When and why did the USAF do away with Warrant Officers?

[Tripler]

Bear with me here. . .

I finally entered active duty in Dec 1999, but even before that, I knew that there were no Warrant Officers in the US Air Force.

I Googled for a bit, but couldn’t find an answer or date as to why they disbanded the WO Corps, or when they did it. Anyone been around long enough to know why?

Tripler
FWIW: The Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard still have WOs.

[rippingtons_fan]

@Tripler

Bear with me here. . .

I finally entered active duty in Dec 1999, but even before that, I knew that there were no Warrant Officers in the US Air Force.

I Googled for a bit, but couldn’t find an answer or date as to why they disbanded the WO Corps, or when they did it. Anyone been around long enough to know why?

Tripler
FWIW: The Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard still have WOs.

You can find a lot of the information you’re seeking at the Forum at the following URL:

PIPNI.cz - Moderní hosting

[astro]

There’s this study if you can find it

Neal, Billy C. An Investigation of the Reasons for Discontinuing the USAF Warrant Officer Program an Its Effect on the Air Force Personnel Grade Structure. Maxwell AFB, AL, Air University , Air Command and Staff College, April 1965. 36p.
Doc. call no.: M-U 35582-7 N338i

Here’s a newsgroup discussion of the issue

And the Navy too has warrant officers. Here’s how the game works…
When an enlisted rating gets to the point of qualifying as an NCO (to be
a Chief Petty Officer, or Chief), he actually has three paths to choose
(assuming he’s got the right abilitys, etc, for each path)…

1. Remain in the Enlisted ranks an an NCO, becoming a Chief, then
   Senior Chief, then MAster Chief
2. Try and select for an officer, becoming a Limited Duty Officer, or LDO.
3. Try to select as a Warrant officer.
   I’ve seen most of the Warrant officers in the navy as Ship’s Boatcoxwain,
   etc, or as specialized weapon systems/engineering officers. The Navy
   seems to be phasing out the Warrant Officer rank, and urging them into
   the LDO route.

As to where Warrant Officer stand in commanding order, good question?

But Warrants do not get the same pay as officers. A Navy LT (O-3) makes
more than a Navy WO4 (the highest Warrant officer rank). Both make more
than a Master Chief (E-9). But guess who gets the most respect?

[Scruloose]

From the newsgroup discussion above:

When an enlisted rating gets to the point of qualifying as an NCO (to be a Chief Petty Officer, or Chief)…

This is incorrect. An NCO in the Navy and Coast Guard starts at Petty Officer (E4).
Scruloose, a Chief Boatswain’s Mate who’s just applied for Warrant.

[Tripler]

@rippingtons_fan

You can find a lot of the information you’re seeking at the Forum at the following URL:
http://www.uniforminsignia.net

Actually, I’m having trouble finding anything specific. . . Do you have any particular links?

Tripler
I’m curious about the policy behind the change.

[LSLGuy]

Try this: http://www.usawoa.org/woheritage/WO_Prog_Other_Svc.htm#usaf

I only skimmed through their website, but it seems authoritative on WO matters of the Army. There may be some more useful links for USAF WOs on a links page I didn’t notice.

This says the program was discontinued in 1959, which if true, would say info on the whys & wherefores would probably be scarce on the Net. Not may agencies have posted archives that far back.

I skimmed the pdf they refer to and it geves a pretty good potted history as well.
I was an active duty USAF officer through the 1980s and I recall seeing a USAF W4 exactly once, some time around 1983 at Langley AFB, VA, the HQ of what was then Tactical Air Command.

He was old (ie mid 40s), looked like a national Guard or Reserve type (longish hair by USAF stds) and overall looked like the last of a dying breed. I had to look at his rank & uni 3 or 4 times to process what I was seeing and make sure he wasn’t a Coasty or with some foreign air force.

I wonder if the guy I saw was the guy they mention as the last of those Mohicans.

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

Warrant Officers were discontinued when the “supergrades” of Chief and Senior Master Sergeants were created in 1959.

I have some books somewhere where this is addressed. Let me see what I can dig up and I’ll come back to this.

[Tripler]

astro and LSLGuy, thanks for the links. astro, I read that article, and it makes sense.

What strikes me is how early on they made the change. I had no idea it was back in the 50s!

Thanks guys!

Tripler
If my Cannon AFB construction job doesn’t go well, I’m sure they’ll bring back the program just for me. LD