Warrant officer

Warrant officer is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned officer ranks, the most senior of the non-commissioned officer ranks, or in a separate category of their own. Warrant officer ranks are especially prominent in the militaries of Commonwealth nations and the United States.
The name of the rank originated in medieval England. It was first used during the 13th century, in the Royal Navy, where warrant officers achieved the designation by virtue of their accrued experience or seniority, and technically held the rank by a warrant, rather than by a formal commission. Nevertheless, warrant officers in the British services have traditionally been considered and treated as distinct from non-commissioned officers.
Warrant officers in the United States are classified in rank category "W", which is distinct from "O" and "E". However, chief warrant officers are officially commissioned, on the same basis as commissioned officers, and take the same oath. US WOs are usually experts in a particular technical field, with long service as enlisted personnel; in some cases, however, direct entrants may become WOs—for example, individuals completing helicopter pilot training in the US Army Aviation Branch become flight warrant officers immediately.
In Commonwealth countries, warrant officers have usually been included alongside NCOs and enlisted personnel in a category called other ranks, which is equivalent to the US "E" category. In Commonwealth services, warrant officers rank between chief petty officer and sub-lieutenant in the navy, between staff sergeant and second lieutenant in the army, and between flight sergeant and pilot officer in the air force.

Origins

The warrant officer corps began in the nascent Royal Navy, which dates its founding to 1546. At that time, noblemen with military experience took command of the new navy, adopting the military ranks of lieutenant and captain. These officers often had no knowledge of life on board a ship—let alone how to navigate such a vessel—and relied on the expertise of the ship's master and other seamen who tended to the technical aspects of running the ship. As cannon came into use, the officers also required gunnery experts; specialist gunners began to appear in the 16th century and also had warrant officer status. Literacy was one thing that most warrant officers had in common, and this distinguished them from the common seamen: according to the Admiralty regulations, "no person shall be appointed to any station in which he is to have charge of stores, unless he can read and write, and is sufficiently skilled in arithmetic to keep an account of them correctly". Since all warrant officers had responsibility for stores, this was enough to debar the illiterate.

Rank and status in the 18th century

In origin, warrant officers were specialist professionals whose expertise and authority demanded formal recognition. In the 18th century they fell into two clear categories: on the one hand, those privileged to share with the commissioned officers in the wardroom and on the quarterdeck; and on the other, those who ranked with more junior members of the ship's crew. Somewhere between the two, however, were the [|standing officers], notable because, unlike the rest of the ship's company, they remained with the ship even when she was out of commission ; in these circumstances they were under the pay and supervision of the Royal Dockyard.

Wardroom warrant officers

These classes of warrant officer messed in the wardroom with the commissioned officers:

the master: the senior warrant officer, a qualified navigator and experienced seaman who set the sails, maintained the ship's log and advised the captain on the seaworthiness of the ship and crew;
the surgeon: who treated the sick and injured and advised the captain on matters of health;
the purser: responsible for supplies, food and pay for the crew.

In the early 19th century, they were joined in the wardroom by naval chaplains, who also had warrant officer status.

Standing warrant officers

The standing officers were:

the boatswain: responsible for maintenance of the ship's boats, sails, rigging, anchors and cables;
the carpenter: responsible for maintenance of the ship's hull and masts;
the gunner: responsible for care and maintenance of the ship's guns and gunpowder.
Junior warrant officers

Other warrant officers included surgeon's mates, boatswain's mates and carpenter's mates, sailmakers, armourers, schoolmasters and clerks. Masters-at-arms, who had formerly overseen small-arms provision on board, had by this time taken on responsibility for discipline.

Warrant officers in context

By the end of the century, the rank structure could be illustrated as follows :

Demise of the royal naval warrants

In 1843, the wardroom warrant officers were given commissioned status, while in 1853 the lower-grade warrant officers were absorbed into the new rate of chief petty officer, both classes thereby ceasing to be warrant officers. On 9 July 1864 the standing warrant officers were divided into two grades: warrant officers and chief warrant officers.
By the time of the First World War, their ranks had been expanded with the adoption of modern technology in the Royal Navy to include telegraphists, electricians, shipwrights, artificer engineers, etc. Both warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers messed in the warrant officers' mess rather than the wardroom. Warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers also carried swords, were saluted by ratings, and ranked between sub-lieutenants and midshipmen.
In 1949, the ranks of warrant officer and commissioned warrant officer were changed to "commissioned officer" and "senior commissioned officer", the latter ranking with but after the rank of lieutenant, and they were admitted to the wardroom, the warrant officers' messes closing down. Collectively, these officers were known as "branch officers", being retitled "special duties" officers in 1956. In 1998, the special duties list was merged with the general list of officers in the Royal Navy, all officers now having the same opportunity to reach the highest commissioned ranks.

Modern usage

Australia

The Royal Australian Navy rank of warrant officer is the Navy's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to the Army's WO1, and the RAAF's warrant officer. The most senior non-commissioned member of the Navy is the Warrant Officer of the Navy, an appointment that is only held by one person at a time.
The Australian Army has two warrant officer ranks: warrant officer class two and warrant officer class one, the latter being senior in rank. The equivalent rank of WO2 in the Navy is now chief petty officer, and the RAAF equivalent of the Army's WO2 is now flight sergeant, although in the past there were no equivalents. All warrant officers are addressed as "sir" or "ma'am" by subordinates. To gain the attention of a particular warrant officer in a group, they can be addressed as "Warrant Officer Bloggs, sir/ma'am" or by their appointment, e.g. "ASM Bloggs, sir/ma'am". Some warrant officers hold an appointment such as company sergeant major or regimental sergeant major. The warrant officer appointed to the position of Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Australian Army and differs from other Army warrant officers in that their rank is just warrant officer. The appointment of RSM-A was introduced in 1983. The rank insignia are: a crown for a WO2 ; the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms for a WO1; and the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms surrounded by a laurel wreath for the RSM-A.
The Royal Australian Air Force rank of warrant officer is the RAAF's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to both the Army's WO1 and the Navy's WO. The most senior non-commissioned member of the RAAF is the Warrant Officer of the Air Force, an appointment that is only held by one person at a time.

	Navy	Army	Air Force
Insignia
Title	Warrant officer	Warrant officer class 1	Warrant officer
Abbreviation	WO	WO1	WOFF

Bangladesh

Warrant officer is the lowest junior commissioned officer rank in the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Air Force, ranking below senior warrant officer and master warrant officer.

Canada

In the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force, the cadre of warrant officers includes the specific ranks of warrant officer, master warrant officer, and chief warrant officer. Before unification in 1968, there were two ranks of warrant officer in the Canadian Army and RCAF that followed the British structure.

India

s are the Indian Armed Forces equivalent of warrant officer ranks. Those in the Indian Air Force actually use the ranks of junior warrant officer, warrant officer and master warrant officer.
In the British Indian Army, warrant officer ranks existed but were restricted to British personnel, mostly in specialist appointments such as conductor and sub-conductor. Unlike in the British Army, although these appointments were warranted, the appointment and rank continued to be the same and the actual rank of warrant officer was never created. Indian equivalents were viceroy's commissioned officers.

Ireland

Irish Naval Service

Malaysia

In the Malaysian Armed Forces, warrant officers are the highest ranks for non commissioned officers.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Army usage is the same as the British Army, having two ranks: warrant officer class two, addressed as "sergeant major", and warrant officer class one, addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". There are also appointments such as company and squadron sergeant major which are usually WO2 positions and regimental sergeant major, which are usually WO1 positions. The highest ranking WO1 holds the position of Sergeant Major of the Army.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has a single warrant officer rank, addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". This rank is equivalent to the Army WO1. The RNZN's highest-ranking warrant officer is the Warrant Officer of the Navy.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force also has a single warrant officer rank, equivalent to the Navy warrant officer, and the Army warrant officer class 1. A warrant officer in the RNZAF is addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". Previously an aircrew warrant officer was known as master aircrew; however this rank and designation is no longer used. The RNZAF also has a post of Warrant Officer of the Air Force, the most senior warrant officer position in the RNZAF.
There is also the Warrant Officer of the Defence Force. This appointment is held by a warrant officer class one, or warrant officer.