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Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3

W-3 Warrant Officer, U.S. Marine Corps
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Marine Corps Ranks » Chief Warrant Officer 3 RankCW3 PayCW3 Rank History

Rank badge of a Chief Warrant Officer 3 W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 - U.S. Marine Corps Ranks

Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3
Marine Corps W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Marine Corps Military Ranks
Class Warrant Officer
Abbr. CW3
Title Warrant Officer (last name) Infantry: Gunner (last name)
Paygrade W-3 (DoD Paygrade)
WO-3 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $4,376/mo

Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) is the third Warrant Officer rank in the Unites States Marine Corps. They are officially appointed by the the Secretary of the Marine Corps. They are advanced level experts of both the technical and tactical aspects of leading in their field. Responsibilities of a Chief Warrant Officer 3 are ones that would typically call for the authority of a commissioned officer but require also the intricate technical abilities and experience a commissioned officer would not have has the opportunity to achieve. They provide the guidance, assistance and supervision their subordinates need to perform their duties. They typically support operations from team to brigade levels.

The rank insignia of a Chief Warrant Officer 3 is the same as a Warrant Officer 1's, but instead of one gold horizontal stripe on a maroon field, it is one silver stripe on a maroon field.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 is the 15th rank in the United States Marine Corps , ranking above Chief Warrant Officer 2 and directly below Chief Warrant Officer 4. A chief warrant officer 3 is a Warrant Officer at DoD paygrade W-3, with a starting monthly pay of $4,376.

How do you become a Chief Warrant Officer 3?

A Chief Warrant Officer 3 is most often promoted from Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.

W-2s are selected for promotion to W-3 via CWO/LDO selection boards. Selection is competitive, and eligibility begins after two years of time-in-grade.

What is the proper way to address a Chief Warrant Officer 3?

The correct way to address a Chief Warrant Officer 3 named Mr. Rodriguez is "Warrant Officer Rodriguez Infantry: Gunner Rodriguez", or written as CW3 Rodriguez. In formal situations, a Chief Warrant Officer 3 should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Chief Warrant Officer 3 earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Chief Warrant Officer 3 with 2 or less years of experience is $4,376.40 per month.

A Chief Warrant Officer 3 receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Chief Warrant Officer 3's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3 may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hostile fire pay, retirement benefits, and more.

For full details on the Marine Corps' Chief Warrant Officer 3 compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3 Pay Chart. A full table of the Marine Corps' current paygrades are available at the Marine Corps Pay Chart.

Patch of a Chief Warrant Officer 3 Equivalent Ranks to the Marine Corps' W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3

To learn more about the Marine Corps' rank structure, see our complete list of Marine Corps ranks.

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Chief Warrant Officer 3 is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Marine Corps rank to GS grade conversion table .

To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Marine Corps and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.