Official Statement 23-037, Nov. 16, 2023

Contact:  Lt. Col. Chris Kroeber (801) 716-9063

For Immediate Release

New Command Chief Warrant Officer for Utah Army National Guard

DRAPER, Utah —The Utah Army National Guard welcomes its new command chief warrant officer during a change-of-responsibility ceremony scheduled to occur at 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 5, in the Draper headquarters’ auditorium.

During the ceremony, Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 William Erickson will relinquish the role of command chief of the Utah Army National Guard to Command Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey Issa.

Issa, an Eagle Mountain resident, has served in the Utah Army National Guard for more than 36 years.

Issa enlisted in June 1986 as a 13B cannon crewman in Alpha Battery 2nd Battalion 222 Field Artillery. As an enlisted soldier he served in many positions including Howitzer Section Chief, Platoon Sergeant, and First Sergeant. He received an appointment as a warrant officer in November 2004 after completing Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, AL. He completed the warrant officer basic course in 2005 and became a qualified Field Artillery Targeting Officer.

Issa deployed to Ramadi, Iraq with 2-222 FA and 2BCT 28ID as battalion/brigade targeting officer from June 2005 to June 2006. He moved to I CORPS artillery in 2007, remain through the Utah national Guards transition from Corps to the 65th Fires Brigade and then 65th Field Artillery Brigade. He deployed with the 65^th Field Artillery Brigade in support of OPERATIONS SPARTAN SHIELD and INHERENT RESOLVE from April 2018 to January 2019. He has served as counter fire officer and targeting officer.

Full time positions have included JOC OUC, G3 MOB Planner, Brigade Plans and Exercises Officer, and Training Officer at 65th FAB and most recently as the S3 at 640th Regiment. 

I’m married to a wonderful 1st grade teacher; we have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. I enjoy rock music, playing bad golf, traveling, spending time with friends and family. 

Erickson served as the Utah Army National Guard’s command chief warrant Officer since December 2022. Prior to this position he held positions as the Utah National Guard Active Guard Reserve personnel manager, warrant officer strength manager, officer personnel manager, and the Joint Force Headquarters deputy for the Army personnel directorate. He has served in numerous positions of leadership at all levels of command.

Erickson joined Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 140th Field Artillery, “Animals,” as a cannon crewmember in March 1986, and has been an active member of the Utah National Guard since. He deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle in 2002 to Tooele, Utah; in support of Hurricane Rita relief in Louisiana in 2005; and for Operation Enduring Freedom to Herat, Afghanistan in 2013.

“It has been my honor to serve as the command chief warrant officer,” said Erickson. “I am humbled by the professionalism and quality of our warrant officer cohort.”

The ceremony will be streamed on the Facebook Live at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.

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Media Notes: Media desiring to attend should arrive no later than 1:40 p.m. The address of the Utah National Guard is 12953 South Minuteman Drive in Draper. Media parking is available to the west of the main entrance or along Minuteman Drive. Pictures of Chief Searcy and Chief Erickson have been attached for reference.  Please contact Maj. Chris Kroeber at ng.ut.utarng.list.pao@army.mil with any questions.

"The Utah National Guard has a long history of producing high quality warrant officers that serve the citizens of the state of Utah and our nation. I am grateful to work with these highly skilled Soldiers and leaders that manage, operate, troubleshoot, train, and maintain the Army’s complex systems,” said Erickson. “The Army warrant officer will face new challenges as the Army transitions to large-scale combat operations, advanced systems, and a return to self-sustainment versus contracting. My focus will be to recruit the best Soldiers to become warrant officers, to retain existing warrant officers, and to build a resilient and ready warrant officer cohort that will be critical through this transition."

                                                             Official Statement 23-037, Nov. 16, 2023

Contact:  Lt. Col. Chris Kroeber (801) 716-9063

For Immediate Release

New Command Chief Warrant Officer for Utah Army National Guard

DRAPER, Utah —The Utah Army National Guard welcomes its new command chief warrant officer during a change-of-responsibility ceremony scheduled to occur at 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 5, in the Draper headquarters’ auditorium.

During the ceremony, Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 William Erickson will relinquish the role of command chief of the Utah Army National Guard to Command Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey Issa.

Issa, an Eagle Mountain resident, has served in the Utah Army National Guard for more than 36 years.

Issa enlisted in June 1986 as a 13B cannon crewman in Alpha Battery 2nd Battalion 222 Field Artillery. As an enlisted soldier he served in many positions including Howitzer Section Chief, Platoon Sergeant, and First Sergeant. He received an appointment as a warrant officer in November 2004 after completing Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, AL. He completed the warrant officer basic course in 2005 and became a qualified Field Artillery Targeting Officer.

Issa deployed to Ramadi, Iraq with 2-222 FA and 2BCT 28ID as battalion/brigade targeting officer from June 2005 to June 2006. He moved to I CORPS artillery in 2007, remain through the Utah national Guards transition from Corps to the 65th Fires Brigade and then 65th Field Artillery Brigade. He deployed with the 65^th Field Artillery Brigade in support of OPERATIONS SPARTAN SHIELD and INHERENT RESOLVE from April 2018 to January 2019. He has served as counter fire officer and targeting officer.

Full time positions have included JOC OUC, G3 MOB Planner, Brigade Plans and Exercises Officer, and Training Officer at 65th FAB and most recently as the S3 at 640th Regiment. 

I’m married to a wonderful 1st grade teacher; we have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. I enjoy rock music, playing bad golf, traveling, spending time with friends and family. 

Erickson served as the Utah Army National Guard’s command chief warrant Officer since December 2022. Prior to this position he held positions as the Utah National Guard Active Guard Reserve personnel manager, warrant officer strength manager, officer personnel manager, and the Joint Force Headquarters deputy for the Army personnel directorate. He has served in numerous positions of leadership at all levels of command.

Erickson joined Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 140th Field Artillery, “Animals,” as a cannon crewmember in March 1986, and has been an active member of the Utah National Guard since. He deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle in 2002 to Tooele, Utah; in support of Hurricane Rita relief in Louisiana in 2005; and for Operation Enduring Freedom to Herat, Afghanistan in 2013.

“It has been my honor to serve as the command chief warrant officer,” said Erickson. “I am humbled by the professionalism and quality of our warrant officer cohort.”

The ceremony will be streamed on the Facebook Live at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.

-30-

Media Notes: Media desiring to attend should arrive no later than 1:40 p.m. The address of the Utah National Guard is 12953 South Minuteman Drive in Draper. Media parking is available to the west of the main entrance or along Minuteman Drive. Pictures of Chief Searcy and Chief Erickson have been attached for reference.  Please contact Maj. Chris Kroeber at ng.ut.utarng.list.pao@army.mil with any questions.

"The Utah National Guard has a long history of producing high quality warrant officers that serve the citizens of the state of Utah and our nation. I am grateful to work with these highly skilled Soldiers and leaders that manage, operate, troubleshoot, train, and maintain the Army’s complex systems,” said Erickson. “The Army warrant officer will face new challenges as the Army transitions to large-scale combat operations, advanced systems, and a return to self-sustainment versus contracting. My focus will be to recruit the best Soldiers to become warrant officers, to retain existing warrant officers, and to build a resilient and ready warrant officer cohort that will be critical through this transition."