Warrant officer (W-1)

How to read it

Marine warrant officers are specialists who lead and train Marines in their military occupational specialty. The secretary of the Navy approves a warrant for a Sergeant (E-5) (E-5) or a staff NCO (E-6 to E-9) to become one. A warrant officer holds a warrant, not a commission: Marine warrant officers are commissioned on promotion to chief warrant officer 2 (W-2), which the Department of Defense describes as a commission from the president. Defense.gov lists the rank as Warrant Officer 1; the Marine Corps’ own list calls it Warrant Officer.

Also searched as: warrant officer 1, warrant officer marines, WO, WO1.

Two ways to count the blocks

The Marine Corps’ uniform regulations describe the insignia as a gold bar with two scarlet enamel blocks. The Navy’s officer-training guide describes the same device the other way round: a bar with a red background and one gold break, counting the gold between the blocks.

Warrant officer or second lieutenant?

Both bars are gold, and the regulations make the warrant officer’s bar the same type as the second lieutenant’s. The scarlet blocks are the difference; the second lieutenant’s bar is plain.

Marine or Army?

The Army’s warrant officer 1 wears a silver bar with one black enamel square.