., you can call me $#!*head 2ndLts don't belong in my admin section, now get out of my office, sir."
He showed up at happy hour at the O-club that weekend. I approached him and quietly asked "Hey $#!*head, can I buy you a beer?" He looked pissed and stared for about 10 seconds, then said "F^%@#!*% Butter bar, you and I are going to be good friends. You can call me Chief MacLemore. I drink scotch."
For the rest of my tour, in private he was "$#!*head", and "I was F^%@#!*% Butter bar."
My first fleet assignment the PersO was a CWO-2, and kind of a grumpy hate Lieutenants kind of guy. When I was checking in to the battalion, I asked him how I should address him, he smiled and said "I don't care..., you can call me $#!*head 2ndLts don't belong in my admin section, now get out of my office, sir."
He showed up at happy hour at the O-club that weekend. I approached him and quietly asked "Hey $#!*head, can I buy you a beer?" He looked pissed and stared for about 10 seconds, then said "F^%@#!*% Butter bar, you and I are going to be good friends. You can call me Chief MacLemore. I drink scotch."
For the rest of my tour, in private he was "$#!*head", and "I was F^%@#!*% Butter bar."
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I've been called Sir, Chief and Mr. Robinson by a few. It doesn't really matter to me as long as its kept professional.
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