Warrant Officer Broadening Assignments

The Army is currently looking to fill a number of broadening assignments and this year a number of them are open to warrant officers.  Broadening assignments give us an opportunity to spend a period of time (sometimes a few weeks, sometimes a couple of years) away from our normal duties and expand our personal knowledge and help contribute to the Army in a strategic way vs our normal technical way.

Warrant Officer 97 Years of Service

FISCAL YEAR 2016 CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY (CSA) STRATEGIC STUDIES GROUP (SSG)

  • Description: The SSG mission is to conduct independent, unconventional, and revolutionary research and analysis to generate innovative strategic and operational concepts for land forces in support of a governing theme provided by the CSA. This includes issues related to the future uses, required competencies, operational, and employment concepts. The SSG is led by a senior civilian director who reports directly to the CSA. The SSG keeps the CSA informed of its progress throughout the year and produces a summary briefing and written report of the generated concepts. These products, while focused on a long-term view, also help inform the CSA on near and mid-term program decisions. The SSG is comprised of an annual cohort of the most capable and innovative leaders and thinkers drawn from the Army, sister services, and the civilian community. The CSA’s emphasis is on finding a diverse team of officers, NCO’s and civilians with the ability to think critically on a broad range of topics and who feel comfortable working on ill-defined problems. The SSG develops an appreciation of a range of methodological approaches, innovative processes, and future warfare challenges, analyzes topics in depth to develop a detailed understanding of their implications for land mission requirements, alternative operational approaches, and measures of effectiveness, self-organizes into concept teams, each of which will immerse itself in the history, essential characteristics, and technologies underpinning alternative approaches and measures of effectiveness, and analyzes operational alternatives that employ or require modifications across the full range of army doctrine, operations, training, modernization, logistics, personnel and facilities, to improve effectiveness. For more information on this program please go to http://csa-strategic-studies-group.hqda.pentagon.mil.
  • Obligation: A 3 year utilization tour but no ADSO
  • Location: Arlington, VA
  • Key Dates:
    • Application Deadline: 2 Nov 2015
    • Selection: January 2016
    • SSG Participation: July 2016-June 2017
  • Eligible Ranks: CPT- COL; CW3-CW5; SFC-CSM
  • MILPER Message: 15-224  additionally, an updated message (15-234) was released on July 21st.  Check it out.

 

FY2016 – HQDA STRATEGIC BROADENING SEMINAR (SBS) PROGRAM

  • Description: The HQDA Strategic Broadening Seminars Program is a Chief of Staff, Army approved broadening opportunity for officers, Department of the Army Civilians (DAC-Career Program 60) and senior non-commissioned officers, to enhance understanding of the development and impact of national security policy and strategy. The program is specially designed to respond to the 2013 Army Leader Development Strategy as a means to broaden future senior Army leaders. The curriculum is based upon the study of mutually supportive, yet diverse strategic focus areas within a team based, small group environment; which culminates in a strategic action project. Attendees will study broad topics intended to support critical and creative thinking. This broadening experience will enhance a selectee’s understanding of the complexities associated with strategic choices, the varied cultures of the interagency/federal government and diverse approaches to strategic decision-making. Participants will attend classes/lectures taught by top tier university professors and other supporting and related institutions. Every effort will be made to align selectees with platforms which support both intellectual and geographic broadening.
  • Obligation: None
  • Location: Various locations (see the MILPER message for details)
  • Key Dates:
    • Application Deadline: 2 Nov 2015
    • Selection: January 2016
    • SBS Participation: 3-5 Weeks beginning Summer of 2016
  • Eligible Ranks: CPT- MAJ; CW2(P)-CW4; SFC-CSM
  • MILPER Message: 15-219

 

FISCAL YEAR 2016/2017 U.S. ARMY CYBER COMMAND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

  • Description: Selected officers will pursue a Master’s degree in Cyber Security at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Naval Postgraduate School or other accredited partnered universities providing it is within current budgetary constraints and it meets U.S. Army Cyber Command’s needs for academic rigor. The program consists of 33 credit hours and a major capstone paper/project. Additional credit hours may be required if undergraduate degree is in a major other than computer science.
  • Obligation: Approximately 6 years for Masters program (includes 3 year utilization assignment).
  • Location: Various locations (see the MILPER message for details)
  • Key Dates:
    • Application Deadline: 30 December 2015
    • School: Any time after 1 October 2016
  • Eligible Ranks: CPT- MAJ; CW2-CW3
  • MILPER Message: 15-209