CW2 Yetzabel Sierra-Medina Warrant Office Strength Manager (609) (cell)

Transcription

1 CW2 Yetzabel Sierra-Medina Warrant Office Strength Manager (609) (cell)

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3 Notes:

4 Overview and Introduction: Welcome to the Warrant Officer Application Guide for the New Jersey Army National Guard. The NJ Army National Guard Strength Maintenance Team has created this guide in order to assist Soldiers who may be interested in becoming a Warrant Officer. While there are many resources available to assist with your application, this guide has been customized to fit the processes and procedures within the NJ Army National Guard. By following this guide, your entire application process from start to finish will be much faster and clearer. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cover every question you may have, however, I am always here to help out if you have questions. Just give me a call at one of the numbers listed on the cover of this guide and I will be happy to assist you! One last note, this guide has been designed in such a way that you should start with the first page and work your way through the entire book one step at a time. By following each step you will be able to set a steady pace that will ensure that every part of the process is accomplished in a timely manner. I am excited about your desire to advance your career as a Warrant Officer in the NJARNG, so let me know how I can help. Sincerely, The Warrant Officer Strength Manager You might be asking yourself, What actually is a Warrant Officer? Many people know that being a Warrant Officer means higher rank and pay, but very few actually know what it means to be a part of the Warrant Officer Corps and their roll in the Army. By definition, a Warrant Officer is: An officer appointed by warrant by the Secretary of the Army, based on a sound level of technical and tactical competence. The Warrant Officer is the highly specialized expert and trainer who, by gaining progressive level of expertise and leadership, operates, maintains, administers and manages the Army s equipment, support activities, or technical systems for an entire career. Still confused? Maybe even a little less sure what a Warrant Officer actually is? Let s break it down into simpler terms. Basically, Warrant Officers are experts on every aspect within their career fields, and they are relied upon to teach, lead, and train other Soldiers within their career fields. Enlisted Soldiers will look up to Warrant Officers for guidance and knowledge, and Commanders will depend on Warrant Officers to advise them on important decisions that fall into the realm of their expertise. When you become a Warrant Officer, you enter a small, elite Corps of experts. Warrant Officers have dedicated their career to provide valuable skills, guidance, and expertise to the commanders and organizations of the Army as well as leading, coaching, training, and counseling subordinates. As you can see, when you assume the role of a Warrant Officer, you are making a career-long choice to be the best you can be. So, do you think you have what it takes to become a Warrant Officer? If you re ready for the challenge, turn the page and we ll get started! 1

5 Table of Contents: Section I - Selection Process (pg. 3) Section II - Minimum Requirements (pg. 4) - Warrant Officer MOS Chart (pg. 5) Section III - Predetermination Overview (pg. 6) - Recommendation from Commanders (Company & Battalion) (pg. 7) - Recommendation from Senior Warrant Officer (pg. 8) - Enlisted Record Brief (pg. 9) - Soldier s Resume (pg. 10) - Security Clearance Verification (pg. 10) - DA Form 705 & DA 5500/5501 (pg. 10) - College Transcripts (pg. 11) - Civilian Training or Experience (pg. 11) - NCOERs / OERs (pg. 11) - DA Form 1059s (pg. 11) - DD Form 214s and NGB Form 22s (pg. 12) - Performance Related Awards (pg. 12) - Waiver Requests (pg. 12) - Proponent Review / Aviation Warrant Officer Board Selection (pg. 13) Section IV - Standard Form 180 Appendix A - Warrant Officer MOS Proponent Requisites Appendix B - List of Additional Resources Appendix C 2

6 Selection Process: To become a Warrant Officer, a Soldier must be able to fill an existing or projected unit MOS vacancy. This step is the same for an enlisted Soldier, former Warrant Officer, or Commissioned Officer. This MOS must be one for which the enlisted Soldier has awarded PMOS or SMOS listed as a feeder MOS. If there are no vacancies in the current unit of assignment, qualified Soldiers are encouraged to apply for appointment in another unit where vacancies exist or are projected to occur. Former Warrant Officers should apply for the MOS they were previously qualified for. Commissioned Officers may apply for the MOS they have the best qualifications for, using both commissioned and former enlisted service. For Technical Warrant Officer applications, the first step in the selection process is for the Soldier to build a predetermination packet (PDP) for submission to National Guard Bureau and the MOS Proponent. For Aviation Warrant Officers, Soldiers will have to submit an application which will be evaluated by a NJARNG Aviation Warrant Officer Selection Board for consideration. This booklet explains all portions of the application process and Soldiers will work with the Warrant Officer Strength Manager to build and submit their packet. Once your packet is built, submitted, and approved, the Soldier will be eligible for the next step in the selection process - Federal Recognition. The Soldier, with the help of the Warrant Officer Strength Manager, will produce a packet for Federal Recognition. Once this packet is complete it will be submitted and the Soldier will be assigned a date for appearance before the Federal Recognition Board. The Soldier will appear before the board members on the prescribed date and the board will determine if Federal Recognition as a Warrant Officer Candidate will be granted. Upon approval by the Federal Recognition Board, the Soldier is then eligible to become a Warrant Officer Candidate. There are two Warrant Officer Candidate School options available to Soldiers who have been federally recognized as Technical Warrant Officer Candidates (Aviation Candidates will only attend Federal WOCS). The first option is a 5-7 week Active Duty course presented in Fort Rucker, Alabama. The second (and primary) option is a Reserve Component school located at multiple locations called Regional Training Institute. The Reserve Component School consists of three phases: Phase One distance learning course completed online. Phase Two 5 IDT Drill Weekends at the Warrant Officer Candidate School. Phase Three final phase consisting of a 2 week annual training with the Warrant Officer Candidate School in Indiana. Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC) is the next step in the education process and ranges from 5 to 40 weeks depending on the Warrant Officer MOS (WMOS). Aviation Warrants will attend Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training (IERWT) in lieu of WOBC immediately following WOCS. 3

7 Minimum Requirements: The following is a list of minimum eligibility requirements for Warrant Officer Candidacy. Go through this list and check either YES or NO for each of the requirements. Remember that these are the general prerequisites and other specific prerequisites will be necessary depending on your WMOS. Likewise, if you fail to meet any of the prerequisites, it does not mean you are permanently ineligible for Warrant Officer Candidacy. If you answer NO to any of the questions below, please contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager in order to discuss your options. Former Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers pursing a new commission as a Warrant Officer must complete an application IAW current guidelines and criteria. For the most current information, contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. Yes q No q - I am between the ages of 18 and 46 (technical warrants) Yes q No q - I am between the ages of 18 and 32 (aviation warrants) Yes q No q - I am a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization Yes q No q - I have a score of 110 or higher in the GT section on my most current ASVAB test Yes q No q - I have a high school diploma or GED Yes q No q - I can proficiently speak, write, and read the English language Yes q No q - I am able to attain a valid final secret security clearance or the appropriate level of clearance for my desired WMOS Yes q No q - I have never required a moral waiver for enlistment, nor have I received any convictions (civil or moral) since my enlistment Yes q No q - I am able to pass a standard APFT without any alternative events Yes q No q - I meet the Army Standards for height and weight or I am below the maximum allotted body fat percentage Yes q No q - I possess outstanding leadership traits and have documentation indicating such (technical warrants) Remember, if you do not meet any of the above requirements, you may still be able to attain that requirement or obtain a waiver for that requirement. Please contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager if you have answered no or are unsure about any of the above requirements. Now that we know you meet the general prerequisites, it is time to see which WMOS is compatible with your current Enlisted MOS. On the next page is a list of all the WMOSs and the feeder Enlisted MOSs that you must have to apply for each WMOS. If you are interested in the WMOS 153D (Rotary Wing Aviator), please contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager for more information as the application process is slightly different. 4

8 Please note you may be eligible for more than one Warrant MOS and you may apply for up to three W-MOSs at one time. Also keep in mind that although you may be eligible to apply for a W-MOS listed below, there may not be a current vacant slot. To confirm slot availability, contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. Warrant Officer MOS Chart (New Jersey): WMOS Warrant Officer Title Enlisted Feeder MOS 120A Construction Engineering Tech. 12K, H, P, R, T, W 131A Field Artillery Targeting Tech. 11C, 13B, C, D, E, F, M, P, R, S, W 140A Command and Control Systems Tech. 14G, H, S 150A Air Traffic Control Tech. 15Q 150U Tactical Unmanned Arial Vehicle Ops Tech. 15W 151A Aviation Maintenance Tech. All CMF 15 MOSs (excludes 15P and 15Q) 153D Rotary Wing Aviator All MOSs 255A Information Systems Tech. All MOSs (with appropriate IT background) 255N Network Management Tech. All MOSs (with appropriate IT background) 270A Legal Administrator 27D 290A Electronic Warfare Tech. 29E, 25B, 25E, 13D, 13F 350F All Source Intelligence Tech. 35F 420A Military Personnel Tech. 42A, F 420C Bandmaster All CMF 42R and 42S MOSs 740A Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, and 74D Radiological (CBRN) Tech. 882A Mobility Officer All MOSs (with in lieu of prerequisites) 890A Ammunition Tech. 89B, D 913A Armament Systems Maintenance Tech. 45B, G, K 914A Allied Trades Tech. 44B, E 915A Automotive Maintenance Tech. 52D, 62B, 63A, B, D, E, H, M, S, T, W, X, Y 919A Engineer Equipment Maintenance Tech. 52D, X, 62B, 63B 920A Property Accounting Tech. 91J, 92Y 920B Supply Systems Tech. 92A 921A Airdrop Systems Tech. 92R 922A Food Service Tech. 91M, 92G 923A Petroleum Systems Tech. 92F, L, W 948B Electronic Systems Maintenance Tech. 94D, E, F, H, K, L, R, V, W, Y, 39B, 25P, S Positions for certain W-MOSs are very limited, so please contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager to discuss all your options before selecting any specific W-MOS. 5

9 Predetermination: Now that we have all of you preliminary information figured out, it s time to start the first step toward Warrant Officer Candidacy, your Predetermination Packet! During this and the remainder of the steps in becoming a Warrant Officer Candidate (WOC), the Warrant Officer Strength Manager will be able to offer you a plethora of guidance and assistance. The Predetermination Packet (PDP) is basically a packet of information and documents consisting of your past enlisted or commissioned officer career. This packet will be the basis for determining your eligibility to enter into the Warrant Officer Education System (WOES) and attend Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS). For a checklist of all the documents needed for your predetermination packet, contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. On the following pages, we will look at each of the items, break them down and explain them further, and give you valuable tips for each item to assist you in building your own packet. Remember, this guide was designed in order to help you complete your packet in the easiest way. If at any time you are stuck or need assistance, contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager for help. We suggest that you print and use the application checklist you receive from the Warrant Officer Strength Manager to keep track of where you are in the process. Likewise, as you complete an item, it is advised that you inform the Warrant Officer Strength Manager and provide him with copies for his files. This will ensure that he knows where you are in your steps toward Warrant Officer Candidacy and if you lose something, there will be a back-up copy and you won t have to recreate the item. Many of the steps can be completed at the same time, so don t hesitate to work on something else while waiting on a previous item. Now Let s Begin 6

10 Commander s Recommendation: The first thing we suggest doing is contacting your company and battalion commanders through your chain of command and ask them to write a letter of recommendation (LOR) for you. Once you have requested the LORs you can go on to the next step of the process and check back later to see if your commanders have completed them. To assist your commanders in writing their recommendation, you can provide them a copy of this page so that they know what the approving authority is looking for. LORs must be completed on a USAREC Form 1936 which can be provided by the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. Letters of recommendation should be no more than 6-months old. Directions for Commander s Letter of Recommendation Section I (Administrative Data): Enter the administrative data in blocks 1 thru 5 for the Soldier that you are writing the recommendation for, then complete blocks 6 thru 8 as appropriate. Section II (Narrative): Please use the following paragraph format when constructing your recommendation: First Paragraph: Use this paragraph to introduce and describe the service member s level of technical competency and leadership. Expand highlighting how this member meets or exceeds the Army values. Second Paragraph: Focus this paragraph on specific achievements in both military and civilian careers. Third Paragraph: State the reasons for unit benefit and how having this member as a Warrant Officer will fill a critical need for a leader of the Army of tomorrow. Fourth Paragraph (company commanders only): Place the following Physical Fitness Verification Statement in this paragraph: I certify that (RANK & NAME) successfully passed the Army Physical Fitness Test consisting of push-ups, sit-ups, and the two mile run with a score of (SCORE) on (DATE); the verified height is (FEET & INCHES) and the verified weight is (POUNDS). Fifth Paragraph: Place the following statement at the end and modify as necessary: The POC for this recommendation is the undersigned at (785) or joseph.a.snuffy.mil@mail.mil Section IV (Signature): Please enter your administrative data, and then sign and date the form. Once completed, Commanders can provide the Soldier with the recommendation, or submit the recommendation directly to the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. 7

11 CW3-CW5 Letter of Recommendation: As with the commander s letter of recommendation, it is suggested that you contact a Senior Chief Warrant Officer (CW3, CW4, or CW5) early in the process of building your packet, and ask to them to write a letter of recommendation (LOR) for you. Remember, this recommendation should be from a Senior Warrant Officer that holds the MOS for which you are applying. The letter of recommendation is similar to the one you ve requested from your commanders except you do not need the Physical Fitness Verification Statement in the fourth paragraph. To assist the Senior Warrant Officer in writing the recommendation, you can provide them a copy of this page so that they know what the approving authority is looking for. LORs must be completed on a USAREC Form 1936 which can be provided by the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. Once you have requested the recommendation from the Senior Warrant Officer you can move on to the next step. Letters of recommendation should be no more than 6-months old. Directions for Chief Warrant Officer s Letter of Recommendation Section I (Administrative Data): Enter the administrative data in blocks 1 thru 5 for the Soldier that you are writing the recommendation for, then complete blocks 6 thru 8 as appropriate. Section II (Narrative): Please use the following paragraph format when constructing your recommendation: First Paragraph: Use this paragraph to introduce and describe the service member s level of technical competency and leadership. Expand highlighting how this member meets or exceeds the Army values. Second Paragraph: Focus this paragraph on specific achievements in both military and civilian careers. Third Paragraph: State the reasons for unit benefit and how having this member as a Warrant Officer will fill a critical need for a leader of the Army of tomorrow. Fourth Paragraph: Place the following statement at the end and modify as necessary: The POC for this recommendation is the undersigned at (785) or joseph.a.snuffy.mil@mail.mil Section IV (Signature): Please enter your administrative data, and then sign and date the form. Once completed, Commanders can provide the Soldier with the recommendation, or submit the recommendation directly to the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. 8

12 Enlisted Record Brief: Your Enlisted Record Brief (ERB) is the document that has replaced the traditional DA 2-1. The Warrant Officer Strength Manager can help you obtain a certified copy of this document. Chances are it will not be up to date and you will need to coordinate with the Warrant Officer Strength Manager to get the following information updated on your ERB. The minimum items that must be present and correct on the ERB are as follows: ASVAB Scores: If you retested to raise your GT score, you will need to provide documentation of what your new scores are, otherwise your scores should be accessible by the PISB personnel. Date of Rank: Your date of rank for each rank you have achieved must be annotated. It is wise to try and find and provide promotion orders as some of this information may be missing. Military Education: All your previous military education (PLDC, WLC, BNCOC, ANCOC, etc ) must be annotated. It is suggested that you bring copies of all your DA 1059s from the schools in case documents are missing from your record. Previous Duty Assignments: A record of your duty station assignments (current and all previous) must be annotated. This includes Active Duty and National Guard service. Providing past and current assignment orders may help with this process. Prior Active Duty Soldiers: Soldiers with prior Active Duty time will sometimes need to request documents from the Active Duty archives in St. Louis, Missouri. The quickest and most effective way we have found to obtain these documents is for you to complete an SF 180 (located in Appendix A) and submit it to the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. He will then take that form and request documents you have on file in the Active Duty archives. Directions for the SF 180: - Fill out ALL information in Section I of the SF Complete number 3 of Section 3. - Fax or this document to the Warrant Officer Strength Manager 9

13 Soldier s Resume: Now that you have an updated and certified ERB, the next step will be much easier. You will be able to refer to the ERB for many of the dates needed for the Soldiers Resume. As of 1 October 2012, resumes must be submitted on the USAREC Form Although this form makes it much easier for you to compile your resume, it is highly advised that you take sufficient time to ensure your resume is complete, accurate, and error free. As a Warrant Officer you are expected to write professionally, so consider this your first test. Sections I thru VI on the USAREC Form 1935 are pretty easy to understand and follow. Once your come to Section VII though, this is where you really need to sell yourself to Proponency and justify why they should determine you eligible for Warrant Officer Candidacy. If you find yourself with only one paragraph in this section, chances are you need to provide more substantiating data. Security Clearance Verification: Your security clearance verification statement can be obtained easily if you currently hold a security clearance. If you know you have a security clearance, the Warrant Officer Strength Manager will be able to contact the State Security Manager and obtain the verification statement for you. If you do not have, or your clearance has expired, this step will take a little more time to complete. Contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager to obtain access to the new online Security Clearance Application System. It may also be necessary to obtain a set of fingerprints. The Warrant Officer Strength Manager can help you with this as well. DA Form 705 & DA Form 5500/5501: The DA Form 705 is the Army Physical Fitness Test Score Card. Your unit should have your latest DA 705 on file. You can contact your unit administrative clerk to obtain a copy for your predetermination packet. Remember, the test date must be within 12 months (6 months for AGR personnel). If your test is expired or close to being expired, it is suggested that you re-take the test to keep from having to update your packet later. You can make arrangements with your unit or contact the Warrant Officer Procurement Manager to set a time to re-take the test. The DA Form 5500 (males) and the DA Form 5501 (females) is the Body Fat Content Worksheet. If you do not fall within the height and weight standards and must be taped for body fat content, we will also need a copy of your respective form. 10

14 College Transcripts: We will need official copies of ALL college transcripts. We cannot use FOR STUDENT or STUDENT ONLY copies. To obtain the official copies of your transcripts you must contact the registrar of your university. Tell them that you need an official copy of your transcripts sent to: Warrant Officer Recruiting ATTN: CW2 Yetzabel Sierra-Medina 35 Camp Drive BLDG 35 Sea girt, New Jersey It will cost you around $5-15 per copy, but it is well worth it for the advancement of your career. When your packet is sent forward from our office, we will send certified copies with your packet and keep the originals on file in our office. The same is needed for any College Level Entry Placement (CLEP) tests you take to make-up for any college level courses needed for Predetermination. Civilian Training or Experience: While this portion of the packet is not required, it is recommended that you provide copies of any documents that may pertain to civilian acquired training or experience that relates directly to the WMOS you are applying for. For example, any mechanical certifications would help if you were applying for a maintenance related WMOS. Job evaluations and performance reports from civilian jobs (including Military Technicians) are also good. It never hurts to boost your packet as much as possible. NCOERs / OERs: You will need to provide copies of ALL NCOERs or OERs you have received while in the military. We understand that from time-to-time it is possible to go un-rated or lose an NCOER or OER. If this is the case, please contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager so the proper memorandum can be written to cover that rating gap (no matter how large or small). You should be able to obtain your NCOERs or OERs through your iperms file found in the Army Knowledge Online website or by contacting your unit administrative clerk. DA Form 1059s: You will need to provide ALL DA 1059s (Service School Evaluation Reports) from your Military schools such as BLC, BNCOC/ALC, ANCOC/SLC, etc You should be able to obtain your DA 1059s through your iperms file found in the Army Knowledge Online website or by contacting your unit administrative clerk. 11

15 DD Form 214s & NGB Form 22s: A copy of your latest DD 214 (Release or Discharge from Active Duty) will be needed. If you have served on a deployment in a foreign country more than once or if that deployment isn t your most recent DD 214 we will need a copy of ALL DD 214s as the foreign service portion of the document is not a running total. If you have ever been discharged from the National Guard, you will also need a copy of your NGB 22 for your predetermination packet. You should be able to obtain your DD 214s and NGB 22s through your iperms file found in the Army Knowledge Online website or by contacting your unit administrative clerk. Performance Related Awards: It s highly recommended that you include copies of any performance related awards, certificates, or letters that you ve received during your military career. These are not required, but greatly influence your packet by providing proof of your abilities and accomplishments as a Soldier. You should be able to obtain your Awards and Certificates through your iperms file found in the Army Knowledge Online website or by contacting your unit administrative clerk. Waiver Requests: While we hope that this is an unneeded step, we have placed it here as a reminder. If you have failed to meet any of the requirements needed for Warrant Officer Candidacy (i.e. age is over 46; you do not have the required ALC; or you have ever had a civil or moral conviction such as DUI) you need to contact the Warrant Officer Strength Manager and he will help you write the proper memorandum and gather the required documents for the waiver. Remember, this is only a request for a waiver. Your waiver is not granted until signed by the proper approving authority. 12

16 Proponent Review / Senior Aviation Warrant Officer Board Selection: Congratulations! You should now have everything needed for your predetermination packet. For Technical Warrant applicants, the Warrant Officer Strength Manager will perform one last quality check, then your packet will be submitted to the Command Chief Warrant Officer (CCWO) for endorsement. Once endorsed by the CCWO, the Warrant Officer Strength Manager will submit it to the appropriate Proponent. The Proponent will determine if you meet the technical prerequisites to enter Warrant Officer Candidate School. If at any point in this process there is a mistake or problem found, the packet may be held up to 60 days to give the Warrant Officer Strength Manager a chance to coordinate with you and fix the problem. Once submitted to the Proponent, it can take a minimum of 4-6 weeks for final disposition, so please be patient. During this time we will start on your Federal Recognition Packet. The Warrant Officer Strength Manager will be contacting you to gather/complete all documents necessary to complete this packet. For Aviation Warrant applicants, the Warrant Officer Strength Manager will schedule you for an appearance at the next Aviation Warrant Officer Selection Board. Upon conclusion of the board, applicants will be categorized based on their application and board appearance, and then scheduled for WOCS and flight school depending on training seat availability. If you are selected you will be places on an Order of Merit list and notified when an open seat has become available. 13

17 Appendix A Standard Form 180 To obtain the most current version of the SF 180, go to the Army Publishing Directorate website and download/print the form. Because the weblink changes often, it is not listed here. However, it can be found through any common search engine.

18 Appendix B WMOS Proponent Requisites Since requisites for WMOSs often change, it is best to review the U.S. Army s Warrant Officer Recruiting Information website for the most current requirements. For a complete list of the requisites for each proponent, go to and then select your appropriate WMOS from the list. If you re not sure what WMOS you qualify for, there is also an MOS conversion list for each branch of service (found in the Warrant Officer MOS tab on the topline menu). Once you have selected a WMOS, the website will show you a detailed list of the duties related to that WMOS as well as the minimum prerequisites and preferred prerequisites that you must meet.

19 Appendix C List of Additional Resources Publications AR AR AR AR AR DA PAM NGR WOSM-Guidance Forms SF 86 SF 180 USAREC Form 1935 USAREC Form 1936 Preparing and Managing Correspondence Standards of Medical Fitness Service Obligations, Methods of Fulfillment, Participation Requirements, and Enforcement Procedures Appointment of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Army Army Weight Control Program Military Occupational and Classification Structure Warrant Officer Federal Recognition and Related Personnel Actions NJ National Guard Warrant Officer Strength Maintenance Program Personnel Security Questionnaire Request for Military Records Warrant Officer Resume Warrant Officer Letter of Recommendation

20 NJARNG Warrant Officer Cohort The Quiet Professionals