Why would an NCO select the Warrant career path over the Officer career path?

I wish there could be an option for Warrant Officer for Finance (36B). Unfortunately, Finance Warrant Officer specialty was eliminated in 1974.

Yes the pay is slightly less, but...1. "Warrant Officers remain single-specialty Officers with career tracks that
progress within their field, unlike their Commissioned Officer counterparts who
focus on increased levels of command and staff duty positions." This allows you to perform you core duties longer!2. Small and Elite- The Warrant Officer Corp makes up only 2% of the Army and only 15% of the Officer Corp. 3. Tend to have a slightly higher precentage of promotion potential example from CW3 to CW4 (excluding Aviation) about 99% of those eligible get picked up for promotion.4. College is not for everyone. While you may need a few college credits such as english, math or IT. You do not need a degree to become a Warrant Officer. http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/  

If the NCO becomes a pilot, pilot warrants get to fly much more than their other officer counterparts.  If the NCO becomes a technical warrant, he will have a very similar job through the rest of his career, focused on his specialty.  In the same field, his other officer counterparts increasingly focus on becoming generalists, with a wide range of experience with nowhere near the depth that a technical warrant would have.

For me when I made the crossover I was an E-8 a very seasoned NCO and served as Drill SGT and Recruiter. I had to much experience to hit the bottom of the totem pole as an O-1. Its amazing the things I would say as a MSG and the officers would be like yeah....yeah. but when I was appointed to W-1 the same thing I said as a MSG it must have magically sounded better because for whatever reason they listened to me and they would say get with Chief he is on to something. I felt like an NCO with a bigger bat. Mind you I was a WOJ.....Warrant Officer Junior but like EF Hutton everyone listened. I feel more of a coach and a referee. We are experts, subject matter experts in our field and about delivering results....Silent professionals. So that is why and NCO would take that route.

Excellent question Captain. Here's a Navy response. The positions available for the Warrant Officers carry significantly more responsibility and accountability than those positions made available to Junior Officers. Specifically, these positions are only offered to people with significant experience. My first Warrant Officer job (after being promoted from Senior Chief - E8) was as the Fire Marshal on a new aircraft carrier, and included coordinating all the General Quarters damage control drills and overall readiness for the ship as well as certifying the ship's damage control systems for deployment. I also ran the Flying Squad (the Fire Dept.) Great job, but not one you would assign to a junior officer with 5 or 6 years in the military.

If you want more responsibility immediately (and you are qualified), you go Warrant Officer. If you'd prefer a standard progression growth route (Division Officer (2 tours), Department Head, XO, CO), you might consider the Line or LDO Officer career path. If you are doing it (CWO) for the money, think again. I made more as an E8 than I did as a CW02. As a CW03 I made the same as a Master Chief or an O3.

In my opinion it's because there up to all the writing and kissing butt isn't what a NCO do.

what are the "MOS" for usmc warrant. all i see are musicians

Sir,

I'm glad you asked this question. Having just been selected for WOCS I'll tell you what my mentor told me. If Officers planned perfectly and NCOs executed flawlessly, there would be no need for Warrant Officers. Becoming a Warrant Officer allows most of us to remain in our career field as Subject Matter Experts, whereas Commissioned Officers end up focusing more on Command and Staff positions. A jack of all trades is a master of none. Of course, I will be moving from EOD back to Ammo, but that's hardly a problem considering I'll be riding a desk from now on anyways.

The question is more about making sure commissioned officers and warrant officers are doing what they are designed to do. To be a technical expert and master advisor or administrative leader. I can see the appeal in staying close to my field and area of work rather than lost in meetings.

See my last post.