U.S. Air Force Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Volkmeier is beginning a new legacy in technical leadership as the first Air Force warrant officer in the Minnesota National Guard in more than three decades. This role is especially unique to Volkmeier and the Minnesota National Guard, as he is the first Air Force warrant officer to serve in Minnesota since the program disbanded in 1992.
After serving for a decade on the active-duty side, Volkmeier was looking to progress his military career through the National Guard, and in 2025 he commissioned as a warrant officer assigned to the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron, 133rd Airlift Wing.
"The warrant officer position happened to come around at a perfect time in my career," Volkmeier said. "I had just transferred to the [National] Guard from active duty. I was a standard network technician, pulling cable and handling routing and switching. This [warrant officer] role is an elevated version of that, less command style, more technical.”
Warrant officers serve as critical technical experts in the military, ensuring continuity and closing knowledge gaps caused by frequent personnel rotations. They uphold technical proficiency at the highest level and offer innovative solutions to support commanders, especially in specialized fields like communications and networking.
Volkmeier points out that the Air Force warrant officer program is still in its early stages. “We look to the Army for guidance, but as the Air Force, we’re working to shape the program to fit our unique needs,” he said.
As the bridge between the enlisted force who action tasks and the officer ranks who oversee plans, Volkmeier has relied heavily on his individual experiences in both the enlisted military and his civilian career to progress as a warrant officer.
“I was a technician before, now I’m doing project engineering,” Volkmeier said. “With my civilian job now as a network engineer, I think having that enlisted experience is vital to bring to the leadership team, being able to relate to that world has its benefits."
The reinstallation of the warrant officer was a rite of passage for not only Volkmeier personally but also for his unit. “The transition has been an interesting one, to say the least,” Volkmeier said. “I get a lot of confused looks. I think the more people I meet and explain the situation to, the easier it gets. Hopefully we are able to get some more warrant officers in Minnesota and grow the cohort."
Volkmeier graduated from warrant officer training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., on Dec. 18, 2025.
The warrant officer training course offered minimal hands-on job training and expects candidates to bring prior technical experience. “The most challenging experience was having to deal with military training instructors again,” Volkmeier said. “It humbled you and gave you a sense of being back in basic training. As all of us were prior enlisted, it took some time to get used to that routine again.”
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Erik Homme, the state chief warrant officer, mentors warrant officer candidates and offers perspective from the Army’s warrant officer program. “You have to earn and grow trust, and you have to prove your technical abilities regularly to get support from senior leaders at any level,” Homme emphasized. Volkmeier echoed, “Gaining the trust of your commander and leadership is key.”
According to Homme, warrant officers are encouraged to learn from noncommissioned officers and formations, since leadership in the Army is a two-way street. They can lead projects, teams, and sometimes even serve as commanders.
The path to becoming a warrant officer is not always easy, but both leaders encourage those considering the journey. Volkmeier’s experience shows that trust, technical skill, and perseverance are key to success in the emerging Air Force warrant officer program.
“If you feel that imposter syndrome, remember you were selected for a reason,” Homme encouraged.“Embrace it; it’s going to be a journey. We’re building the plane together.”
| Date Taken: |
09.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
09.02.2026 17:09 |
| Story ID: |
573835 |
| Location: |
US |
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This work, Pioneering the future: Minnesota’s first Air Force warrant officer, by SGT Isabel Wagner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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