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The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command hosted the Rheinland-Pfalz 100th U.S. Army Warrant Officer Commemoration at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Kaiserslautern, Germany on June 29. The centennial celebration included a 2-mile fun run and walk, a commemoration ceremony, command chief warrant officer relinquishment of responsibility ceremony and a call to arms.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 David V. Jones, 10 AAMDC command chief warrant officer, said this commemorative event is special because it represents a cohort who bolsters readiness for our Army, joint partners and multi-national allies.
“The 10 AAMDC hosting this event shows the organizational leadership’s willingness to fully embrace the Chief of Staff of the Army directed change,” Jones said. “The role of the U.S. Army warrant officer as approved by the CSA, has grown immensely over the past two decades. The Army has consistently been an organization willing to change, grow and develop and I think 10 AAMDC, by hosting this event, has adopted the 243-year example the Army has set.”
Jones said the Army has expanded the role of warrant officers, which now includes double-digit adjectives which can be used to help gauge our cohort’s effectiveness to build Army readiness on a daily basis.
“Conversely in 2000, when I became a warrant officer, there were less than five adjectives, thus highlighting the tremendous evolution and expansion of Warrant Officer roles and responsibilities from a holistic perspective,” he said. “The single greatest benefit of serving others as a warrant officer today, remains the opportunity to earn elite level expertise coupled with advanced leadership skills as this unique combination continues to save lives and defeat our adversaries from a multi-domain battle equation via balancing complex and dynamic battlefield geometry and technological variables.”
Col. David E. Shank, 10 AAMDC commander said warrant officers remain extremely critical to the overall ability of our Army and 10 AAMDC to effectively fight tonight.
“Like all Army traditions, celebrating the 100th anniversary provides us an opportunity to recognize the importance these tremendous experts and leaders bring to the fight every day,” Shank said. “As stated by the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence Commanding General, Major General Wilson Shoffner, 2018 represents the year of the warrant officer. It seems fitting that this year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the cohort and showcase these professional warriors.”
Shank said that he is extremely proud of the warrant officers in 10 AAMDC and those he had the distinct privilege to work alongside throughout his career.
“From my days as a second lieutenant in 2nd Infantry Division to now, warrant officers have played an integral part in my Army education and have helped make me a better leader and warrior,” he said.
During his relinquishment ceremony Jones thanked his fellow warrant officers he served with during his time with the 10 AAMDC.
“I am truly grateful, humbled and honored to have had the remarkable opportunity to serve shoulder to shoulder with each and every one of you as your very first command chief warrant officer,” Jones said.
Jones cited multiple accomplishments the 10 AAMDC warrant officers had accomplished during his tenure including: Department of the Army level Best Supply Support Activity winner, back to back U. S. Army Europe Army Award for Maintenance Excellence Winners, USAREUR Best Warrior Competition Winner, USAREUR General Douglas McArthur Leadership Award Winner, numerous professional military education distinguished honor graduates and Air Defense Artillery branch-level Shipton Award Winner.
“These are not my accomplishments, they are yours and I have been very proud to have served with such a talented team of experts, leaders and winners,” he said.
Jones said the CSA directed change with formalization of command chief warrant officer billets follows the Army warrant officer 2025 strategy. In 2015, the ADA branch embraced that change when the command chief warrant officer position became a reality and this single change enabled an opportunity.
“Three years ago, I was given an opportunity and I had one desired end-state in mind: improve the organization,” Jones said. “However, it was not me; it was you. When it comes to readiness, increasing capacity and capability, being able to fight tonight and win in a complex world versus peer level adversaries who have the ability to execute multi-domain battle effects, that is what you did every day and you did it great.”
