In this episode of COHORT W, we sit down with Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Finney, the Command Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), to explore how Warrant Officer Professional Military Education (PME) is evolving within the elite world of Army Special Operations.

With over three decades of service—from his early days as an infantryman, to earning his Green Beret, to mentoring future leaders—CW5 Finney brings deep insight into how PME must adapt for the future fight. His experience spans operational deployments globally, institutional leadership at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School, and strategic advising at the highest levels of Army SOF.

Together, we discuss:

• The evolution of PME in Special Operations
• How elite Warrant Officers are developed to meet global challenges
• Balancing tradition and innovation within PME
• Mentorship, leadership, and lifelong service in the Warrant Officer Cohort

If you want to hear how Special Operations Warrant Officers prepare to lead at the tip of the spear, this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for.

🔥 Top Resources for Warrant Officers

📖 Strength in Knowledge Journal – Warrant Officer Journal
Explore current ideas, innovations, and research from across the cohort.
🔗 Read Now

🏛️ Warrant Officer Historical Foundation (WOHF)
Learn more about the legacy and future of the Warrant Officer Cohort and how you can support programs like this podcast.
🔗 Visit warrantofficerhistory.org

📲 Follow WOHF on Social Media

• Instagram: @WOHF1918
• Twitter: @WOHF1918
• LinkedIn: Warrant Officer Historical Foundation

🏫 United States Army Warrant Officer Career College (USAWOCC)
Explore Warrant Officer education, training, and course offerings.
🔗 USAWOCC Overview

🤝 United States Army Warrant Officer Association (USAWOA)
Stay connected with your professional association.
🔗 Visit usawoa.org
Facebook: United States Army Warrant Officer Association

🧠 Leadership Writing Resources

📝 The Harding Project
A community dedicated to building better writers and leaders.
🔗 Learn More

📘 CGSC Professional Writing Guide
Helpful guidance for military professionals looking to write and publish effectively.
🔗 Download PDF

🏛️ ARMYU Press
Home to professional military publications including NCO, Warrant Officer, and Military Review journals.
🔗 Visit Army University Press

🎵 Credits

🎼 Theme
Composed by SFC(R) Joshua DiStefano
🔗 joshdistefano.com

🎺 Ceremonial Music
Provided by The U.S. Army Band
🔗https://www.usarmyband.com/ceremonial-music-guide

https://www.warrantofficerhistory.org/

Preserve and educate!

In this follow-up to Season 4, Episode 2, COHORT W continues the conversation on the future of Warrant Officer Professional Military Education (PME) with CW5 Carlos Terrones, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center.

But this time, we widen the lens.

Joining the discussion are CW4 Kent Frye, Commander of the Warrant Officer Recruiting Company (Active Component), and CW5 Aaron Anderson, the Chief Warrant Officer of the Army—bringing their operational and strategic insights to a conversation that connects education, accessions, and Cohort-wide modernization like never before.

Together, they explore:

• Recent PME developments and pilot programs
• Critical accessions challenges, successes, and MOS shortages
• How modernization is shaping recruiting messaging
• Enterprise-wide alignment and leadership guidance from the CWA
• A unified vision for preparing the Warrant Officer Cohort for 2030 and beyond

Whether you’re leading at the unit level, recruiting tomorrow’s Warrant Officers, or sitting in the PME classroom today—this episode brings perspective, clarity, and a clear call to action for shaping the future of our Cohort. Listen now to hear how PME, recruiting, and leadership are coming together to build the bench for the next generation.

🔥 Top Resources for Warrant Officers

📖 Strength in Knowledge Journal – Warrant Officer Journal
Explore current ideas, innovations, and research from across the cohort.
🔗 Read Now

🏛️ Warrant Officer Historical Foundation (WOHF)
Learn more about the legacy and future of the Warrant Officer Cohort and how you can support programs like this podcast.
🔗 Visit warrantofficerhistory.org

📲 Follow WOHF on Social Media

• Instagram: @WOHF1918
• Twitter: @WOHF1918
• LinkedIn: Warrant Officer Historical Foundation

🏫 United States Army Warrant Officer Career College (USAWOCC)
Explore Warrant Officer education, training, and course offerings.
🔗 USAWOCC Overview

🤝 United States Army Warrant Officer Association (USAWOA)
Stay connected with your professional association.
🔗 Visit usawoa.org
Facebook: United States Army Warrant Officer Association

🧠 Leadership Writing Resources

📝 The Harding Project
A community dedicated to building better writers and leaders.
🔗 Learn More

📘 CGSC Professional Writing Guide
Helpful guidance for military professionals looking to write and publish effectively.
🔗 Download PDF

🏛️ ARMYU Press
Home to professional military publications including NCO, Warrant Officer, and Military Review journals.
🔗 Visit Army University Press

🎵 Credits

🎼 Theme
Composed by SFC(R) Joshua DiStefano
🔗 joshdistefano.com

🎺 Ceremonial Music
Provided by The U.S. Army Band
🔗https://www.usarmyband.com/ceremonial-music-guide

https://www.warrantofficerhistory.org/

Preserve and educate!

In this episode of COHORT W, host CW4 Jessie Morlan and CW5 Charmaine Hilliard, Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Army, share a conversation that traces an extraordinary Army career and powerfully testifies to the impact of Warrant Officer Professional Military Education.

From her early days enlisting in Jasper, Texas, to her leadership at the highest levels of the Pentagon, CW5 Hilliard shares the lessons, experiences, and key PME moments that helped shape her into the senior leader she is today. Together, they explore what worked well in her professional military education journey, how PME prepared her for strategic leadership roles, and how the Army can modernize PME for the next generation of Warrant Officers.

Topics Covered:

• The importance of early professional development
• Lessons learned from deployments and operational assignments
• How PME shaped her growth from tactical to strategic leadership
• Insights from teaching Warrant Officer courses
• Preparation of Warrant Officers for enterprise-level leadership
• What PME should preserve—and where it must evolve

🎙️ COHORT W Podcast – Featured Resources & Links

Stay connected with the Warrant Officer Cohort and elevate your professional development with these curated resources featured on the COHORT W podcast.

🔥 Top Resources for Warrant Officers

📖 Strength in Knowledge Journal – Warrant Officer Journal
Explore current ideas, innovations, and research from across the cohort.
🔗 Read Now

🏛️ Warrant Officer Historical Foundation (WOHF)
Learn more about the legacy and future of the Warrant Officer Cohort and how you can support programs like this podcast.
🔗 Visit warrantofficerhistory.org

📲 Follow WOHF on Social Media

• Instagram: @WOHF1918
• Twitter: @WOHF1918
• LinkedIn: Warrant Officer Historical Foundation

🏫 United States Army Warrant Officer Career College (USAWOCC)
Explore Warrant Officer education, training, and course offerings.
🔗 USAWOCC Overview

🤝 United States Army Warrant Officer Association (USAWOA)
Stay connected with your professional association.
🔗 Visit usawoa.org
Facebook: United States Army Warrant Officer Association

🧠 Leadership Writing Resources

📝 The Harding Project
A community dedicated to building better writers and leaders.
🔗 Learn More

📘 CGSC Professional Writing Guide
Helpful guidance for military professionals looking to write and publish effectively.
🔗 Download PDF

🏛️ ARMYU Press
Home to professional military publications including NCO, Warrant Officer, and Military Review journals.
🔗 Visit Army University Press

🎵 Credits

🎼 Theme
Composed by SFC(R) Joshua DiStefano
🔗 joshdistefano.com

🎺 Ceremonial Music
Provided by The U.S. Army Band
🔗https://www.usarmyband.com/ceremonial-music-guide

https://www.warrantofficerhistory.org/

Preserve and educate!