CHIEF WARRANT AND WARRANT OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

CHIEF WARRANT AND WARRANT OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
United States Coast Guard

c/oJames Creek Marina
200 V Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024
TELEPHONE 202-554-7753, FAX 202-484-0641

April 28, 2000

The Honorable Walter B. Jones
U.S. House of Representatives
422 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Jones:
This letter deals with H.R. 4313; the "Non-Commissioned Officer and Petty Officer Pay Table Equity Act."
This Association is a Charter Member of The Military Coalition and represents more than 1,500 Coast Guard warrant officers of the active Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve. You will soon receive a letter of support for your Bill from The Military Coalition. Our association joins with the U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association in supporting a revision to the NCO/CPO pay tables, if there is a corresponding adjustment to the pay tables of warrant officers.
The community of Coast Guard Warrant Officers fully supports any initiative to provide proper compensation to mid-career noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and chief petty officers (CPOs). Warrant Officers are primarily recruited from the NCO/CPO ranks and have strong "roots" with this community. Warrant officers work in "hard skill" technical fields, typically very closely with the NCO/CPO force. Warrant Officers fully understand the professional and personal demands placed on the NCOs/CPOs and their families.
Regardless of how well deserved pay adjustment is for the NCO/CPO, we cannot offer unconditional support for unilateral revision of NCO/CPO pay tables. There must be a corresponding adjustment to the pay tables of warrant officers.
Over the years, the pay of the NCO/CPO has grown ever closer to that of the Warrant Officer. The resulting "pay compression" is a real problem that increasingly makes it more difficult to attract superb performing NCOs/CPOs into the warrant officer ranks.
The pay compression situation is further explained and documented in the attached paper. Please do not hesitate to call if you or any of your staff have questions. I stand ready to assist in any way possible.
Respectfully,
/original signed/
Robert L. Lewis
CWO4, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired)
Executive Director

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