Warrant Officer

A Warrant Officer is a military officer in the armed forces ranking above a non-commissioned officer (NCO) but below a commissioned officer. They hold office on a warrant rather than on a commission. Being promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer First Class is considered a high honor for any NCO. However, unlike NCOs, who are not accorded the honorific, Warrant Officers are usually addressed by their juniors as "Sir" or "Ma'am" rather than by their rank. There are five Warrant Officer ranks, in accending order: Warrant Officer 1, Chief Warrant Officer 2, Chief Warrant Officer 3, Chief Warrant officer 4, and Chief Warrant Officer 5.