Warrant Officer trainees carry on 1950s-era tradition

Photo By Capt. Leanne Demboski | Warrant Officer Candidate Creighton Knopsnider shakes hands with Lt. Col. Tommy Guthrie, the commandant of the 166th Regiment Regional Training Institute, following the unveiling of the class sign at a sign, song, and hat ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap, July 17, 2022. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Leanne Demboski)  

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES

07.17.2022

Story by Capt. Leanne Demboski 

109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. -- The 166th Regiment Regional Training Institute (RTI) held a sign, song, and hat ceremony here, July 17, 2022, a ceremony that originated in the 1950s at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

The 166th Regiment RTI Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) course manager, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bobby Bowlin, describes the ceremony’s origin as a way for the “[warrant officer] candidate class [to] sell records to songs that they would record to earn money for receptions and other class events.”

Rich in tradition, this year’s ceremony included the unveiling of the new class sign, presenting the schoolhouse commandant with a signed class shirt, marching to the dining facility to sing the class song and presenting a signed hat to the guest of honor, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jenniffer Tossas.

The class leader, Warrant Officer Candidate Jolene Trout with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, described the sign, song and hat ceremony as the marker in which warrant officer candidates move from the beginning to intermediate phase in their WOCS program.

“It’s a rich warrant officer tradition and something that is very important to us,” said Trout.

The Soldiers who participated in the July 17 ceremony began their training in April 2022. They have one weekend of training left in August before advancing to phase two, a two-week training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in September. Warrant Officer Candidate Trout described her experience at WOCS as “a personally and professionally rewarding experience.”

The purpose of WOCS is to train non-commissioned officers for the warrant officer ranks. As the course manager, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bobby Bowlin enjoys training Soldiers to become warrant officers.

“It’s the greatest job you can have in the Army. There’s nothing better than doing this.”

• Date Taken: 07.17.2022
• Date Posted: 07.19.2022 12:01
• Story ID: 425250
• Location: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US