Warrant Officers in Starfleet

As possed as a possible option in the Doctor on the Bridge thread . . . are there warrant officers in Starfleet?

What is your opinion on the matter? Why or why not?

Have there been canon references to this?

Have there been references in the CODAtrek or any previous trek RPGs to support this group of ranks existance?

Yes I think there are WOs in Starfleet- I have seen several RPG that have warrant ranks and players.

In the show where Worf's parents came aboard the Enterprise wasn't O'Brien introduced as "Chief Warrant Officer O'Brien?" It was sometime ago. . .I could be mistaken.

Nope - "Chief Petty Officer," even though up 'til that point he'd been a Lieutenant and was still wearing Lieutenant's rank, same as Worf was.

Warrant Officers have never been seen or referred to on screen

Personally I think O'Brien's rank was just character development from his initial title on TNG. Colm Meany's character was initially only known as "Chief" as he was the transporter chief, his character then picked up the last name and finally a first name over a couple seasons as they developed him from a rarely seen tertiary character to a strong secondary character.
When Meany scored the DS9 gig, they decided to add to O'Brien's background and apparantly wanted to keep the title chief, so he became chief of operations. It was then that his charater's rank tabs changed and he was referred to and acted like someone other than an officer. I have always thought that chief warrant officer was the perfect fit for his character and have always considered him as such. However, to my knowledge there is no canon reference for warrants, but its a small enough point as no matter in my view.

"Personally I think O'Brien's rank was just character development from his initial title on TNG. Colm Meany's character was initially only known as "Chief" as he was the transporter chief..."

Well, no, actually. O'Brien originally started off as a CONN officer and was later moved to the transporter chief position. He wore Lieutenant (jg) rank until about halfway through TNG and was addressed by rank in Where Silence Has Lease. By the episode Data's Day he was wearing full Lieutenant rank. Toward the end of his run on TNG, they decided that the line in Family wasn't just a writer's gaffe and retconned his rank to Chief Petty Officer and he began wearing the single hollow pip. When DS9 began, they promoted him to Senior Chief Petty Officer (mentioned on screen) and came up with the small grey embroidered patch.

I'll stand corrected on the early guy at the CONN without a name episodes. I know his rank did change, but I do think that by the time they had the O'Brien character fleshed out he was acting like either a warrant or a chief petty officer. I don't remember him being directly reffered to by the title of Senior Chief Petty Officer, but I fully admit its been a long time since I've seen DS9. Either way, I think Star Trek has room for warrants and given O'Brien's obvious skill, he would be a star candidate for selection as a warrant. In the US military warrants almost always are selected from the technical branches of the enlisted ranks. This also fits in with O'Brien in that, while he started as a Chief Petty Officer, by the end of DS9's run, he could have easily been promoted to warrant.

For my 2 pfenning, I use them.

In my series they are small craft pilots and helmsmen, as well as engineering and technical experts. This is because I use a much more military divisiuon of labor aboard vessels in my series. Comissioned officers are generalists. Geordi not withstanding, an enineering officer is in engineering to gain leadership experience and familiarity with systems and procedures. He is there as a leader, not an expert. Enlisted crew are the hands-on wrench turners. Trained in basic day-to-day operation and monitoring of their equipment they are more like apprentices who can monitor a readout, or guard the brig... but not align dilithium crystals or develop a shipwide security plan. Noncommisisoned officers train and mentor enlisted crew, have the leadership ability to take charge of workparties or damage contrtol teams or the like. They can lead the tream manhandling a phase coil into place, but don't have the expertise to tune the new coil or align antimatter injectors. The warrant officer is the subject matter expert. He has natural ability and affinity for his area of expertise, as well as additional training to take advantage of that affinity.

I use traditional titles in my game... so the warrant officer is the Bosun, expert in the pilotage, repair and maintinance of the vessel's small craft. He oversees the training and certification of coxwains, shuttle crewchiefs and shuttlebay maintinance personnel. There is a flight operations officer to provide oversight, there is a shuttlebay NCO In Charge (NCOIC) called the Bosun's Mate to provide guidance and supervision of the more junior petty officers and enlisted crew, but the Bosun is the expert.

Likewise, there is a Tactical officer... but the Gunner is the subject matter expert with ships weapons when it comes to employment or maintenance. The Tactical officer stands on the bridge and relays orders to the weapons crews, but the Gunner oversees the training of those crews and oversees their functioning from main firecontrol.

Likewise there is a Sailmaker, expert in Propulsion and Power. A Carpenter, expert in hull and auxilliary systems. A Yeoman, expert in regulations and administration. A Quartermaster, expert helmsman and astrogator. A Master-at Arms responsible for the operation of the brig, security and welfare of prisoners therin, training and fitness of the security force, and self-defense and survival training for the crew.

Each of these work for a commissioned officer in charge of their department or division, and each has petty officers working for and with them. The commissioned officers provide oversight and direction... while gaining enough experience to boost them to the next level of their career. Petty officers supervise the day-to-day work of the department or division, provide discipline and training to the enlisted crew. Warrant Officers provide expert advice, handle sensitive repairs or planning, and serve as the repository of knowlege in their individual specialties.

I think perhaps the distinction between warrant officer and commissioned officer had becomes so vague as to make the distinction meaningless. The officers of Starfleet (in terms of duties and responsibilities) are both commissioned and warrant officers. Thus no special corps of specialists is needed, as the officer corps is the specialist corps.