The Utah Army National Guard welcomes its newest chief warrant officer 5 during a promotion ceremony scheduled to occur Thursday, Aug. 25 at 3 p.m. at the Army Aviation Support Facility South hanger in West Jordan.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kayce Clark will promote to chief warrant officer 5 during the ceremony. On this historic occasion, Clark will have the distinction of being the first female to be promoted to chief warrant officer 5 in the Utah Army National Guard.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to become a CW5, this has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Finally reaching this dream is surreal,” said Clark. “Life is hard, we all have challenges but keeping positive throughout those challenges makes all the difference. I am excited to try and make a difference in our organization and look forward to this new phase in life. Being ready isn’t enough, you have to be prepared for any challenge. Here is to being prepared!”

Clark, an Ogden resident and UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH-72 Lakota pilot, joined the Army National Guard in August 1999 at age 17 and was sworn into service by her father, Col. (Retired) Joseph Matthew Clark.

Shortly after completing Basic and Advanced Individual Training, Pfc. Clark deployed to Kuwait with 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, from July 2001 to February 2002, in support of Operation Desert Spring. Upon returning home from her first deployment, Spc. Clark was accepted to attend flight school in August of 2003.

In 2008, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Clark deployed for her second year-long deployment to Kuwait, with 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After being home for only six months, Clark left on her third deployment, this time with 2nd Air Assault Detachment, 285th Aviation Regiment, in 2009 to Iraq. 

In 2014, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Clark deployed on her fourth deployment with the 2-211th GSAB to Kosovo for a peacekeeping mission for one year. In 2018, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Clark deployed again with 2-211^th GSAB to Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Kuwait completing her fifth deployment. 

Following the deployment, Clark left 2-211^th GSAB and moved to 97th Aviation Troop Command to be the safety officer and the Army Aviation Support Facility safety officer. In 2021, Clark attended the LUH-72 qualification course and transitioned from flying the Black Hawk to flying the Lakota. Clark’s most recent assignment is the State Safety Officer, and she has been working in the Department of Aviation and Safety office.

Clark’s awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, one Air Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Armed Forces Reserve Medals, five Utah National Guard Achievement Ribbons, five Utah National Guard Service Ribbons, the NATO Non-Article 5, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with M-device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-Commissioned Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, five Overseas Service Ribbons, an Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal w/Star and the Master Army Aviator Wings. 

Chief warrant officer 5 is the fifth, and highest, warrant officer rank in the Unites States Army. They are master-level experts of both the technical and tactical aspects of leading in their field. Chief warrant officer 5 has additional leadership and representation responsibilities as well as the typical warrant officer responsibilities. They help with leader development, mentorship and advising warrant and branch officers.

The Utah Army National Guard welcomes its newest chief warrant officer 5 during a promotion ceremony scheduled to occur Thursday, Aug. 25 at 3 p.m. at the Army Aviation Support Facility South hanger in West Jordan.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kayce Clark will promote to chief warrant officer 5 during the ceremony. On this historic occasion, Clark will have the distinction of being the first female to be promoted to chief warrant officer 5 in the Utah Army National Guard.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to become a CW5, this has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Finally reaching this dream is surreal,” said Clark. “Life is hard, we all have challenges but keeping positive throughout those challenges makes all the difference. I am excited to try and make a difference in our organization and look forward to this new phase in life. Being ready isn’t enough, you have to be prepared for any challenge. Here is to being prepared!”

Clark, an Ogden resident and UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH-72 Lakota pilot, joined the Army National Guard in August 1999 at age 17 and was sworn into service by her father, Col. (Retired) Joseph Matthew Clark.

Shortly after completing Basic and Advanced Individual Training, Pfc. Clark deployed to Kuwait with 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, from July 2001 to February 2002, in support of Operation Desert Spring. Upon returning home from her first deployment, Spc. Clark was accepted to attend flight school in August of 2003.

In 2008, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Clark deployed for her second year-long deployment to Kuwait, with 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After being home for only six months, Clark left on her third deployment, this time with 2nd Air Assault Detachment, 285th Aviation Regiment, in 2009 to Iraq. 

In 2014, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Clark deployed on her fourth deployment with the 2-211th GSAB to Kosovo for a peacekeeping mission for one year. In 2018, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Clark deployed again with 2-211^th GSAB to Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Kuwait completing her fifth deployment. 

Following the deployment, Clark left 2-211^th GSAB and moved to 97th Aviation Troop Command to be the safety officer and the Army Aviation Support Facility safety officer. In 2021, Clark attended the LUH-72 qualification course and transitioned from flying the Black Hawk to flying the Lakota. Clark’s most recent assignment is the State Safety Officer, and she has been working in the Department of Aviation and Safety office.

Clark’s awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, one Air Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Armed Forces Reserve Medals, five Utah National Guard Achievement Ribbons, five Utah National Guard Service Ribbons, the NATO Non-Article 5, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with M-device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-Commissioned Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, five Overseas Service Ribbons, an Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal w/Star and the Master Army Aviator Wings. 

Chief warrant officer 5 is the fifth, and highest, warrant officer rank in the Unites States Army. They are master-level experts of both the technical and tactical aspects of leading in their field. Chief warrant officer 5 has additional leadership and representation responsibilities as well as the typical warrant officer responsibilities. They help with leader development, mentorship and advising warrant and branch officers.