First Navy CWOs Get Wings

Fourteen Sailors received CWO bars on Dec. 1 as part of the Flying Chief Warrant Officer Pilot program. Ten pilots and four naval flight officers (NFO) were selected. The new CWOs will fly in patrol squadrons, helicopter sea combat squadrons and helicopter anti-submarine squadrons light. Sixty-nine applications were submitted for the pilot slots and 42 were fully qualified. Forty-eight applications were submitted for NFO and 25 were fully qualified. Four of the 14 new CWOs had civilian pilot’s licenses and seven were naval air crew. The next board will meet June 16-20, 2007, to select 10 pilots and six NFOs. Applicants must: have an associate degree or higher; be commissioned before their 27th birthday; and be physically qualified for aviation duty. Selectees will have to serve a minimum of eight years for pilots and six years for naval flight officers.