| Warrant Officer Candidate School | |
|---|---|
 The USAWOCC patch was created in 2008. | |
| Active | 1918–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Type | Training |
| Role | Train and appoint U.S. Army Warrant Officers |
| Part of | Training and Doctrine Command and theU.S. Army Warrant Officer Career College |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Rucker, Alabama |
| Motto | "Strength in Knowledge" |
TheUnited States Army'sWarrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), located atFort Rucker,Alabama, providestraining for Soldiers to become awarrant officerin the U.S. Army orU.S. Army National Guard (also conducted via state Regional Training Institutes—RTI programs), with the recent exception ofU.S. Army Special Forces Warrant Officers. Since 2007, Special Forces Warrant Officers attend the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course (SF-WOTTC) atFort Bragg, North Carolina. As of January 2018[update], WOCS and SF-WOTTC are the only two training institutions which are authorized to appoint warrant officers in the U.S. Army.[citation needed] Warrant officer candidates are typically drawn from enlisted members (up toCommand Sergeant Major) and inter-service transfers.[1] In this case, Inter-Service Transfer refers to enlisted members of theU.S. Air Force,U.S. Coast Guard,U.S. Navy, orU.S. Marine Corps transferring to the U.S. Army to attend WOCS,[1] or civilian high school graduates who enlist for guaranteed attendance asaviation (flight) candidates at WOCS after they completeBasic Combat Training (BCT). Warrant officer candidates without prior enlisted service are informally referred to ashigh school to flight school orstreet to seat recruits by warrant officer candidates with prior enlisted service.[2][3]
WOCS is a five-week course designed to train, assess, evaluate, and developwarrant officers for fourteen of theU.S. Army's sixteen basic branches (excluding Infantry and Armor). The course is designed to provide a base to assist in the development of Army Warrant Officers into self–aware and adaptive technical experts, combat leaders, trainers, mentors, and advisors to both soldiers and commanders. Later, through progressive levels of expertise in assignments, training, and education, Warrant Officers administer, manage, maintain, operate, and integrate Army systems and equipment across thefull-spectrum of Army operations. Warrant officers in the Army are accessed with specific levels of technical ability. They refine their technical expertise and develop their leadership and management skills through tiered progressive assignments and education.[1]
WOCS focuses onofficer training and candidates serve in various student leadership positions throughout the course. The course includes classroom instruction focusing on officership, military history, problem solving, professional development, and other topics.
Graduation from WOCS is held at theUnited States Army Aviation Museum on Fort Rucker, where a candidate is appointed toWO1 and moves to their respective branch schools to attend theWarrant Officer Basic Course. For example,United States Army Signal Corps branched Warrant Officers attend WOBC at Fort Gordon, whereAviation branched Warrant Officers attend WOBC at Fort Rucker.
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31°19′25″N85°43′04″W / 31.3237°N 85.7179°W /31.3237; -85.7179
