Illinois National Guard Holds Warrant Officer Symposium

The Illinois National Guard hosted a Warrant Officer Symposium on Sept. 11-12 at the Illinois Military Academy on Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois.

The event brought together warrant officers from across the state to receive guidance from senior military leaders and discuss key issues affecting the Warrant Officer Corps.

Senior leaders in attendance included Illinois State Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas Black, Col. Brian Gerber, Senior Army Advisor for the Illinois Army National Guard, Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian Searcy, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army National Guard, Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wendy Robinson of the Indiana National Guard, Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles A. Mattison of Wisconsin National Guard, Col. (P) Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General-Army of the Illinois National Guard and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Kehinde Salami, Senior Enlisted Leader of the Illinois National Guard.

The symposium covered a wide range of topics, including recruiting and retention efforts, the future of the Warrant Officer Corps, and ongoing improvements at the National Guard Bureau. Leaders also emphasized the critical role of warrant officers in the modern Army National Guard.

"The Warrant Officers in the Illinois National Guard have a unique ability to inspire and guide our Soldiers," said Col. Williams. "They are recognized as subject matter experts and have always been innovators within the Illinois Army National Guard."

Williams underscored the importance of continuing to develop the Warrant Officer Corps to ensure future battlefield readiness. "As an organization, we must continue to seek out senior noncommissioned officers and high-performing enlisted Soldiers to become the warrant officers of tomorrow," said Williams.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Black highlighted the value of the symposium as a forum for warrant officers to collaborate and discuss important issues.

"By focusing on experience, education, and relationships, we will strengthen the Illinois Army National Guard Warrant Officer Corps," Black said.

Black also announced plans to implement the Warrant Officer Candidate Advisement Program (WOCAP) in Illinois, a successful initiative already in place in the Indiana National Guard.

"The program has a success rate of over 90% in transitioning Soldiers from enlisted to warrant officer, and we are excited to bring it to Illinois," said Black.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Searcy provided insight into the future of the Warrant Officer Corps, including upcoming training requirements and deployment considerations, drawing on his experience as principal advisor to the director of the Army National Guard.

"The positive feedback from attendees was encouraging, and we plan to hold this symposium in the future to continue fostering leadership and strengthening our Warrant Officer Corps," Black concluded.

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