What are the pros and cons of becoming a Warrant Officer?

Pro: Warrants can turn all cons into pros
Con: ————————-

There are pro's and con's to everything. Don't be surprised if you end up performing the role of a Platoon Leader, XO, or Company Commander, as this is not uncommon in the Guard and Reserves, do to shortages. Promotions can vary between the AD, AR, and NG. Your retirement will increase, you have influence on the command team that as NCO you really don't have. If you need to get something done, few people get in your way. Some things I point out. Depending on how you are slotted (I was a 915A Automotive Warrant in the NG) , can have an impact on how your duties align. My field a WO can be slotted in and rated in a Company or at the BN Level. BN level is always the better of the two. Company grade officers tend to loose perspective of the big picture, and want their stuff taken care over everything, the flip side is BN sometimes forgets you are in all likelihood a PL in the Maintenance section and have duties to perform their as well. I think these are more a NG/AR issue than an AD problem. Others can chime in. If you think it will increase your paycheck, well that is a myth, it was for me a nominal increase. If money is what your looking for than convert to a commissioned officer.

It depends on what you plan on doing as a warrant officer. Not sure 56M translates to anything on the warrant side besides 153A

In terms of "looking later" know this.
After 8 years TIS you need a TIS waiver for flight, it also incurs a 10 year ADSO.
After 12 years TIS you need a TIS waiver for Tech, which incurs a 6 year ADSO.
It takes about a year to build the packet. If you feel you are qualified for an MOS you can always ask the Proponent if it's worth trying - the feeder MOS list are more like guidelines and preferences, but not usually hard lines.
https://recruiting.army.mil/ISO/AWOR/

It’s really dependent on which MOS you are looking at applying for. Overall I would say the only con is maybe being relied on quite a bit more for expertise but that’s a pro to most of us, if not one of the reasons we did it in the first place.

Warrants are USUALLY more removed from the Chain of Command. Usually - sometimes they are given Command positions.

So, if your true passion is leading Soldiers directly, being personally responsible for them and being more intimately involved with their day-to-day, Warrant probably isn't for you, and you should stay enlisted. If you want to be a definitive leader, but more removed, and more in an "advisory" capacity, Warrant is probably for you.

Warrant Officers are technical experts in their field. You will be expected to know the answer, now, without having to reference anything. If you need to quote exactly for legal justification, sure, you can go back and find the exact verbiage. But you should already know the applicable regulation for any situation within your scope of expertise as well as (approximately) what it says. If you aren't good on the spot, or good at provide expert advice at a moment's notice, Warrant probably isn't for you. If that sort of thing excites you, then drop a packet.


Now, all of the above is a GROSS oversimplification and generalization. But it was done that way on purpose to help delineate pros and cons. I hope it was helpful.


And on the lighter side of things. Pros for being a warrant:
Never ending coffee - you will always be able to find some, somewhere, and never have to be the person making it
Your stealth level triples, and you will instantly become invisible except to other warrants or when choosing to be seen
Your credibility instantly triples. A WO1 is assumed to know more about their field and be more accurate within their lane then a CSM or a COL.

Cons:
As a WO1, you are stuck doing virtually the same job as a SSG for only double the pay.

Pros: I’ve always been able to speak my mind to MAJ-GEN and have it taken seriously. I’ve always ran my shop(s) the way I wanted to run them and have had a large hand in developing my NCOs, both technically and tactically. I don’t have to ask permission to get things done. If I have an issue, I have direct access to the Battalion, Brigade, EAB Commander(s) I work for. When my Soldiers have issues with their admin stuff, I’ll take it directly to the S1 or Commander to get a fix. Credibility is easier to get, but also easier to lose.

Cons: We promote to CW2 at two years, board to CW3/4/5 at four years and promote on the fifth year…so essentially, from WO1 to CW5 you’ll be doing 17 years of Warrant Officer service…on top of the enlisted time that you crossed over with. That’s why the average Warrant retires at CW3.

If you are Self-Aware and Adaptive there shouldn't be to many cons.

Pros: You are a WO and can rely on other WO's for mentorship. Noone really messes with you. You advise and that's really it.

CONS: When you are required to fill Officer shortages (Platoon Leader, OIC, Commander, ETC)