JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
With their career specialties ranging from U.S. Army helicopter pilots to U.S. Coast Guard boatswains, members of the Warrant Officer Association Hampton Roads Chapter share a common goal: create opportunities for success.
To make their goal a reality, the chapter does all it can to help those interested in progressing in their careers, no matter the individual's rank, service or relation to the military.
"For me this organization is all about networking and fellowshipping to help others reach their maximum potential," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Samuel Garrett, president of the Hampton Roads chapter.
Adonis Machado, a current warrant officer candidate seeking help from the association, turned to the chapter when he realized he had no idea where to start in the application process.
"I didn't know anything about the Army, so they tried to break it down for me," said Machado, of how the association is helping him apply for an Army aviator position.
Through the warrant officer's help, Machado, who is a former U.S. Air Force Reserve enlisted Airman, took the first steps in the application process, which included building a package, getting a recommendation letter from a WO and preparing for his Selection Instrument for Flight training test.
"What excites me is how the chapter can actually help noncommissioned officers and other applicants who want to become warrant officers," said Garret. "There are opportunities for [people] to leverage us and develop relationships, so that when it comes time to read recommendations in the application process, the recommendations aren't based off of a packet, but a formed relationship from working and volunteering together, which builds a stronger package."
Garrett and other WOs not only get to know candidates like Machado, but invite them to networking events such as socials, volunteer opportunities and mock promotion boards, so that candidates can better immerse themselves into the WO culture as well as the local and military communities.
"I had never met a group of individuals that have been so willing to help; they went out of their way," said Machado. "They met up with me in their off time to get to know me and helped me through the process. When I told them of my intentions they were there to help me with no hesitations. I can just pick up the phone and call them, and to me that stood out."
According to Garrett, building relationships with applicants as well as other warrant officers through mentorship programs such as adopt a warrant officer candidate is a practice that strengthens the club.
"Just like they helped me, I'm helping a new guy who is coming in," said Machado, who is now nearing the end of his application process. "I see that you cannot do this alone, I needed these guys, and I want to be there for the new people applying."
According to Garrett, when it comes to helping new applicants and local warrant officers, the club can only benefit from building diverse relationships.
"When you have all these different organizations come together it just creates so many windows of opportunities you have to take advantage of," said Garrett. "Why not take care of all Service members by saying, 'here's another opportunity; you come to the Army to be a warrant officer have a voice and continue to serve and mentor others through a unique background from another service.' We're joint, we do joint exercises and deployments, so we can only benefit from helping our sister Service members."
For more information on taking part in the WO club, visit https://www.facebook.com/WoaHamptonRoadsChapter?fref=ts .