Five South Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers graduated from Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) on April 29, 2023, at the Sioux Falls Regional Training Institute.
WOCS is a two-phase program that tests candidates academically and physically in areas ranging from leadership to tactics. The total course covers 220 academic hours in 37 different subject areas.
The graduates of WOCS are:
- Warrant Officer David Deinert of Mitchell, Joint Force Headquarters, Automotive Maintenance Technician.
- Warrant Officer Taylor Jans of Huron, 881st Troop Command, Human Resources Technician.
- Warrant Officer Joshua Masek of Sioux Falls, Joint Force Headquarters, Cyber Warfare Technician.
- Warrant Officer Daniel Stratton of Harrisburg, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Information Systems Technician.
- Staff Sgt. Eli Donnell of Rapid City, Detachment 1, Company B, 935th Aviation Support Battalion, Aviation Maintenance Technician.
Donnell will accept his appointment to Warrant Officer at a later date.
Donnell and Masek were also named to the Commandant’s List, an achievement earned by those students whose overall course achievement is significantly above the course standard and within the top twenty percent of the class for academic average.
“I am very impressed with the capabilities and future potential of our newest warrant officers,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wayne Walker, South Dakota National Guard Command Chief Warrant Officer. “All of candidates did extremely well in the class and worked together to graduate. I’m excited to see where their careers will take them.”
Warrant officers are the technical foundation of the U.S. Army and comprise about three percent of the Army forces. These Soldiers are highly specialized in their career fields, including aviation, information technology, maintenance, logistics, and human resources. The course is designed to provide a base to assist in the development of Army Warrant Officers into self-aware and adaptive technical experts, combat leaders, trainers, mentors, and advisors to both soldiers and commanders.
“Warrant Officer Candidate School is a challenging and rewarding experience,” said Warrant Officer Deinert. “I learned a lot about myself and my abilities, and I’m excited to start my career as a warrant officer.”
The graduates of WOCS are now eligible to serve in a variety of technical and leadership positions in the South Dakota Army National Guard. They will continue their training and education to become experts in their chosen fields and to prepare for future deployments.