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I think I have the Navy enlisted ranks down, and I have the Officers down, but it seems the Navy has a lot more history in their ranks. Different colors, insignia, even titles or rates as I understand they're called. Can anyone clarify it?
Enlisted
Warrant Officers
Officers
Rank
Sailors
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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Looks like you've got answers as to the colors, titles, etc. Lots of good answers here!
Also, throwing in a bit of the history/tradition, back in the days of sail and the English Navy, you had the CO of a rated ship (lots of guns) was a Captain. The CO of an unrated ship (no or few guns) was a Commander. Every other officer, regardless of if they were age 12 or age 50, was a Lieutenant. Officers in training were Midshipmen. Now, you also had a sailing master, who was the expert in sailing that particular ship, while the CO was the expert in military matters (it evolved from the 1400s through the 1800s and up through the present). Then you had the rates: Carpenters, Boatswains, Carpenters, Sailmakers, and every other speciality you need to make a sailing man-of-war operate. These were the Petty Officers (There's a line in Horatio Hornblower novels, where LT Hornblower makes one of the common sailors in his division the senior guy, "Matthews, I rate you a Petty Officer."). They had their "Mates", similar to the old apprenticeship model in medieval/renaissance Europe. Then the non-rates, "Able Seaman" (been at sea a while, but no trade to be mated to), "Ordinary Seaman" (knows the sea and sailing, but you can't quite trust him with jobs), and the lowest "Landsman" (land-lubber, gets seasick and good for nothing).
So, E-1 through E-3 are similar to the Seaman/Landsman, still learning their job in the Navy. E-4 through E-6 are the "descendants" of the rates and mates, they know their job and are skilled at it, thus YN1 or RP3 or MM2: their job (rate) and the level they do that at (First Class, 2nd, 3rd). The descendants of the Sailing Master are the Chiefs (Navy had only Chiefs through WWII, when Senior Chief and Master Chief were added; this is reflected in the uniforms of the time, where they wore the enlisted sailor's dungarees, but with the Officers' khaki cover.)
Officers have their own histories of where they came from and why. But perhaps the least known is that all officers other than the CO of a ship were Lieutenants, regardless of if they were 50 years old and the XO of a 1st rate (100+ gun) ship or a 17 year old and the 4th-highest on a non-rate (0 guns), they all had the same rank. This being America, that's hardly fair, so Congress made it to where the XOs of the 6 biggest ships at the time (1830s, I think) were made a senior-type of lieutenant (like how Sergeants Major are a senior type of Sergeant). This rank was called Lieutenant-Commander (remember, unlike how Army O-4 through O-6 are field grade officers, in the Navy only Commanders (O-5) and Captains (O-6) could originally command ships). That's why today's Lieutenant Commander (O-4) is technically a "junior officer" and doesn't wear scrambled eggs on their cover's visor; they're the senior most grade of Lieutenant! Ok, so not in practice ever, but historically, that's the why.
Sorry, history teacher at work......
Also, throwing in a bit of the history/tradition, back in the days of sail and the English Navy, you had the CO of a rated ship (lots of guns) was a Captain. The CO of an unrated ship (no or few guns) was a Commander. Every other officer, regardless of if they were age 12 or age 50, was a Lieutenant. Officers in training were Midshipmen. Now, you also had a sailing master, who was the expert in sailing that particular ship, while the CO was the expert in military matters (it evolved from the 1400s through the 1800s and up through the present). Then you had the rates: Carpenters, Boatswains, Carpenters, Sailmakers, and every other speciality you need to make a sailing man-of-war operate. These were the Petty Officers (There's a line in Horatio Hornblower novels, where LT Hornblower makes one of the common sailors in his division the senior guy, "Matthews, I rate you a Petty Officer."). They had their "Mates", similar to the old apprenticeship model in medieval/renaissance Europe. Then the non-rates, "Able Seaman" (been at sea a while, but no trade to be mated to), "Ordinary Seaman" (knows the sea and sailing, but you can't quite trust him with jobs), and the lowest "Landsman" (land-lubber, gets seasick and good for nothing).
So, E-1 through E-3 are similar to the Seaman/Landsman, still learning their job in the Navy. E-4 through E-6 are the "descendants" of the rates and mates, they know their job and are skilled at it, thus YN1 or RP3 or MM2: their job (rate) and the level they do that at (First Class, 2nd, 3rd). The descendants of the Sailing Master are the Chiefs (Navy had only Chiefs through WWII, when Senior Chief and Master Chief were added; this is reflected in the uniforms of the time, where they wore the enlisted sailor's dungarees, but with the Officers' khaki cover.)
Officers have their own histories of where they came from and why. But perhaps the least known is that all officers other than the CO of a ship were Lieutenants, regardless of if they were 50 years old and the XO of a 1st rate (100+ gun) ship or a 17 year old and the 4th-highest on a non-rate (0 guns), they all had the same rank. This being America, that's hardly fair, so Congress made it to where the XOs of the 6 biggest ships at the time (1830s, I think) were made a senior-type of lieutenant (like how Sergeants Major are a senior type of Sergeant). This rank was called Lieutenant-Commander (remember, unlike how Army O-4 through O-6 are field grade officers, in the Navy only Commanders (O-5) and Captains (O-6) could originally command ships). That's why today's Lieutenant Commander (O-4) is technically a "junior officer" and doesn't wear scrambled eggs on their cover's visor; they're the senior most grade of Lieutenant! Ok, so not in practice ever, but historically, that's the why.
Sorry, history teacher at work......
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SPC (Join to see)
I enjoyed it Sir, I'm the history guy in my office. I've been told I know far too much useless information already. I think there needs to be unit historians around.
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Anyone wearing an Anchor on their collar is a Chief regardless of the addition of a star or two. Back before the time of the Super Chiefs we were all called Chief. I very highly doubt Del Black would have batted an eye if a young Sailor called him Chief. If anyone gives you crap about not noticing their stars, they're a dipsh!t that shouldn't be wearing Anchors in the first place.
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Yes, the Navy's rank/ratings system can be confusing to those who are not Navy. I thought I had heard that the Navy was considering doing away with a sailor's rating as his rank title, and going to a system that it more inline with the other branches.
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PO2 Skip Kirkwood
That was an Obama administration brainstorm - because so many rates had the word "man" in them. They had no idea the backlash from the Navy community.
They also had no idea that the then Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy was a tool, particularly when he supported that initiative. The current MCPON has got it right.
They also had no idea that the then Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy was a tool, particularly when he supported that initiative. The current MCPON has got it right.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
The idea of scrapping those rating was abandoned as it should have been. I wasn't Navy but My Dad and Mothers Aunt both were. The tradition and History and pride in one's ratings would have made that a criminal act in My opinion ! I may have been Air Force Myself but I do understand the importance of those ratings and their place in the Navy.
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PO2 Skip Kirkwood
CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 -Thanks. "Tool" - title of disrespect - In this case, someone who should know better, going along with modern-day political correctness, instead of embracing, adhering to, and respecting the traditions of the Naval Service. To wit, not standing up to the O-gang members (officers for those non-Navy types) currying favor with the civilian leadership by dismantling hundreds of years of pride and tradition.
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http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/nec/NEOCSVol1/Documents/CHG_70_APR17_%20OCCSTDS_MANUAL.pdf
This the official manual that will tell you everything you need to know about the navy rating system and the various rates.
This the official manual that will tell you everything you need to know about the navy rating system and the various rates.
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