(1)Initial entry warrant officers gain branch technical and tactical skills to develop a Warrior Ethos and gain important leadership experience in company grade assignments.
(2) WO1/CW2. Throughout a warrant officer’s career, the model highlights the need to gain technical and tactical competency through developmental assignment experience. Warrant officers should continue their self-development with training, PME, experience, various operational assignments, professional Sustainment reading, and pursuit of civilian education goals. CW2s may have opportunities for broadening experience through operational and institutional assignments.
(3) CW3/CW4. At this point in a warrant officer’s career, the model highlights the need of a broader understanding of the tactical and operational levels. The increase in responsibility at these ranks requires warrant officers to have the ability to operate and integrate staff functions, as well as demonstrate leadership skills. CW3s/CW4s must continue their professional growth with assignments in both the operating force and generating forces; these include broadening assignments as well as Training With Industry opportunities. At this level the warrant officers should develop further through broadening assignments, self-development, and additional functional and professional training. Embracing this concept will provide the Transportation Corps with warrant officers who are self-aware, critical thinkers, adaptive integrators, and technically skilled managers in deployment and distribution. Warrant officers at this rank should continue their role as a coach, mentor, and advisor to junior warrant officers. Warrant officers should continue their self-development, professional reading and pursuit of the next civilian education goals.
(4) CW5. The pinnacle rank for all warrant officers. At this point in their career, a CW5 brings an unparalleled wealth of both technical and tactical knowledge and experience, and is adept at critical problem solving. Increased responsibility allows the CW5 to operate and integrate in all levels of command, to include the JIIM environment. Lifelong learning supported by both civilian and military education provides critical opportunities for assignment. CW5s may work outside one’s normal career path, such as broadening or nominative positions. Flexible timelines enable warrant officers to serve longer in developmental assignments, ensuring warrant officers have adequate time to utilize their skills and experience, and also support unit readiness and cohesion. Transportation Figure 3, below, shows the career development models of the Marine Deck Officer (880A), the Marine Engineering Officer (881A), and Mobility Warrant Officer (882A).
Transportation corps warrant officers are the Army’s premiere technicians in deployment and distribution. Transportation Warrant Officers are the Army’s mission-focused subject matter experts, skilled technicians, confident warrior-leaders, proficient trainers, mentors, and expert technical advisors for the Transportation Corps, supporting all modes of Deployment and Distribution. Through progressive levels of developmental assignments, education, and professional development, Transportation Corps warrant officers evolve into operational, tactical, and strategic thinking, well-rounded senior warrant officers within their specialties. Highly specialized transporters, they support various Army and Joint missions, at every level of command, throughout their careers. The warrant officer Education System requires specific, highly technical training, designed to prepare Transportation warrant officers to serve in positions of greater responsibility. The Transportation Corps requires warrant officers to be highly skilled technicians in their specialty.
This MOS has two distinct critical skill levels of technical training and professional credentialing; MOS 880A1 and 880A2. Warrant Officers within this MOS command and operate Army watercraft and watercraft detachments; serve aboard Army watercraft as the commanding officer, master, navigator, cargo officer or deck watch officer; serve as an Army harbormaster or port operations officer; serve on a battalion-level staff or higher as the maritime operations officer; or as a Service school instructor. Additionally, they manage the operation of U.S. Army watercraft and deployment/distribution measures in both tactical and peacetime environments. They support Army missions by planning, coordinating, and directing Army units during ocean, joint-logistics-over- the-shore, coastal, harbor and inland water (CHI) missions as well as strategic, operational, and tactical movement.
This MOS assists the commander and staff in developing specific procedures, estimates, analyses, and timelines for deployments, decisive action operational maneuver transportation support requirements, area of operation movement support coordination to include route synchronization planning and MSR/ASR control, and retrograde and redeployments. The warrant officer works closely with BSB support operations section, the movement control battalion and MCTs arranging convoys in support of BCT sustainment and heavy lift requirements; ensuring uninterrupted flow of critical sustainment commodities such as fuel, ammunition, food, and water to operating forces within the BCT area of operation. The warrant officer also provides the commander and staff information on data resident in ITV systems. They also coordinate deployment and distribution actions with multinational, joint, Army, and commercial agencies. Officers in this MOS may serve at company level or higher, or as a Service school instructor.
