In this powerful episode of COHORT W, host CW4 Jessie Morlan sits down with a true legend in the Warrant Officer Cohort—Chief Warrant Officer Four (Ret.) Bob Cooper—to reflect on his 30-year military journey and the timeless lessons of professional military education (PME). From enlisting in 1957 and becoming a dual-rated Master Army Aviator with over 4,000 flight hours—including 1,100+ in combat—to shaping key safety initiatives in Army Aviation, CW4 (Ret.) Cooper's story is both inspiring and instructive.

As a former Director of the Warrant Officer Historical Foundation and lifelong advocate for the Warrant Officer Cohort, Mr. Cooper shares candid reflections on what PME looked like in his era, which elements stood the test of time, and what modern leaders should preserve as PME continues to evolve.

🔹 Topics Covered:

• CW4 (Ret.) Cooper’s early Army experience and transition to Warrant Officer
• The value of PME in the 1960s and ’70s
• Key takeaways from aviation safety reforms and major Army studies
• Timeless advice for the next generation of Warrant Officers

Whether you’re new to the Cohort or a seasoned leader, this episode is filled with stories and insights that will leave a lasting impact.

🔥 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!

Welcome to a historic edition of COHORT W, where we honor 250 years in the making.

Today, 14 June 2025, we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Army—two and a half centuries of service, sacrifice, and leadership that have shaped the course of our nation and the world.

To mark this extraordinary milestone, we’re honored to welcome a leader whose career reflects the very spirit of this legacy—CW5 Aaron Anderson, Chief Warrant Officer of the Army.

In this special episode, CW5 Anderson delivers a powerful and forward-looking message to the Warrant Officer Cohort and the Total Force—reflecting on 250 years of Army excellence while spotlighting the bold transformation underway to prepare our Army for the next era of warfighting.

This message is more than a tribute—it’s a challenge to all of us to lead with integrity, adapt with purpose, and carry forward the Army’s enduring promise. This We’ll Defend.

🎙 Tune in to honor the past, embrace the future, and celebrate the United States Army’s 250th birthday on COHORT W.

🔥 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 sits down with CW4 Kelvie Fore, the Warrant Officer Strength Manager for the Virginia Army National Guard, to discuss his extraordinary 35-year journey in the Army and his perspective on modernizing Warrant Officer Professional Military Education (PME).

From beginning his career in 1989 as a 31U Unit-Level Communications Maintainer to becoming a 915A Automotive Maintenance Technician and now serving as Virginia’s Warrant Officer Strength Manager, CW4 Fore brings a lifetime of insights to the mic. Along the way, he has served in many specialties, completed multiple overseas deployments, and shaped the next generation of Warrant Officers as a TAC Officer and Course Director at Fort Novosel.

Tune in as CW4 Fore shares what worked in his PME experience, where improvements are needed, and how the Guard's future depends on balancing accessions with relevant, timely education. His story is a powerful reminder of how professional growth, lifelong mentorship, and personal grit form the backbone of our Warrant Officer Cohort.

Topics include:

• Lessons from a multi-decade career in uniform
• Building and managing the Warrant Officer pipeline
• PME’s evolving role in readiness and retention
• Practical insight on bridging PME with operational demands

🔥 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!