CBRN Warrant Officer Journal

What a Difference a Year Makes

By WO1 Joshua D. Jimenez, WO1 Alan 'Michael' Jones

Article published on: March 1, 2023 in the 2023 edition of the Army Chemical Review

Read Time: < 5 mins

The first 100 days of our predecessors were marked with the uncertainty of new roles as Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 740As–Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Technicians; unclear expectations from their units; and the need to find their paths in the U.S. Army. By the time we met these Soldiers, they had developed refined individual and collective ambitions and goals, assimilated their new roles that were so vital to their unit’s accomplishments, and illuminated the trails that they had blazed for others to follow. Their first 100 days seemed like a foggy, bumpy road, but their last year cleared the way for their replacements (us) to charge full steam ahead. These two outstanding warrant officers were instrumental in laying the foundation upon which the company currently stands.

Any mentorship that one can obtain before becoming a warrant officer one will bolster and streamline the first 100 days of the transition, beginning with the Warrant Officer Candidate School, Fort Novosel, Alabama; continuing with the Warrant Officer Basic Course, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and culminating with the first duty station. Those who are fortunate enough to serve in a CBRN battalion will have team, company, and battalion warrant officers who will surely share their experiences and demonstrate how CBRN technicians focus on maintenance, sustainment, and certifications. New CBRN warrant officers must manage a flood of inherited information, reference materials for troubleshooting equipment, points of contact for higher-level support, and log-on information for a myriad of websites. Just as our predecessors recognized the need to build their networks, other warrant officers in their first 100 days will also soon learn that they are only as good as their networks. The collective knowledge of the cohort across all branches provides units with the technical expertise of innovative integrators of emerging technologies, who can develop specialized teams of Soldiers. All of this knowledge, wisdom, and experience helps new warrant officers to more quickly become confident warfighters who are considered technical experts, combat leaders, trainers, and advisors.

We must all traverse our first 100 days as warrant officers ourselves, facing uncertainty and sensing a lack of clarity while finding our paths; no amount of mentorship can spare that effort. The key is to listen to those who have been through it before, heed their guidance, and feel their empathy, for new warrant officers are their legacy—and even the legacy of those who have gone before them. Before long, it will become apparent how much difference a year has made.

Unit Support

740As support a wide range of Army missions throughout their careers. In Korea, CBRN technicians are specifically charged with supporting their assigned units and the Korean Peninsula in all aspects of CBRN. This includes maintaining readiness with regard to dismounted reconnaissance sets, vehicles, and equipment. The mission focus is on assessing, protecting, and mitigating all threats, which requires that a team of 740As work together toward a common goal. Additionally, 740As have worked with sister Services to extend their influence outside of the Army organization. CBRN technicians have become accustomed to building relationships, as the unit never fights alone.

Continuous education and self-development for 740As are critical in amplifying the need for CBRN technicians in any organization in the Army. The warrant officers of the 23d CBRN Battalion, Camp Humphreys, Korea, have secured and attended new classes to learn about all capabilities and maintenance requirements and how to advise commanders on combat capabilities. Over the past year, significant strides have been made in building a strong alliance with U.S. allies; what a difference a year has made!

Extended Influence

The influence of CBRN technicians outside the Chemical Corps is equally as crucial as their influence within the organization they currently support. To be effective, it is important that warrant officers possess relationship-building qualities. The ability to convince others that CBRN support is essential maintains and increases CBRN relevancy. Sometimes, the title of warrant officer is not enough and 740As must be able to articulate the precise value of CBRN units and explain what CBRN technicians bring to the fight. Extending influence is dependent upon listening, building connections, developing oneself, and integrating into the needs of the unit.

While stationed in Korea, 740As have established relationships with a multitude of units across the Korean Peninsula. CBRN technicians in Korea often participate in monthly warrant officer professional development briefings to network and engage their counterparts in other MOSs; this assists with posturing unit readiness if it becomes necessary to “fight tonight.” Understanding the organization allows for the building of trust among each for the betterment of all.

Teamwork

Lastly, teamwork is the foundation that has been set for the CBRN warrant officer cohort. The more CBRN technicians can collaborate toward a common goal, the more efficient and effective they are. As new warrant officers still testing the waters and finding our way, we have become integrated into a Family, with members who have each other’s best interest in mind. This cohort is diverse, constantly facing new hurdles and working to grow. Success hinges on group collaboration and team effectiveness—and on never needing to recreate the wheel but, rather, building on the foundation that has been set.

Join us; you will not regret it! What a difference a year makes!

We All We Got! (#WAWG)