How would you describe what a Warrant Officer is and what they do to a civilian?

I see the humor but worked my tail off to dispel the views of what a WO was. WO’s can Command, re-enlist, and hold senior level staff positions. We are leaders and technical experts.

Quick story; a 1LT decided to feel frisky and question my input to the scheme of maneuver. He was quite abrupt and frankly being a dork. I reminded him that “I was doing this shit since before he was finger-painting”. CDR, XO, CSM, and the rest of the staff laughed their asses off. That LT was pretty quiet from that point forward.

It's a former NCO who didn't want to deal with Soldiers anymore, so now they just do their jobs ;o)

Let's see. They grow mustaches and can't be bothered with petty things like formations.

All kidding aside, I look at WOs as experts in their field. If I need an answer, I assume they will have it.

Swiped from the Navy, but appropriate.

We are technical experts, who utilize and manage specific systems for our MOS. These can be computer systems, such as maintenance or personnel systems, or equipment systems, such as helicopters or watercraft. For most of us, we are also the only ones who recruit and train our own replacements (I’ve pulled 4 into the Warrant Officer Cohort).

I often use a technical field such as a union carpenter to describe the warrant officer. Any of the union jobs out there is a comparable example, where they start out as laborers and work up to skilled journeyman who drive the field with some being the supervisor on the job site and others being the tradesman and managers.

Warrant Officers by definition are experienced technical supervisors, which is why in the old days they were normally grizzled NCO's you wanted to keep. They are the technical expert in their fields- not all fields have warrants either. Aviation, Maintenance, Ordnance, etc. Compare them to master electricians, plumbers, computer programmers etc. Know everything and can do anything with very little in their field.

If only I had a dollar for everyone of these WO Rank explanation memes.

"How would I explain the Warrant officer ranks, roles, responsibilities to a civilian with limited understanding of the military?" I wouldn't. Lol

Well, as far as flyingnjons in Aviation go, the Chief Warrant Officer the Instructor Pilot, the Aviation Safety Officer, Maintenance Test Pilot, or the Aviation Mission Survivability Officer when they are tracked after making Pilot in Command. That is the first step beyond simply being a Pilot (PI). At that point you are responsible for everything envolved with the aircraft and that mission as well as developing junior aviators. Additionally you have your tracked profession and additional duties (depending on where you are assigned) to worry about. The lives of your crew are the utmost of your responsibilities. I’m not too familiar with Texh Warrants, but when it comes to Aviation, we expect the best, to know your job, and to execute; whether it be a ring route, VIP mission support, Air Assault, or MEDEVAC. Never endanger the lives of your crew; but never fail a mission because of incompetence.

SSG Carlos Madden Lord, who knows. I mean, they're supposed to be more of a technical expert in the field than those of senior enlisted rank, but not in a leadership position that a commissioned officer is. They are those that walk between the rows?