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Army Warrant Officer 1

W-1 Warrant Officer, U.S. Army
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Chief Warrant Officer 2

Army Ranks » Warrant Officer 1 RankWO1 PayWO1 Rank HistoryPromotion Information

Rank badge of a Warrant Officer 1 W-1 Warrant Officer 1 - U.S. Army Ranks

Army Warrant Officer 1
Army W-1 Warrant Officer 1 Army Military Ranks
Class Warrant Officer
Abbr. WO1
Title Mr. (last name) or Chief (last name)
Paygrade W-1 (DoD Paygrade)
WO-1 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $3,740/mo

Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) is the first and lowest Warrant Officer rank in the Unites States Army. To be appointed as a Warrant Officer one must be proficient both at leading and their technical specialty. Enlisted members who wish to join the Warrant Officer program must submit a written application. These applications are then looked over by commanders, to make sure the applicant meets all eligibility requirements. They are then submitted as recommended with enthusiasm, confidence, reservation, or not recommended. They are officially appointed by the the Secretary of the Army. Responsibilities of a Warrant Officer 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.

The rank insignia of a Warrant Officer is a vertical silver bar that has one black stripe in the middle of it.

Warrant Officer 1 is the 14th rank in the United States Army , ranking above Sergeant Major of the Army and directly below Chief Warrant Officer 2. A warrant officer 1 is a Warrant Officer at DoD paygrade W-1, with a starting monthly pay of $3,740.

How do you become a Warrant Officer 1?

A Warrant Officer 1 is most often promoted from Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to Warrant Officer 1.

What is the proper way to address a Warrant Officer 1?

The correct way to address a Warrant Officer 1 named Mr. Garelick is "Mr. Garelick or Chief Garelick", or written as WO1 Garelick. In formal situations, a Warrant Officer 1 should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Warrant Officer 1 earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Warrant Officer 1 with 2 or less years of experience is $3,739.80 per month.

A Warrant Officer 1 receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Warrant Officer 1's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army Warrant Officer 1 may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including retirement benefits, hazard pay, food allowance, and more.

For full details on the Army's Warrant Officer 1 compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Army Warrant Officer 1 Pay Chart. A full table of the Army's current paygrades are available at the Army Pay Chart.

Military Occupational Specialties for Army's W-1 Warrant Officer 1

Warrent Officer is a highly specialized expert and trainer in his or her occupational specialty. Below are some of the enlisted specialties that could be occupied by a Warrent Officer.

Operating Room Specialist

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Financial Management Technician

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Prime Power Production Specialist

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Criminal Investigations Special Agent

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None

To learn more about Military Occupational Specialties, see our complete list of MOS job titles.

Patch of a Warrant Officer 1 Equivalent Ranks to the Army's W-1 Warrant Officer 1

Marine Corps Warrant Officer 1 - Equivalent to Warrant Officer 1
Marine Corps
Warrant Officer 1

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

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Warrant Officer 1 is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Army rank to GS grade conversion table .

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