Chief warrant officer 2 (W-2)

How to read it

DA Pamphlet 670-1 describes the CW2 insignia as a silver-colored bar, 3/8 inch wide and 1 1/8 inches long, with two black enamel squares. A Warrant officer 1 (W-1) has one square and a Chief warrant officer 3 (W-3) three. CW2 is the grade at which a warrant officer is commissioned: the Army’s ranks page says CW2s become commissioned officers as provided by the president, and the Department of Defense says warrant officers receive commissions from the president on promotion to chief warrant officer 2. The Army describes CW2s as intermediate-level technical and tactical experts at detachment through battalion level. The Department of Defense lists the grade as W-2.

Also searched as: CW2.

Not a first lieutenant’s bar

A First lieutenant (O-2) also wears a single silver bar, but DA Pamphlet 670-1 describes it as plain, with a smooth surface, and 1 inch long; the warrant officer’s bar is 1 1/8 inches and carries black squares.

How a chief warrant officer is addressed

Army Regulation 600-20 gives the title of address for chief warrant officers 2 to 5 as “Chief” or Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms. The Army Recruiting Command’s customs training says all five warrant officer ranks are addressed as “Mr.” or “Ms.” followed by the last name.