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 >1 y ago
Responses: 18
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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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Chief. The regulation just changed about a month ago. Chief is now a proper form of address.
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PO3 Chris Wright, MBA
CW2 (Join to see) thank you. When enlisted I was in the Navy and we didn't have WO1.
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I've never seen a soldier get more bent out of shape about being addressed incorrectly or failed to be saluted than a WO1. Miss a salute to a 2LT and chances are it won't go noticed. Miss a salute to a WO1 and holy crap you'd think the Joint Chiefs of Staff just walked by you.
I literally had a FULL COL thank me for saluting him while I was in South Korea. Had that been a WO1, I'm sure he'd say "damn right you little biatch, or correct my hand placement.
I was so glad to make 2LT and not have to deal with WO1's as a subordinate.
WO1 = Mr
CW2+ = Chief.
As a 2LT+, "Chief" does just fine for them across the board.
I usually see WO1's be addressed as "Mr." mostly by CW2+ to remind them of their place.
I literally had a FULL COL thank me for saluting him while I was in South Korea. Had that been a WO1, I'm sure he'd say "damn right you little biatch, or correct my hand placement.
I was so glad to make 2LT and not have to deal with WO1's as a subordinate.
WO1 = Mr
CW2+ = Chief.
As a 2LT+, "Chief" does just fine for them across the board.
I usually see WO1's be addressed as "Mr." mostly by CW2+ to remind them of their place.
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PO3 Chris Wright, MBA
SGT Bradley Dixon oh and you better not call a senior chief or master chief just chief.
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SGT Bradley Dixon
PO3 Chris Wright, MBA I do understand that, but I am apart of shall I say “better” service! #GoArmyBeatNavy Just Kidding one team one fight.
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PO3 Chris Wright, MBA
PO3 Chris Wright, MBA the navy warrants I knew would say, "they navy is the only branch that has real chief warrant officers because you have to be a chief to become one.
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CW4 Keith Dolliver
I was part of a JTF when I was a WO1-CW2 and we had a Navy CWO3 that was part of the JTF. She used to light up Soldiers that called her "Chief" saying they just demoted her 4 ranks, especially since she was a SCPO before she became a CWO.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
Sir or Mam always Works, If a verbal address includes their last name then it would be Mister or MS. An Address as Chief has no official sanction as a VERBAL greeting and never has. however in WRITTEN Communication then it could be used but spelled out, Chief Warrant Officer (W2 to W5) or in the case of a ( W1 ) , Warrant Officer.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
It works, but if we are in your unit, ask us. Many of us prefer to be called one thing over the others.
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State guard or your state National Guard ? Chief is not the proper form of address by regulation. Learning point, check the regulation.
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PO3 Chris Wright, MBA
I joined the state guard. Medically I could not join the National Guard. We follow army rank structure and customs.
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