U. S. Army Warrant Officers Association

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Warrant Officer Mentorship

 

| Introduction | Origin of the Word Mentor | Mentor's Guide | Army Diversity |

| Key Links & Contacts | Other Resources | Credits | Army Mentorship Resource Center |

 

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Mentorship - A Valuable Leadership Skill

 

 

 

 

Reminder - Warrant Officer Recruiting is part of being a Warrant Officer!

Warrant Officer Recruiting is taking part in choosing who will replace us!

 

 

Introduction

 

By definition, a mentor is a "close, trusted, and experienced counselor or guide". A mentor is further defined as a "teacher, tutor, and coach". Mentorship is defined as the "influence, guidance, or direction exerted by a mentor."

 

Modern use of mentor refers to an experienced, senior leader or manager who develops younger, less experienced leaders and provides career counseling and sponsorship to these individuals.

 

During 1985, the Army's Year of "Leadership", the art of mentorship was revisited and revived. We must continually develop leaders who will know how to fight and win on the battlefields of the future. 

 

Mentorship contributes to the development of these future leaders.

 

Mentorship is a two-way street. The mentor must be willing to share knowledge, training, and experience in a trusted and respected atmosphere. In turn, the individual receiving the mentorship must trust and respect the mentor, while being open and receptive to the process. Caring is the core of mentorship. A mentor may care as a parent cares. Mentors risk disappointment, failure, and rejection. This should never be a reason to give up.

 

We must remember that mentorship means taking some risks, to include allowing our protégés to make mistakes during their training. Without the proper command climate, mentorship can not be practiced.

 

We owe it to our warrant officer candidates and junior warrant officers to clarify their career goals and help develop long term career strategies toward advancement. We should also aid in developing their short term career plans. We must share our knowledge and instruct them in technical, leadership and management skills.

 

We should also provide personal and job counseling where appropriate.

 

Above all, senior warrant officers must be role models. That is what mentorship is all about. We must all contribute in the development of the warrant officers who will come behind us.

 

Written by CW5 (Ret) Dave Welsh in March 1991 while a student at the Master Warrant Officer Training Course (now the Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course) at the then Warrant Officer Career Center, now Warrant Officer Career College, Fort Rucker, Alabama.

 

Still Another Definition of Mentorship

(Courtesy of Warrant Officer Net)

 

Mentorship - The voluntary developmental relationship that exists between a person of greater experience and a person of lesser experience that is characterized by mutual trust and respect.

  • Mentorship provides a non-threatening avenue to seek advice.
  • It enhances and accelerates the leader development that's conducted routinely within the chain of command.
  • It enables individuals to reach their full capability and skills.
  • It helps increase confidence and self-awareness.
  • It increases opportunities for networking and promotion.
  • It is a combat multiplier that improves readiness and retention of our Army.

  • Mentorship - The voluntary developmental relationship that exists.

 

Army Diversity

 

The Army defines diversity as the different attributes, experiences, and backgrounds of our Soldiers, Civilians and Family Members that further enhance our global capabilities and contribute to an adaptive, culturally astute Army.  The Army's diversity mission is to develop and implement a strategy that contributes to mission readiness while transforming and sustaining the Army as a national leader in diversity.  For more information on Army Diversity, visit the web site at the following link: www.armydiversity.army.mil.

 

Origin Word Mentor

The story of the mentor comes from Homer's Odyssey. When Odysseus, King of Ithaca, went to fight in the Trojan War, he entrusted the care of his household to Mentor, who served as teacher and overseer of Odysseus's son, Telemachus.

 

After the war, Odysseus was condemned to wander vainly for ten years in his attempt to return home. In time, Telemachus now grown, went in search of his father. Telemachus was accompanied on his quest by Athena, Goddess of War and patroness of the arts and industry, who assumed the form of Mentor.

 

Eventually, father and son were reunited and together they cast down would-be usurpers of Odysseus's throne and of Telemachus' birthright. In time the word Mentor became synonymous with trusted advisor, friend, teacher and wise person.

 

(Thanks to the USAWOA Gold Rush Chapter and the Office of California Army Nation Guard 

Command Chief Warrant Officer for the above excerpt)

Warrant Officer Mentor's Guide

NOTICE: Army Publications Directorate at www.apd.army.mil (formerly the U.S. Army Publications Agency). This is a new web site address to access Army Regulations and other administrative publications.  All references to Army Regulations and Pamphlets below can be viewed and/or downloaded using the above link and by clicking on "Administrative" in the box under "Publishing News - Headlines" and then selecting the Regulation "Series".

Warrant officer mentors should share knowledge, experience, and act as a role model. Through mentorship, each new candidate and newly appointed warrant officer will maximize their potential. The following are specific points that should be covered:

 

How to Become an Army Warrant Officer at http://usawocc.army.mil/warrant_off/howtowo.htm (The premier reference on this subject at the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, AL) 

 

Show WOCS Video "So You Want to be a Warrant Officer" 

 

Use Recent WOCS Graduates to:

  • Brief new WO Candidates

  • Obtain current information about WOCS, standards, what to expect, etc.

Physical Fitness Training to The Army Standard:

  • FM 21-20, Physical Fitness

  • Correspondence Subcourse IS 1250

  • APFT Standards Message Regarding Enrollment in WOCS and OCS and Change 1 to the Policy - see both messages.

Preparation for Attendance at WOCS:

  • Warrant Officer Career Center "WOCS General Information Memo"

  • Warrant Officer Career Center "WOCS Orientation Pam"

  • WOCS Welcome Letters-Personal affairs in order and sufficient funds for expenses

  • AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Para. 27-15 - View, print or download (see notice)

  • FM 22-5, Drill and Ceremonies

Leadership Training/Counseling:

  • AR 600-20, Army Command Policy - View, print or download (see notice)

  • Correspondence Subcourse IS 7015

  • History of the Warrant Officer, DA Pam 600-11, Ch 2 - View FM 22-100 at www.fm22-100.army.mil

Communicative Skills:

  • Army Writing Guide  - View at http://usawocc.army.mil/IMI/

  • Correspondence Subcourse AG 0120 and IS 1400

  • Oral Communication/Briefings:

  • FM 101-5, Military Briefings and Conferences, Appendix C

  • Correspondence Subcourse IS 1703 and 1704

Extensive Information on WOCS is available at http://usawocc.army.mil/woes/wocs.htm 

 

Mentorship, have we got it right yet? (by CW5 (Ret) Bob Huffman, WO Net Team Leader) (See complete Article )

Largely in response to a number of complaints from junior and mid-grade Soldiers, the Army leadership took notice to a perceived lack mentoring during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Army began emphasizing mentorship through a series of different programs. In some cases, there were some rather “hokey” initiatives that seemed less than honest attempts but on the whole I have have seen the Army improve considerably. In the linked article originally published in the Army Medical Department Journal, COL Mark Melanson proposed 10 rules for mentors:

1. It’s Not About You

2. Always Maintain Confidences

3. Set and Enforce Boundaries

4. Know Your Limitations

5. Keep Your Promises

6. Listen and Ask Questions

7. Reach out to Junior Officers

8. Don’t Sugarcoat Feedback

9. Be Yourself

10. Commit to Continuous Learning

Other Resources - See Mentorship on our Downloads page.

 

 

Key Warrant Officer Program Links & Points of Contact

 

Army Warrant Officer Recruiting - "How to Become a Warrant Officer"

 

Warrant Officer Recruiting: 

Application of USAR AGR enlisted members for training and appointment as USAR AGR Warrant Officer (WO) to fill AGR WO requirements (See Army Message). Prerequisites and forms are available at www.usarc.army.mil/retn/.

 

 

Other Resources

 

Army Warrant Officer Class schedules and information for the Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course, Warrant Officer Staff Course, Warrant Officer Advanced Courses, and Warrant Officer Candidate School information a can be found on the Warrant Officer Career Center website. Also, Warrant Officer Must Reading - Training has warrants developing staff officer skills, by Gina Cavallaro, Staff writer, Army Times (Courtesy WO Net).

 

Command Experience of an Aviation Warrant Officer through Mentorship and Counseling by CW4 Sam R. Baker is still another must reading article for senior Warrant Officers - see article.Developing and Executing a Mentorship Program - recommend a solid review of FM 6-22 first in your attempt to establish a mentorship program.  This book has to be read or scanned in entirety as it builds on the principles of building leaders; within Chapter 8 is an entire section on developing others and mentorship.  Appendix B discusses counseling which will also be beneficial. Mentorship is the voluntary developmental relationship that exists between a person of greater experience and a person of lesser experience that is characterized by mutual trust and respect (AR 600-100).

  • AR 350-1 Army training:  The take away here for warrant officers is all education is important to your development both the Institutional Military Education and Civilian Education that you may have to obtain on your own through self development.

  • DA PAM 600-3:  Take a look at the definition of what a WO is defined as being and then take a look at the chapter for your branch and the specific MOS for the officer to be mentored.  At each grade or stage are the three domain (institutional, operational and self development) goals for developmental purposes.

  • Army Mentorship Resource Center - You can visit the Army Mentorship Resource Center at http://mentorship.army.mil; from this site you can also log on to the AKO Army Mentorship Community. As part of the new mentorship philosophy, “Leaving a Legacy Through Mentorship,” the sites are designed to help bring mentors and mentees together. The new Army Mentorship Community and Army Mentorship Resource Center web sites are now operational and available to those with Army Knowledge Online access.

  • See also several items under "Mentorship" on the USAWOA Online Downloads Page.

"Warrant Officer Recruiting and Retention Plan" a "must read" article on initiatives to fill WO positions in the Active Army, ARNG, and USAR force structure. Read it now. (Courtesy Warrant Officer Net)

How to Write Effective and Appropriate Evaluation Narratives for OERs - Provides practical guidance and advice to rating officials on writing effective and appropriate narratives for Officer Evaluation Reports (OER).  The information in this briefing should not be perceived as definitive guidance on writing narratives that would guarantee an officer's selection for promotion.  It is simply provided as an informal guide to assist rating officials in conveying to selection boards their assessment of the rated officer's performance and potential - see slides.

 

Army Warrant Officer Values Posters at http://usawocc.army.mil/Leadership/values.htm

or Official posters from the Army Warrant Officer Career Center.

 

Articles By and About Warrant Officers at ProfAndMilReading.htm#Articles.

 

Army Warrant Officer Recruiting Visit Locations by Date and Selection Board Dates by Warrant Officer Specialty are available at www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/brfloc1.htm.

 

Expectations - 'What a Commander Expects' & 'What a Warrant Officer Expects'

Hints for New Warrant Officers

Mentorship - see our Downloads page.

 

Preparation for upcoming boards - Boards require significant attention to detail by all officers under consideration. You must be vigilant to insure that your records portray you to the best advantage. 

Membership in National Military Service-Related Organizations - provides the opportunity for Professional Development, Mentorship, and Networking with you peers. For attendance at Meetings of National Service-Related Organizations - see more.

Professional and Military Reading  - Professional and Military Reading.

 

Quartermaster Warrant Officer Mentorship

Things junior officers should know about the "Chief" by CW4 Chris Volkert is another must read and be lived up to article for all Warrant Officers. You should also tactfully give this article to Lieutenants and Captains, particularly if you are assigned at Company level - see article.

 

Toxic Leadership by COL George E. Reed, USA - see article. (Courtesy of Warrant Officer Net)

 

Upcoming Events for Professional Development Seminars and other events

 

U. S. Air Force Cadet/Officer Mentorship Action Program - AFCOMAP.

 

This guide is based on an Initiative of the United States Army Reserve Command.

 

It has been expanded and is distributed as a service to the Warrant Officer Corps

by the U. S. Army Warrant Officers Association.

 

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USAWOA Online 8/5/2010