Hentkowski proudly joins elite Warrant Officer Corps

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Army veteran Josh Hentkowski fulfilled a longtime goal of becoming the newest member of the Warrant Officer Corps, a rnak he had dreamed of since he was a private. Hentkowski graduated from the basic officer course July 9, with parents Allan and Cindy Hentkowski in attendance to pin the bars on each shoulder at the ceremony. ?It has to be one of the proudest moments of my military career,? said Hentkowski, who was thankful his parents drove to Alabama, ?to share this moment with me.? The 1996 graduate of Rogers City High School is currently stationed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Along with his 8-year-old daughter, Asia and his girlfriend, he is visiting family and friends in the area, before heading to Louisiana July 25 for deployment to Korea.

WARRANT OFFICERS possess a high degree of specialization in a particular field in contrast to the more general assignment pattern of other commissioned officers. Hentkowski?s skill identifier is automotive maintenance, but the title is deceiving as it encompassed a wide spectrum of military equipment which includes tanks, air defense artillery, rocke

t launchers and howitzers, as examples. Hentkowski joined the Army right out of high school. ?I pretty much missed my senior year summer,? said Hentkowski. ?I started basic training July 25, 1996. From there, I was stationed in Germany for a couple of years.? From there he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado before heading back to Germany for four years and then Kosovo. In 2003, Hentkowski would get the first of two assignments to Iraq. The first was a 10-month stint. While stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he was attached to 546th maintenance company that deployed to Afghanistan (2004-05) and Iraq (2006-07).

UPON RETURNING to the states, Hentkowski prepared his warrant officer packet, which included several letters of recommendation. He graduated from Warrant Officer Academy March 31, achieving the Army?s physical fitness badge for excellence along the way. The 14-week basic officer course started April 6, before concluding July 9. Warrant officers have served in the armed Forces of the United States since the Revolutionary War. Today, there are approximately 12,000 warrant officers on active duty, with an additional 12,000 in the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. Warrant officers serve throughout the Army in 15 branches and 62 occupational specialties.

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