MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --
The Jeanne M. Holm Center marked a historic milestone as the U.S. Air Force welcomed its first and only active-duty Chief Warrant Officer 5, Jason Godwin, Warrant Officer Training School advisor to the commandant, from the U.S. Army during a transfer of service ceremony Jan. 30.
“In 1992, CW4 Bob Barrow retired from the Air Force Reserve as the last warrant officer in the Air Force and was honorarily promoted to CW5.” said U.S. Air Force Capt. William Ehrensperger, WOTS assistant director of operations. “He was the only Airman to ever hold that rank. Today, for the first time in 34 years, and for the first time ever in active service, the United States Air Force has a CW5.”
The ceremony represented the trust placed in Godwin, whose career spans more than two decades of technical aviation expertise, joint operations and strategic leadership across the U.S. Army, National Guard, Army Reserve and now the Air Force.
“This environment is delicate. We’re still in the infancy stages,” said Godwin. “As we build this, it’s imperative we do it right. I tell our candidates: our goal is to make Air Force warrant officers indispensable.”
Over the course of his career, Godwin completed four deployments, including missions to Iraq, Jordan and Kosovo. He became what Army Aviation refers to as a “quad-tracked” warrant officer, earning qualifications as an instructor pilot, instrument evaluator, maintenance test pilot and safety officer. He deployed in each of those roles and flew a wide range of mission sets, including air assault, general support, medical evacuation and fixed-wing operations in the UH-60 Black Hawk and C-12 Huron.
“I’ve flown in just about every mission set you can imagine,” Godwin said. “That range of experience shapes how I look at risk, leadership and how warrant officers contribute at every level.”
When the Air Force began developing its Warrant Officer program in 2024, Godwin was assigned to the Army’s Warrant Officer Career College, where he helped Air Force leaders shape the program’s structure, mentored its first technical officer candidates and served on selection boards.
“I sat on every board for the WOTS instructors currently in the program,” said Godwin. “We helped mold them, mentor them and shape what it means to be a warrant officer. That working relationship eventually opened the door for this transition.”
The ceremony included a final recognition of his Army service before Maj. Tanner Allshouse, WOTS commandant, administered the Air Force Oath of Office, officially bringing the CW5 rank back into active-duty Air Force files.
Godwin said the moment also represents a deeply personal homecoming. A native of Greenville, Alabama, his return to Maxwell Air Force Base brings him back to the state where his military career began more than 26 years ago.
“It’s surreal,” said Godwin. “Being able to come back home and still serve without sacrificing my career means everything. By the grace of God, it happened at exactly the right time.”
While stationed full time at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he commuted more than seven hours each weekend to remain present for his family, ensuring they stayed close to their support network.
“I drove home every weekend so my family didn’t have to uproot,” said Godwin. “That balance mattered.”
As the Air Force continues to modernize its force structure, the appointment of its first active-duty CW5 signals a renewed commitment to technical mastery and continuity of expertise. With Godwin’s leadership at the helm of warrant officer development, the Holm Center stands at the forefront of shaping a corps designed to endure.
“I’ve been a warrant officer for 21 years,” said Godwin. “This is about bringing that experience forward and building something that lasts.”