Focus Group Report
#1 Finance Warrant Officer
FOCUS GROUP LEADER CW4(R) Harry Wilson
MEMBERS CW5 David Koch, CW5 Charlie Parker, CW4Randy
Niedt, CW4(R) Gregory Gouty, CW4(R) William Whealy, CW3 John Dill,
CW2 Mike Ciampa, CW2 Thomas White
ISSUE Many personnel warrant officers in the Reserve
Components act as finance officers at various levels.
DISCUSSION Many of these serving warrant officers
have had identical training and duties and responsibilities of their
Finance Corps Officer counterparts (LTs, CPTs, MAJs).The
personnel warrant officers that are assigned these duties are not
performing their personnel duties of which other personnel warrant
officers will have to. It appears that the bill payer has been
established. There have been recent advances in software
programs that will eventually enhance the service provided by the
personnel and finance branches. Two systems that are currently being
tested are:
1. The Defense Integrated
Military Human Resource System (DIMHRS)
2. General Funds Enterprise
Business System (GFEBS)
These two systems are due to be fielded to all military
departments within DoD to include all Guard and Reserve components.
Fielding is scheduled for later in FY07. The software components of
these two systems will enable trained individuals to take care of
both personnel and finance transactions thereby eliminating the need
for a Finance Warrant Officer and easing the shortages currently
experienced in the Active Duty Finance Corps.
RECOMMENDATION The recommendation of this focus group
is to table this issue until the 2007 AMM in San Antonio based on
the fielding of these two systems. USAWOA Headquarters will monitor
the progress of these two systems to verify the need to surface the
Finance Warrant Officer issue in the future.
Focus Group Report #2 Deployed Chapters
FOCUS GROUP LEADER CW4 CANDIS MARTIN
MEMBERS CW5 Billy Ray Robinson, CW5 Philip
Tackett,CW5(R) Ed Stephenson, CW4 Don Brown, CW4 Ron Lafferty,CW4(R)
Bill Buss, CW3(R) Charles Schue
ISSUE USAWOA currently has no provisions in their
bylaws for recognizing or formally supporting deployed chapters.
DISCUSSION Army policies regarding private
organizations in deployed areas do not allow formal recognition or
organization of private organizations in those deployed areas.
USAWOA bylaws and manuals do not allow for granting charters to
stand-alone deployed chapters or recognize ad hoc chapters in
deployed areas. USAWOA does support the home station chapter of
deployed units in the name of that home station chapter. USAWOA has
supported deployed warrant officers with extra copies of NEWSLINERs
as well as other assistance regarding USAWOA operations and
information. Deployed chapters in most instances would not be
able to fulfill the requirements of a chapter as outlined in the
USAWOA bylaws and manuals. Many deployed warrant officers have come
together and held gatherings in the name of USAWOA with varying
degrees of success. Most deployed warrant officers would welcome the
idea of gatherings/meetings for professional development and social
purposes.
RECOMMENDATION
National form a committee to research the means USAWOA can
represent deployed Warrant Officers through an informal or formal
relationship to the Association."
Focus Group Report #3 Active Component Command
Chief Warrant Officers
FOCUS GROUP LEADER CW5 ANTHONY ROTTI
MEMBERS CW5 Daun Arsenberger, CW5 Joseph Diaz,
CW5Michael Gillis, CW5 Sal Green, CW5 Paul Merchant, CW4(P) Barbara
Carpenter, CW3 Stephanie Adams
ISSUE Should USAWOA support Active Component Command
Chief Warrant Officers (CCWOs)?DISCUSSION CCWOs are currently
integrated into the National Guard and Reserve components with
successful programs to enhance warrant officer development and
issues. Each CCWO is an advisor to their commander and a
mentor to their junior warrant officers. One area in which the
active component needs improvement is in structured programs for
mentorship and working warrant officer issues within their commands.
RECOMMENDATION USAWOA support Active Component CCWOs.
CCWO positions should be at the 2-Star level command and higher and
keep the current Senior Warrant Officer Advisors to the CSA and
VCSA. USAWOA Headquarters appoint a committee to draft a proposal to
the Chapters for input NLT 1 March 2007. USAWOA present proposal NLT
30 Jun 07.
Focus Group Report
#4 Electronic Voting
FOCUS GROUP LEADER
CW4(R) PETE HILL
MEMBERS - CW5 Robert
Arms, CW4 Francis Pablo, CW4Gabino Seda, CW4(R) Percy Butler, CW4(R)
Robert Voges,CW2 Patrick Morris
ISSUE USAWOA has no
procedures to distribute or collect proxies or ballots
electronically.
DISCUSSION USAWOA
bylaws require proxies and ballots to be mailed to each member and
returned by mail to the committee handling proxies/ballots for that
years meeting. Many of the members are in deployed areas that
require extended lead time in order for them to receive and send
anything by mail. USAWOA currently does routine business by
electronic means in regards to membership updates, new member
applications, and renewal applications. To ensure timely
distribution and collection of proxies and ballots electronic
procedures is a way to make that happen. This will allow for
quicker return of proxies and ballots to ensure quorums are met to
conduct business at our annual meetings.
RECOMMENDATION USAWOA
change bylaws and other manuals to allow for electronic distribution
and collection of proxies and ballots.
Albert Holcombe
Memorial Warrant Officer of the Year
- see picture & story
top of page.
CW4 (Ret) Gregory A. Gouty,
President, Aberdeen/Edgewood Chapter, Northeast Region
Virginia Holcombe Memorial Warrant Officer Spouse of
the Year
-
Valerie Valiant, wife of National president CW4 (Ret) Roy Valiant -
see picture & story
bottom of page.
Don Hess Presidents Award
-
CW5 Franklin D. Meeks, USAWOA
Immediate Past President
CW5 John W. Chizmar. President
Morning Calm Chapter, Western Region
Best Website
Fort Hood Silver Chapter
Highest Recruiting Award First State Chapter
Best Recruiting Award First State Chapter
Best Retention Award
Big Sky Chapter
Overall Best Chapter for Recruiting and Retention
Rheinland-Phalz Silver Chapter
Overall Best Region for Recruiting and Retention
Northeast Region
Community Affairs Award for Services
Fort
Bragg Silver Chapter
Community Affairs Award for Donations
Arlington Hall Minuteman Chapter
Community Affairs Award for Sustaining Programs
Fort Lowell-Apache Chapter
Best Professional Development Program Award
Arizona Silver Chapter
Years of Service Streamer Awards will be posted at a
later date.
U.
S. Army Warrant Officers Association