If a Warrant Officer wants to become an Officer, do they have to go through OCS or do they have to submit a direct commission packet?

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 05:03:10 -0500

Had another warrant ask if he could go officer as warrant officer (CW3) III. He is 42, and has been in the Army reserve for 20+ years. Does he have to go through OCS? Does he have to submit a direct commission packet?

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Dec 23 at 2021 8:04 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 08:04:13 -0500

I have no clue about Direct Commissions these days, but that Warrant is going to bump into both the fact that he is 10 years past the maximum age and with 20 years plus total service, most likely the no more than 6 years active service requirement. You didn't mention if he had a 4 year degree. The Guard will allow you to do OCS up until age 42, but you still need at least 90 college credits before they will look at you.

Why in the world would a CW3 take a $1669 pay cut to get treated like a Private again? That's how 2LT's are treated, granted somewhat justifiably. He would have to make Captain to get to the point of matching his current pay. I am assuming with that many years he would qualify for O1-E.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Dec 23 at 2021 11:38 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 11:38:29 -0500

CPT Lawrence Cable has some excellent points. The biggest barriers I see are age and a bachelor’s degree. I just don’t see the need to undergo additional pain in the but. If it’s an effort to gain the opportunity for unit command, then maybe a recalibration of life goals needs to be done. I’d say focus on making CWO4.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2021 5:28 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 17:28:55 -0500

I direct commission into Quartermaster after the age of 42 (barely), so it's not impossible, and the USAR has pathways for that more so than Active.

The path he wants is so unique and odd he'll have to probably seek out his answer himself. It's going to be a branch that is desperate to fill vacancies.

I would deep dive MILPER's and commissioning regulations. His local Accessions office would be the best place to reach out to.

If he's "fed up" with listing to /dealing with LT's he can always just take is 20 year letter and walk. I was of the opinion/observation that if Sr NCO's and sr. WO's don't want to deal with LT's they simply find themselves in positions not around them to begin with. CW3 is not a company level slot.

If he think's being a LT is going to be better, it's going to take another 10+ to get to field grade to get out of that whole. He'll never catch up to his CWO pay path he's currently even if he becomes a MAJ (pay will top out). MAJ pay tops out at year 16, but he'll take another 10 to get there, and be in his year 30 and even if only a WO4 at that time would still make more (as a 30 year CW4) than a top tier MAJ.

Lt Col Coe has it spot on. He needs to evaluate his life goals. If "command" is what he wants, it's not impossible for a CWO to find himself in command given the shortages of Company Grade USAR officers willing to do as such. So in that regard, that pathway is much easier to find a BC willing to let a WO take command of a USAR Company than trying to commission from CW3 at age 42 for that same goal in 5 years.