New York National Guard Office of the Adjutant General

Strengthening the Warrant Officer Cohort

Command Message By Chief Warrant Office 5 William Solmo,
NY National Guard Command Chief Warrant Officer

As the Command Chief Warrant Officer for the New York Army National Guard, my role is to help recruit and develop the warrant officer corps for our 11,600- member force.

Warrant officers are a small force who fill a unique role between the Army’s command teams and the enlisted force. We serve as the technical experts and problem solvers who bridge the gap between the planners and those who execute the plan.

At our core, we are warfighters—leaders who enable combat power through expertise, precision, and the commitment to excellence.

While my comments are directed specifically at the 255 Warrant Officers in the New York Army National Guard, I believe they can apply to every member of the Army and Air Guard, and the New York Naval Militia as well.

Now, more than ever, we warrant officers must refocus on what truly matters: recruiting and retaining warrant officers, military excellence, readiness, the warfighting mission and the future of the warrant officer corps.

These priorities are not just words—they are the foundation of our success.

We need more warrant officers so we can support and execute both active duty and state active duty missions. Whether it is in maintenance, intelligence, aviation, logistics, or any other field, we need enough warrant officers so the Army can fight and win.

Each of us must continuously hone our technical skills, sharpen our tactical awareness, and always ask ourselves: Is what we are doing contributing directly to combat effectiveness? If the answer is no, then we need to adjust fire.

Soldiers and leaders rely on us to deliver results, and we must always be prepared to answer the call.

We must train, certify, and validate ourselves and those we mentor. We must ensure every mission-critical item—whether it is a weapon system, a vehicle, or a logistical operation—works.

Excellence means embracing a culture of accountability.

If something is broken, we fix it. If a system isn’t working, we refine it. If standards are slipping, we correct them. Excellence is not optional.

We must ensure we are personally ready.

Physical fitness, marksmanship, battlefield survivability, and tactical proficiency are just as critical as technical expertise.

As Warrant Officers, we must enforce standards, lead by example, and eliminate anything that detracts from combat effectiveness. It also means training and mentoring the next generation to carry forward a warrior’s mindset.

We must focus on improving sustainment operations and ensuring that logistics systems are optimized for battlefield conditions.

Gen. Randy George, Army Chief of Staff, said that we perform “unnecessary maintenance” at an annual cost of 632 man-years.

Logistics drives operations, so we must ensure that every system, policy, and process is built for speed, efficiency, and effectiveness in combat. If something is slowing down the fight, we need to be the ones who fix it.

The strength of the Warrant Officer Cohort depends on identifying, mentoring, and retaining the best talent. The next generation of Warrant Officers will not find their way to us on their own—we must seek them out, guide them, and show them the value of this profession.

Recruiting must be deliberate. We need to engage top-performing NCOs early, educate them on what it means to be a Warrant Officer, and help them navigate the process. If we aren’t actively bringing in the best talent, then we are failing our future force.

Retention is just as critical. Warrant Officers must feel valued and see a clear path for career progression. We need to foster professional growth, ensure opportunities for development, and provide mentorship that keeps them engaged.

The Warrant Officer Cohort of the New York Army National Guard has a proud history of excellence, but we cannot rest on our past successes.

Now is the time to reset our focus—on warfighting, Soldier skills, technical mastery, and leadership.

The battlefield of the future will be fast, complex, and unforgiving. To ensure victory, we must refocus on the warfighting mission, military excellence, readiness, and the future of our cohort.

I challenge every Warrant Officer to act. Master your craft. Mentor the next generation. Streamline processes that impact the fight. Ensure that you and those around you are truly ready.

These are not passive responsibilities: they are active commitments that will define the success of our force.

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