Connecticut Army National Guard Warrant Officer Candidate School Marks 20 Years, Graduates New Class

NIANTIC, Conn. — The Connecticut Army National Guard celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Reserve Component Warrant Officer Candidate School (CTARNG RC-WOCS) and graduated its newest class of warrant officers during a series of events at Camp Nett in Niantic, Conn., May 1-2, 2026. The events brought together current candidates, cadre, senior leaders and graduates dating back to the program’s inception, connecting two decades of warrant officer development with the newest class entering the force.

“Since the program’s inception, we have conducted courses annually, graduating highly skilled and technically proficient warrant officers into the operational force,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Ciullo, course manager and Senior Training, Advising, Coaching Officer and Battalion Course Manager for CTARNG RC-WOCS. The anniversary events began May 1 with the WOC Olympics, where candidates competed against TAC officers in a series of athletic challenges. Later that day, current and former warrant officers gathered for a ceremony commemorating the program’s 20-year history, recognizing the leaders, instructors, tactical officers, cadre and graduates who helped build and sustain the school.

The current class also presented its class project, which included a painted class rock placed near WOC Alley at Camp Nett and framed class signs displayed along the hallway. The project recognized each graduating class and created a visible record of the program’s history for future candidates, graduates and visitors.

“These projects are important because they become a part of the program's legacy,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Stephanie Richards, the command chief warrant officer of the Connecticut National Guard. “They’re the physical footprint of a class’s technical expertise, teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills. To me, these projects represent so much more than simply completing a requirement. They reflect the ‘can-do’ spirit of the warrant officer cohort and demonstrates how technical professionals come together to solve real challenges.”

The day concluded with a mentorship dinner, where warrant officer candidates connected with experienced warrant officers and received branch specific advice about their future careers.

“For me, it really comes down to mentorship, motivation, and connection,” Richards said. “When our newest graduates have the opportunity to connect with seasoned Warrants who navigated that exact same path, it reinforces they’re now part of a professional family built on shared experience. That networking is way more than just exchanging business cards. It creates relationships that bridge the gap from the classroom straight to the operational force.”

The following morning, candidates completed a four-mile Victory Run through Niantic, one of the final events candidates complete with their cohort before becoming warrant officers. The events culminated with the 26-001 graduation ceremony.

The graduation welcomed eight new warrant officers into the Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve, highlighting a legacy of partnership with the USAR. Senior leaders in attendance included Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon Jr., The Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Stephanie Richard, Connecticut National Guard command chief warrant officer, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Bernard Aguon, Army National Guard command chief warrant officer; Command Sgt. Maj. Arthur Fredricks, the command sergeant major of the Connecticut National Guard and several others.

Founded in 2006, CTARNG RC-WOCS has provided enlisted Soldiers from both the Army National Guard as well as the United States Army Reserve, a path to become warrant officers, technical experts who lead, advise and support commanders across the force.The program has also produced 142 warrant officers since its inception.

Current and former leaders, graduates, tactical officers and cadre of CTARNG RC-WOCS were recognized for their contributions to the longevity and success of the program. According to ceremony remarks, the program has consistently achieved accreditation ratings above 95 percent and received a 99.9 percent rating last year from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career College Accreditation Assessment.

“From what I’ve seen, amazing,” Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Bernard Aguon, the command chief warrant officer of the Army National Guard said. “They’re proven, the instructors, the cadre, the organization. No doubt they’re getting the very best. If you have any program coupled with excellent cadre and an institution built on valued principles, then it doesn’t matter who comes through it; they’re going to succeed.” Class 26-001 included candidates from Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts, producing warrant officers in quartermaster, engineer, aviation, and military intelligence career fields.

For the newest graduates, the anniversary added context to their transition from candidate to warrant officer. The related events gave them a chance to see the program’s history firsthand, learn from the warrant officers who came before them and carry those lessons into their new roles as technical experts.

“You learn how to be confident and trust your gut, especially because we are the technical experts,” said SSG Natalia Stewart, the 26-001 Brown Class honor graduate pursuing warrant officer military occupational specialty 920A, property accounting technician. “But also be humble, to know that there is still so much to learn.”