Marine Gunner

Because Chief Warrant Officers in the United States Marine Corps are selected from among the most competent noncommissioned officers, the rank has become legendary — and not just in the minds of Chief Warrant Officers. It is a credit to the Navy and Marine Corps that their leaders have long recognized the value and contributions of senior enlisted personnel by making such a program available to them.

Warrant officers have been part of the Marine Corps rank structure since 1916. Initially, warrant officer appointments went to men who had skills in logistics and the combat arms. Under the 1917 appropriations act, 43 infantry specialists received an appointment as a Marine “Gunner,” and 41 quartermasters appointed as warrant officers.

Today, a Marine Gunner is an infantry specialist. He is the only officer in the Marine Corps who is entitled to wear a bursting bomb insignia on his left collar, worn in addition to the insignia of his rank on the right collar. The Marine Gunner is the expert of all infantry weapons systems, and a Marine who receives the designation of Marine Gunner is commissioned as a Chief Warrant Officer (W-2), bypassing service as a Warrant Officer (W-1). What makes this Marine stand out from among his peers is that the eligibility criteria limits applications to those serving as infantry unit leaders in grade of Gunnery Sergeant or above with at least sixteen years of Marine Corps service. And, even though the Marine Corps has employed warrant and chief warrant officers since 1917, the appointment of men to the status of Gunner has been an on again, off again proposition.

The status of warrant officers generally is that they are the most junior officers in the Marine Corps, but enjoy the privileges and responsibilities as any other commissioned officer, and while subordinate to second lieutenants, they are accorded a great deal of respect and admiration from senior officers. The Secretary of the Navy appoints warrant officers; chief warrant officers receive commissions.

The Navy and Marine Corps have a long record of relying upon the contributions of senior enlisted men to flesh out the ranks of company grade officers in times of national emergency. At various times since the period leading up to World War II, the Marine Corps has implemented temporary commissioning programs, including to warrant officer, which permitted service through the rank of captain. Temporary officers served until six months following the end of hostilities in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

Warrant and Chief Warrant Officers normally perform highly technical duties, such as those related to administration, intelligence, logistics, communications, military police, and the supporting arms. Conversely, the Marine Gunner of today serves only as an infantry weapons specialist within infantry battalions and regiments, Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAV) battalions, and schools of infantry.

In 1992, the warrant officer structure added a new designation: Chief Warrant Officer (W-5). An initiative undertaken by the U. S. Army to address problems within its aviation community, the Navy and Marine Corps supported the concept after the Army agreed to certain changes in the law. One can only imagine the respect accorded to the Marine Gunner, Chief Warrant Officer (W-5) when he saunters into a room full of sailors or Marines. With only 5% of the entire warrant officer structure serving as a W-5, there is no doubt in my mind that the most senior Gunner captures everyone’s rapt attention. He will politely acknowledge the familiar greeting from all other Marines, “Good morning, Gunner.”

Copyright, 2005