Breakfast is served

TAJI, IRAQ

09.21.2008

Courtesy Story

1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade

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By Capt. Xarhya Wulf
1st Sustainment Brigade

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Warrant officers pride themselves in being quiet professionals that belong to an exclusive brotherhood called the warrant officer corps and this bonding of warrant officers is nowhere more evident than within the confines of Camp Taji, Iraq. Here, warrant officers gather on a monthly basis to trade stories, share professional secrets, and mentor each other.

This all started with the arrival of Chief Warrant Officer Four Darren Lester who felt, "as the senior warrant within the 1st Sustainment Brigade, it is my duty and privilege to mentor and provide guidance to all junior warrants and peers alike. Key development of junior warrants includes networking, Military Occupational Specialty proficiency, leadership, and learning how to contribute as a warfighter." Thus far since October 2007, Lester has held 11 combined breakfast / luncheons, numerous social barbeques, and the Taji coffee hut – the "Mudhouse" gatherings.

During a breakfast gathering, on Aug. 27, 2008, 31 warrant officers were seated and actively engaged in conversations with each other. Promptly at 7:45, Lester got up to welcome all attendees and introduce the speaker – fellow warrant officer Janice Rollins, 1st SB administrative technician, who discussed the new DD93 and SGLI policy change. She then went on to answer questions. She finally rounded out her speech by touching on the Army's new Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence policy that was released in October of 2007.

Curious to understand why these officers would give of their time for a class that could have easily been given desk side or even via the telephone, I inquired of some of the officers present. Chief Warrant Officer Four Keith Hammitt, 1st SB armament repair technician from Miami, explained, "The interaction between senior and junior warrant officers, as well as the synergy between peers and superior is priceless. Here social norms are established and enforced."

Chief Warrant Officer Two Calvin Cohen, 41st Transportation Company maintenance chief from Spartanburg, S.C., gave his thoughts on the same question, "I find them to be informal, yet organized venues to enjoy camaraderie, as well as, share and gather tools and knowledge to stimulate professional and personal growth as leaders. I particularly attend for the opportunity to reach out, meet, and network with fellow warrant officers of all branches."

This pride in the warrant officer corps goes as far back as the inception of the Corps. Although the warrant officer corps dates two centuries before Columbus for the British Navy, Army warrant officers can only trace their lineage as far back as 1896 when the Army retained Headquarters Clerks which was later called the Army Field Clerk. However, it wasn't until July 9, 1918, when Congress established the Army Mine Planter Service as part of the Coast Artillery, that the corps was officially recognized. The fact that the official color of the warrant officer Corps is brown is by no means an accident, but taken from the Mine Planter Service who wore simple bands of brown cloth on their uniform sleeves as their insignia of rank.

The breed of Soldiers and non-commissioned officers that choose to become warrant officers over commissioned officers share a unique mentality. Warrant Officer One Danielle Gil, Special Troops Battalion, 1st SB, Human Resources technician, of Beaufort, S.C., expounds, "I chose to become a warrant officer because warrant officers share a relationship that I feel no other group of Soldiers share in the Army. I also wanted to maintain the ability to interface with, train, develop, and mentor Soldiers." Warrant Officer One Eveline Rosado, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 168th Brigade Support Battalion, a food technician from Lawton, Okla., continues along the same vein, "I became a warrant officer because I love my job in food service and I wanted to stay in the same field, but as a commissioned officer, that is not an option." Chief Warrant Officer Two Addonis Hawkins, 1st SB, ammo technician from Georgetown, S.C., summed it up, "The warrant officer field puts more emphasis on a specialty field or MOS. In order to be a warrant officer, you must be very diverse and proficient both technically as well as tactically. I enjoy the challenge of basically mastering my field of expertise and being looked upon as the go-to guy if you want the job done above the standard, with regards to time efficiency, as well as, cost effectiveness. I chose warrant over commissioned officer because I felt that the warrant officer side of the ranks fits me better than the commissioned side. To me, early in my career I was molded to become a warrant officer in order to improve the role of the ammunition logistician. To serve as a warrant officer propels an individual to the front of the ranks in any field."

At the luncheon the following day, over 41 warrant officers from each of the subordinate battalions were in attendance. The luncheon began with introductions from each of the warrant officers, followed by the oath of office given by 1st Sustainment Brigade Commander, Col. Kevin O'Connell, to the entire room. Each warrant officer held up their right hand and proudly repeated the oath they swear to uphold on a daily basis. Immediately following the oath, O'Connell began to take his seat only to be stopped as Chief Rollins presented him with the Chief's rules. The Chief's rules were a funny set of rules written by an anonymous warrant officer meant in jest, but O'Connell good naturedly repeated the rules (listed below).

Once the laughter had died, O'Connell began his discussion about the role of the warrant officer. He spoke about the standards required and that due to the fact that there is a new modular Army, constant deployments, and shortage of officers, warrant officers are holding multiple jobs of which some are outside of their MOS. He then asked the present company for comments on their thoughts on this subject. Chief Warrant Officer Two Ronnie Ross, the 1038th Headquarters and Headquarters Company executive officer from Hot Springs, Ark., claims, "Right now, I'm not operating in my MOS. I'm an executive officer/battalion maintenance officer. Maintenance wise, I'm taking care of a motor pool of two companies in one shop. Since I'm a 913A and not a 915A, I'm operating out of my normal realm. I have learned a lot about Army logistics dealing with daily operations of a motor pool in a combat environment. I've never been in charge of a motor pool before so I did not get the chance to crawl or walk, I've been on the run from the beginning. The past few months I've been able to slow down since I now have more knowledge of what I'm doing. It's been a great learning experience that I'll be able to carry the rest of my military career."

Warrant Officer One Adam Eccleston, the 168th BSB supply systems technician from Brooklyn, N.Y., believes that, "The new role of the warrant officer is challenging." Chief Warrant Officer Two Andres Toledo-Vera, the 1st SB supply systems technician from Cali, Columbia, completes the discussion with, "Today's Army, the warrant officer is being challenged in many diverse and less technical classical roles. Now, we are being considered for staff jobs and we are ready to perform in any area."

Finally, there was a discussion about the challenges of the warrant. Hammitt chimed in with, "The most challenging role is easily the role of keeper of the truth. Warrant officers are expected to be truthful in word and deed, and being truthful without being hurtful has become extremely difficult in the last five years. There seems to be a lot of leaders that really do not want to hear the truth, but only their acceptable version of the truth."

I must admit that I have never met a group of Soldiers, NCOs, or officers in any branch or organization that love their job as much, feel the passion that they do, unquestionably trust their fellow warrant, even if they just met that individual, nor share in the fellowship of each other as much as the warrant officers present at the breakfast / luncheons and those I have been in recent contact with. Their bond is so tangible, one can almost reach out and touch it and perhaps even envy them their seemingly easy and guileless interaction with each other and all those that are privileged to encounter or work with them.