ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 091509Z OCT 02 ZYB MIN PSN 280740J21
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N01100//
NAVADMIN 337/02
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/OCT//
 
SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF CWO5 GRADE IN THE NAVY//
 
RMKS/1. THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY HAS AUTHORIZED IMPLEMENTATION OF
CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER GRADE W-5 COMMENCING WITH THE FY-04 SELECTION
BOARD CYCLE.
 
2.  THROUGH YEARS OF SERVICE IN REPETITIVE TOURS WITHIN SPECIFIC
SPECIALTIES, NAVY CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS ARE WITHOUT QUESTION THE
NAVY'S FOREMOST TECHNICAL EXPERTS.  AS NAVY SHIPS, SYSTEMS, AND
EQUIPMENT BECOME MORE COMPLEX AND THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MORE
DEMANDING THE REQUIREMENT FOR TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP IS ALL THE MORE
CRITICAL. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CWO5 RANK WILL ENSURE THAT THE NAVY
ATTRACTS AND RETAINS OUR VERY BEST TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP FOR A FULL
30 YEAR CAREER.  PER 10 U.S.C. 571, THE TOTAL AUTHORIZED CWO5
BILLETS SHALL NOT EXCEED FIVE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OVERALL CWO END
STRENGTH.  THE NAVY EXPECTS TO PHASE IN APPROXIMATELY 84 BILLETS
OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
 
3.  THE CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL WILL CONDUCT A SEPARATE CWO5
PROMOTION BOARD FOR FY-04.
 
4.  POC:  N131L, (703) 693-2310/DSN: 223-2310; E-MAIL:
N131L@BUPERS.NAVY.MIL.
 
5. RELEASED BY VADM G. L. HOEWING, N1.//
 
BT