In February 2024, the Secretary of the Air Force announced the reintroduction of warrant officers (WOs) to the U.S. Air Force as a critical investment in the technical workforce needed for future conflict. This report addresses a RAND evaluation of whether WOs should attend professional military education.

Should U.S. Air Force Warrant Officers Attend Professional Military Education?

An Assessment of Programmatic Objectives and Options

Kelly Atkinson, Angela K. Clague

ResearchPublished Jun 3, 2025

In preparation for future conflict, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has prioritized developing and retaining technical talent. To this end, the Secretary of the Air Force announced reintroduction of the warrant officer (WO) corps in February 2024. This change raised the policy question of whether professional military education (PME) would equip WOs to meet their objectives, as stated in available WO policy guidance. This report addresses a RAND evaluation of whether WOs should attend professional military education.

Key Findings

  • The objective of the USAF WO corps is to develop and preserve critical technical skill sets for modern warfare, such as communications and cyber operations.
  • The WO corps is expected to provide technical expertise, manage and coordinate mission execution, advise leadership, and train other airmen.
  • The objective of PME is to produce strategic warfighters who can lead in a joint operating environment.
  • PME will not prepare the WO corps for technical mastery.
  • PME may prepare WOs for their roles as mentors, advisors, and team leaders, but this training can be obtained elsewhere.
  • PME will prepare the WO corps for interfacing with external and internal stakeholders.

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Atkinson, Kelly and Angela K. Clague, Should U.S. Air Force Warrant Officers Attend Professional Military Education? An Assessment of Programmatic Objectives and Options. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2997-4.html.
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This research was commissioned by HAF/A1P and conducted within the Workforce, Development, and Health Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE.

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