THE SEAL CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER'S VALUE PROPOSITION TO NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE

In 1987, the Department of the Navy enacted the Special Warfare Technician/SEAL chief warrant officer designator to support the Naval Special Warfare SEAL Teams’ officer community. In general, the U.S. Navy recognizes the chief warrant officer program’s value; however, amid Naval Special Warfare’s Force Optimization plan, the SEAL chief warrant officer’s value proposition is unclear. This study aims to answer the question: How should Naval Special Warfare select and employ their SEAL chief warrant officers in order to best contribute to the improvement of Naval Special Warfare’s organizational effectiveness? This thesis provides recommendations from the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data that examines and compares the selection requirements and employment utilization of U.S. Navy SEAL chief warrant officers and Army Special Forces warrant officers. The results of the study reveal that SEAL chief warrant officers are not tactically employed; are too diverse across the Naval Special Warfare spectrum; are not optimally utilized as newly commissioned chief warrant officers; may not be remaining at the same command for repeated tours; and face qualification selection requirements that are too broad. This research offers a framework and mechanism for coherent action among the stakeholders that will increase the value proposition of the Special Warfare Technician and, consequently, improve Naval Special Warfare’s organizational effectiveness. Outstanding Thesis Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Chief Warrant Officer Three, United States Army Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited