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    Army senior warrant officer emphasizes leadership

    Army senior warrant officer emphasizes leadership

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class P. Behringer | Chief Warrant Officer 5, David Williams, the first Army staff senior warrant officer,...... read more read more

    FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

    02.27.2015

    Story by Spc. P. Behringer 

    10th Press Camp Headquarters

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. - By definition, warrant officers are the Army’s technical experts in their respective fields. Chief Warrant Officer 5, David Williams, the Army staff senior warrant officer can be considered an expert in his own kind after nearly 40 years in service, with 27 dedicated to the Warrant Officer Corps.
    Williams made rounds across Fort Bragg, North Carolina, meeting with senior leaders, noncommissioned officers and warrant officers during a visit, Feb. 25 through 27.

    In addition to assessing any issues in the Warrant Officer Corps, Williams discussed education, professional development, leadership, and the future of warrant officers during a warrant officer leadership seminar.

    “The most important part of being a successful warrant officer is being a combat multiplier for the commander,” Williams said. “In order to be a combat multiplier you have to know your craft, that’s the most important thing. You have to be an expert at what you do. In addition to that, you also have to be a good leader. You have to be the whole package.”

    Williams believes education is the way for warrant officers to stay ahead as leaders.

    “One of the things that the Army has changed quite a bit with leadership is decentralizing leadership,” Williams said, “Leadership across the Army is being decentralized in tactical environments so we have to make sure that we educate accordingly.”

    In order to continue developing professionally, Williams said warrant officers must stay up to date on the latest technologies and complete military education in accordance with the Army timeline.

    “Our bread and butter is being a technician,” Williams explained. “When you look at the technical aspect of what we do it changes almost daily. “

    Williams stressed that maintaining proficiency in an environment of continual flux is the core of keeping the Warrant Officer Corps relevant.

    As far as the future of the Warrant Officer Corps is concerned, Warrant Officer 2025, a more refined way of assessing development and managing warrant officers is in the works.

    “Warrant Officer 2025 is what we would like to see for improvements in the way we assess development and manage warrant officers in the out years,” Williams said. “(It’s about) developing lines of effort to improve the way we train, assess, recruit, develop and manage the warrant officers.”

    Speaking to sergeants major and other senior leaders is one way Williams ensures strength of the Warrant Officer Corps. Williams said because a majority of warrant officers are former noncommissioned officers, their senior leaders can help identify potential warrant officers in the ranks.

    “I really don’t see the future of what we do changing,” Williams added. “What I see is how we develop our warrant officers changing as we go along and change with the times.”

    As the Army changes, Williams wants warrant officers to know that they have a voice at the Pentagon through him and to recognize that they are leaders responsible for taking care of soldiers in addition to being technical experts.

    “One of the things that I’m going to take back to the Pentagon is there is a shift in the culture of warrant officers,” Williams concluded. “Commanders are very, very pleased with their warrant officers. It appears that we’re heading in the right direction.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 02.27.2015
    Date Posted: 03.09.2015 11:20
    Story ID: 156422
    Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US
    Hometown: BALTIMORE, MD, US

    Web Views: 287
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN