Chief Warrant Officer Five Rhea R. Pruett was selected as the State Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Michigan Army National Guard on 1 February 2002, and has the added distinction of being the first female in the Army National Guard to attain this position. She serves as the state’s principle advisor regarding all actions affecting warrant officers, emphasizing strength management, education programs and career development for warrant officers.

CW5 Pruett began her military career on 1 April 1974 enlisting as a Personnel Records Specialist in the Michigan Army National Guard. Beginning 9 January 1978 she served on active duty in the United States Army with assignments at Fort Carson, Colorado and Stuttgart, Germany returning to the Michigan Army National Guard on 15 May 1978. She served as a Sergeant with the 46^th Brigade 38^th Infantry Division and became the unit’s full-time Administrative Supply Technician in September 1978. In May 1980 she was selected as the Military Personnel Technician for the 3^rd Battalion 126^th Infantry with her appointment to WO1 on 22 October 1980.

CW5 Pruett transitioned to the Active Guard Reserve program on 1 February 1987 and established the Personnel Services Branch at Headquarters STARC, concurrently serving as the Officer in Charge for the 163^rd Personnel Services Company. During this tenure she sat on numerous committees at the National Guard Bureau level to address system improvements in the personnel community. She has also been assigned as the DCSPER Personnel Actions Officer and Officer Branch Manager.

On 27 October 1998 she was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Five, with the distinction of being the first female soldier in the state of Michigan to attain this rank.

CW5 Pruett’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (seventh award), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass), NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Michigan Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Michigan Legion of Merit (with Three Oak Leaf Clusters), Michigan Service Medal (Broadsword with Gold Oak Leaf Cluster), Michigan Outside of United States Service Ribbon and the Latvia Partnership Ribbon.

CW5 Pruett was born in the Netherlands. Her family settled in Western Michigan when she was eighteen months old. She is a graduate of the Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course and possesses a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Davenport University. She is a member of the National Guard Association of Michigan, the National Guard Association of the United States and the United States Army Warrant Officer Association.