Warrant Officer in History:

CW3 Doris Allen

By WO1 Lashawnte Smith, Military Intelligence

Article published on: April 1st 2025, in the April-June 2025 Edition of Strength in Knowledge: The Warrant Officer Journal

Read Time: < 5 mins

In 1967, Washington, D.C., was optimistic about the campaign’s success in Vietnam (Cesario, n.d.). As the holiday of Tet approached, the local population and U.S. forces began to embrace the idea of the North Vietnamese Army yielding resistance (Department of State,1968). However, intelligence reporting indicated adversary forces were amassing and planning an imminent large-scale attack (Drammeh, 2012). By January 30, North Vietnam launched a series of coordinated assaults against allied forces, known as the Tet Offensive, significantly altering the Vietnam War, which challenged the U.S. strategy (Cesario, n.d.).

Despite one Soldier’s prior intelligence warnings, this attack would create deadly consequences for allied and U.S. troops. This analyst was not discouraged and supported early threat warnings, upholding the Army profession and strengthening the built trust and stewardship. Her military expertise prevented further attacks, including those at the northeast Saigon rocket emplacements, the Song Be ambush, and the East Offensive (NSA,2018, p. 102). The Soldier’s intellectual endurance despite complex and ambiguous circumstances preserved the lives of 3rd Marine Division forces in Quang Tri, demonstrating honorable service (Department of State, 1968).

This dedicated intelligence professional was Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Doris Ilda Allen, also known as Lucki. Through esprit de corps and morale, CW3 Allen enforced trust, cohesion, and steadfast commitment to the Army competencies and attributes (ADP 6-22, 2019).

According to Army Doctrine Publication 6-22, the Army aligns expectations of “being” with attributes such as character, presence, and intellect, while competencies measured in performance include leads, develops, and achieves (ADP 6-22, 2019). CW3 Allen began her service in 1950, enlisting in the Women’s Army Corps during a time of desegregation, but with still significant resistance to the integration of African American service members. She persisted in her mission to support despite facing discrimination and institutional obstacles, including gender bias and racial prejudice, displaying a strong embodiment of character. She demonstrated tactical presence and resilience by engaging with the local population, building cohesive relationships with allied forces, and conducting critical intelligence analysis while serving in an austere environment (Sandomir, 2024). Her confidence as a technical expert reinforced her presence as an all-source analyst, counterintelligence expert, and integrator.

Her intellect was unmatched, as evidenced by her ability to synthesize diverse intelligence sources, detect patterns in enemy movements, and apply innovative approaches to counterinsurgency and surveillance operations. She identified actionable target enemy courses of action by incorporating close air support platforms, which gave her command early warning and served as crucial safeguards for U.S. operations. Between 1 and 6 February 1968, she located guerrilla forces and identified 83-millimeter chemical mortars concealed for a convoy ambush attack and 122-millimeter rocket preparation tactics (NSA,2018, pp. 7, 17, & 20). Her competency in addressing threats and in recommending counterattack platforms demonstrates her technical skills and leadership ability to achieve results under pressure (Department of State, 1968). Her all-source analysis and counterintelligence efforts reflected a critical understanding of operational outcomes and leadership.

Leadership through guidance is the cornerstone of the Warrant Officer, leading to the accomplishment of complex missions. CW3 Allen projected leadership by managing approximately 40 personnel at the Translation Branch, Combined Document Exploitation Center. Her supervision ensured the development of her subordinates and the accurate translation of captured enemy documents. Her ability to lead across cultural and operational boundaries contributed directly to intelligence effectiveness and mission success, exemplifying the competencies of leadership and development. Finally, CW3 Allen’s achievements throughout her intelligence service earned her a recommendation for the Legion of Merit and three Bronze Stars (Slayton, 2024). She pursued multiple educational paths in and out of the military, graduating from Tuskegee and the Defense Language Institute and becoming the first woman to complete the Prisoner of War Interrogation Course (Sandomir, 2024).

In conclusion, CW3 Allen’s analytical foresight and application of intelligence synchronization enabled her to execute a full-spectrum analysis (ATP 2-01.3, 2019, p. 2-4). CW3 Allen exhibited all attributes and competencies: character, presence, intellect, leads, develops, and achieves (ADP 6-22, 2019). CW3 Allen’s legacy illustrates what a trusted Army professional means. Her ability to maintain her military bearing amid racial adversity demonstrates presence, and sound judgment is required under the attribute of intellect. She exerted influence through multiple duty assignments and officer roles, serving as a steward of the profession with numerous achievements in and out of the military. Her story inspires me, as I am a military intelligence professional and an African American woman. Her strength, courage, and commitment to excellence exemplify professional growth, operational effectiveness, and moral leadership within the Army profession (ADP 6-22, 2019).