Embroidered bullion insignia are a tasteful choice for Chief Warrant Officers 3 (CW3) wearing the Mess or Evening Mess uniforms. Although regulations permit the wear of nonsubdued metal insignia with these uniforms, the silver metallic bullion complements the other embroidered sleeve ornamentation such as the trefoil (sleeve knot) and the cuff braid.
First choose a Fabric color to match the jacket on which the insignia will be placed, then choose between Sew-On or Clutch Back styles. The latter features a pin-and-clutch design—just attach the insignia by inserting the pin through the jacket sleeve, then insert the tip of the pin into the clutch mechanism to secure it in place. Sew-On insignia are sewn directly onto the sleeves of the Blue or White Mess jacket to provide the most secure attachment possible.
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Mention Warrant Officers to most enlisted Army personnel, and you’re almost bound to hear something about helicopters when they reply. Warrant Officers have been closely linked to the Army’s aviation assets ever since World War II, when the rank of Flight Officer (same rank as a Warrant Officer Junior Grade) was established to fill the gap between available aviators and other flight-crew personnel and the number of commissioned pilots and navigators that were available at the time.
There are several Warrant Officer Military Occupational Specialties (WOMOS) in the Aviation Branch, including Air Traffic Control Technician, Aviation Maintenance Technician, and the relatively new Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations Technician. But the greatest Aviation-related demand in the Army is for 153A Rotary Wing Aviators; the need is so great that it is one of a small handful of WOMOS that accepts candidates from any MOS in the Army.
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Pre-2004 Warrant Officer Branch Items
However, not simply any Soldier who feels like a joystick jockey is embraced as a potential 153A candidate. Among the requirements for application are a minimum age of 18 and a maximum of 33 (waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis); achieving a minimum score of 40 on the Selection Instrument for Flight Training (SIFT) test; and passing a Flying Duty Medical Examination within 18 months of acceptance into Warrant Officer Candidate School. Hopefuls from within the Army also must submit a digitally signed letter of recommendation from an Army Aviator (at least a CW3 or higher), and all those accepted for training must successfully complete the U.S. Army Aviation Center Survival Escape Resistance and Evasion (SERE-C) course and the Helicopter Ditching and Dunker trainer.
For a full list of requirements that must be met to qualify for this WOMOS, check out the Warrant Officer Prerequisites and Duty Description for 153A Rotary Wing Aviator on the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Recruiting Web site.