by Tom Beckmann
MADISON, Wis. — Joined by colleagues and family, Command Chief Warrant Officer Charles Mattison was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 at a July 12 ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters.
As the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 10th command chief warrant officer, Mattison — who resides near Stoughton, Wisconsin — is responsible for advising Wisconsin National Guard leaders on all matters pertaining to warrant officers.
Brig. Gen. Matthew Strub, Wisconsin’s deputy adjutant general for Army, highlighted some of the character traits that carried Mattison to one of the highest roles a warrant officer can hold in the military.
“I have always admired his patience to learn and truly understand a problem so that he can develop the best solution,” Strub said. “He consistently displayed this leadership in his roles with the maintenance and safety teams, and it’s one of the many reasons he has earned this promotion.”
Prior to his role as command chief warrant officer, Mattison served as the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s safety and occupational health manager. He is a member of the Senior Warrant Officer Advisory Committee and supports warrant officer development training initiatives such as the Warrant Officer Candidate School Roundtable, warrant officer mentorship training, and staff support of the 138th Regiment (Combat Arms), Indiana Regional Training Institute.
“He is very active as a mentor with the national warrant officer development training program in Indiana because he wants to ensure that these future warrant officers have what it takes to be ready for the next level,” Strub said. “He gives his time and talents because he cares.”
Mattison said he always knew that he wanted to live a life of service.
“My father is a veteran, and I followed in his footsteps,” Mattison said. “My father has always been my moral compass, and I am here today because of his guidance.”
Mattison enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1986, serving aboard the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy in the engineering division, as well as the U.S.S. Simon Lake in the repair division.
After completing his obligation to the Navy in 1992, Mattison enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as a logistics specialist, and became a tracked vehicle mechanic in 1998. In addition to assignments in logistics and maintenance, Mattison has been an instructor at the 426th Regional Training Institute and commanded its Warrant Officer Candidate School. He served in the Gulf of Sidra in 1989, Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and Operation New Dawn in 2009.
He completed Warrant Officer Candidate School and Warrant Officer Basic Course in 2004.
“When I was first approached about becoming a warrant officer,” Mattison said, “I talked about it with my wife Kathy, who offered these words of wisdom — ‘It’s who you are and what you do. We can work through the time commitment.’ At every stage of my career, she has been steadfast as my biggest counselor and cheerleader.”
“Charles earned the respect of the mechanics and supervisors throughout the Wisconsin National Guard because he cares about people as much as he cares about the details,” Strub said. “As a result, all our national metrics have improved under his leadership, which means that the Guard is better prepared to serve the state of Wisconsin and our country.”
Of the approximately 7,700 Soldiers in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, roughly 180 are warrant officers, serving as technical experts in their respective fields. Only seven reach the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5.
“Even though we are a small group, warrant officers are a team of highly skilled technical experts who provide strategic guidance to the leadership team throughout the Wisconsin Army National Guard,” Mattison said.