Recruitment of Technical Services Warrant Officers within the army: Anexploratory investigation

Technical Services Warrant Officers (TSWO) are the Army's technical experts and TSWO candidates are primarily recruited from experienced and knowledgeable Enlisted Soldiers. This exploratory research investigated the recruiting of the U.S. Army's TSWO from the perspective of participants selected from the TSWO population. Participants for this study were TSWO located at various Army installations. Furthermore, the study involved 30 participants based on their expertise, experience, and willingness to participate and selected using non probability, purposive sampling. Data were collected primarily using in-depth interviewing and document analysis to support the literature review. This study was exploratory, qualitative, case study design research that gained a better understanding of the process through which new TSWO candidates are recruited with emphasis on the role of TSWO in candidate recruiting. Although the responses from the interviews were primarily qualitative, the research yielded some quantitative data in respect to participants' demography. Data were analyzed and interpreted primarily based on holistic data and content analysis processes. The research built on the United States Army Recruiting Command's (USAREC) articulated overview of the recruiting process for new TSWO candidates. The research and interview questions explored, identified, and described the role of Army TSWO in recruiting (identifying, mentoring, and assisting) TSWO Candidates (Noncommissioned Officers) and the process through which potential candidates and candidates learned about the role of TSWO and the TSWO program. A set of key factors were identified including the following: Nature and of Characteristics of the TSWO Role, Identifying and Evaluating TSWO Candidates, Mentoring TSWO Candidates, Encouraging and Recommending Candidates, Recruiting TSWO Candidates, and how candidates learned about the Role of TSWO and the TSWO Program.