Eight warrant officer candidates from the Idaho Army National Guard and one warrant officer candidate from the Utah National Guard were among the first in the nation to graduate and earn their new rank from their home state or Regional Training Institute on Aug. 4 as part of a revised training schedule being implemented for the phased commissioning program across the country.
In the past, National Guard warrant officer candidates who elected to commission through the phased program began Phase I of their training at Warrant Officer Candidate School in RTIs at their home base or in the region over the course of five training periods. Phase II of training occurred over the course of two weeks at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and candidates completed training there and received their new rank.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chad Thomas, Idaho National Guard WOCS commander, said the change switches the phases so candidates can begin training at Camp Atterbury and complete WOCS at their home base or a regional RTI. It also reduces the number of training days in the accelerated course at Fort McClellan, Alabama, from 28 to 24. Thomas said the changes were the result of input received during a two-day workshop hosted by the Reserve Component Warrant Officer Candidate School’s Regional Training Institute. During the workshop, more than 80 personnel from all 27 RTIs worked with National Guard Bureau leadership to modernize the program.
Thomas said the Idaho National Guard is also working to keep turnover low by implementing a WOCS preparatory course to prepare candidates for Phase I before they report to Camp Atterbury.
“It was the perfect course,” said Thomas. “They were really lenient with the cadres, the candidates understood the changes and it was a really good experience.”
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Edward Barnowski, Idaho’s command chief warrant officer, said the changes allow home state units to make the course more personal, emphasize local history and make graduation ceremonies more accessible to family members.
“The new schedule and curriculum have really opened up new opportunities for us here and allow us to hold graduation events,” Barnowski said.
The Idaho candidates participated in a staff trip to Minidoka, a World War II-era Japanese internment camp near Twin Falls, hosted a mentor dinner and participated in a victory run at Gowen Field.
“It’s just a more personal experience for the candidates,” he said. “There were so many families at the graduation. They were really excited to see their soldiers complete this course, and they’ve never had the opportunity to do that before.”
The graduates of Warrant Officer Candidate School, 2nd Modular Training Battalion, 204th Regiment, Class 24-001, are: Warrant Officers Jesse J. Bliss, Simonne A. Boice, Tori J. Frederick, David G. McKenna, Devon K. Middleton, Phillip D. Pallister, David A. Reese, Jared A. Scott, and Cade D. Terry.