The use of the word "rank" for Navy enlisted personnel is
incorrect. The term is "rate." The rating badge -- a combination of rate (pay
grade) and
rating (specialty) is worn on the left upper sleeve of all uniforms in
grades E-4 through E-6.
Group
rate marks for E-1 (optional) through E-3 are worn on dress uniforms only.
Chief Petty Officers (E-7 through E-9) wear collar devices on their white and
khaki uniforms, and rate badges on their Service Dress Blues
Navy officers wear their rank devices in different places
on their uniforms, depending upon the uniform. The three basic uniforms and the
type of rank devices are: khakis (a working uniform) - pins on the collar;
whites - stripes on shoulder boards; and, blues - stripes sewn on the lower
sleeve. Shoulder boards are also worn on bridge coats and reefers. The collar
devices are also worn on the right side of the garrison cap (a miniature
officer's crest is worn on the left) and slightly larger devices are worn on
the epaulets of the raincoat and working jacket.
Pay Grade
Rank
Abbreviation
Collar
Shoulder
Sleeve
O-1
Ensign
ENS
O-2
Lieutenant
Junior Grade
LTJG
O-3
Lieutenant
LT
O-4
Lieutenant
Commander
LCDR
O-5
Commander
CDR
O-6
Captain
CAPT
O-7
Rear Admiral
(lower half)
RDML
O-8
Rear Admiral
(upper half)
RADM
O-9
Vice Admiral
VADM
O-10
Admiral
ADM
O-11
Fleet Admiral*
FADM
* The rank of Fleet Admiral has been reserved for war
time use only. The last Fleet Admirals were in World War II. Fleet Admirals
during that war were Chester W. Nimitz, William D. Leahy, Ernest J. King, and
William F. Halsey.
Commissioned officers in the Navy
are either Line officers or Staff Corps officers. Those of the Staff Corps are
specialists in career fields which are professions unto themselves, such as
physicians, lawyers, civil engineers, etc. Staff Corps officers wear their
specialty insignia on the sleeve of the dress blue uniforms and on their
shoulder boards in place of the star worn by Line officers. On Winter Blue and
khaki uniforms, the specialty insignia is a collar device worn on the left
collar while the
rank device is worn on the right.
Commissioned officers in the Navy are either Line
officers or Staff Corps officers. Some have advanced through the enlisted
rates and are designated for duty in certain technical fields. These are
Limited Duty Officers and commissioned warrant officers. CWOs and Staff corps
LDOs wear their specialty insignia on the sleeve of the dress blue uniforms
and on their shoulder boards in place of the star worn by Line officers. On
Winter Blue and khaki uniforms, the specialty insignia is a collar device worn
on the left collar while the
rank device is worn on the right.