United States Navy officer rank insignia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)

Commissioned officers in the Navy have pay grades ranging from W-2 to W-5 and O-1 to O-10, with O-10 being the highest: those with paygrades between W-2 to W-5 are considered specialists in their field. Officers in pay grades O-1 through O-4 are considered junior officers...ensign, lieutenant junior grade, lieutenant and lieutenant commander. Officers in the next two pay grades (O-5 and O-6) are considered senior officers...commander, and captain. The highest four pay grades are reserved for flag officers...rear admiral-lower half, rear admiral-upper half, vice admiral, and admiral."^[1][2]

In the event that officers demonstrate superior performance, they are given an increase in paygrade; the official Navy term for this occasion is to be promoted. Above the rank of Admiral is the rank of Fleet Admiral, which was given to a select few in World War II, but has not been held by any officer since and is reserved for wartime use. Even higher than Fleet Admiral was the special rank of Admiral of the Navy, which was awarded to only one person, George Dewey, in 1899. Efforts to resurrect the rank in the 20th century failed, making it very unlikely that it will be used again. Commissioned officers originate from the United States Naval Academy, Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), Officer Candidate School (OCS), and a host of other commissioning programs such as the Seaman to Admiral-21 program and the Limited Duty Officer Selection Program.

Commissioned officers can generally be divided into line officers and staff corps; line officers can be further split into unrestricted and restricted communities. Unrestricted Line Officers are the most visible and well-known, due to their role as the warfighting command element in the U.S. Navy. They receive training in tactics, strategy, command and control, and actual combat and are considered unrestricted because they are authorized to command ships, aviation squadrons, and special operations units. Restricted Line Officers, on the other hand, concentrate on non-combat related fields, which include engineering, maintenance, meteorology and oceanography, and intelligence; they are not qualified to command combat units. However, in a shipboard environment, many unrestricted line officers fill these duties, such as the officers in a ship's engineering department. Because they maintain their general shipboard duties, instead of completely specializing in one career area, they maintain their command career path. Staff Corps officers are specialists in fields that are themselves professional careers and not exclusive to the military, for example medicine, law, and civil engineering. They exist to augment the line communities and are able to be assigned to both line and staff commands. The exception to this is the case of Civil Engineering Corps officers, who serve as the officers for the navy's Seabee units. This requires them to serve in a command capacity for ground combatants when the seabees are deployed to combat areas.

The term "line" is a carryover from the 18th century British tactic of employing warships in a line of battle to take advantage of cannons on each side of the ship. These vessels were dubbed "ships of the line" and those who commanded them were likewise called "line officers." Today, all United States Navy line and restricted line officers denote their status with a star located above their rank devices on the shoulder boards and sleeves of their uniforms. Officers of the Staff Corps replace the star with different insignias to indicate their field of specialty.^[3]

This chart represents the current U.S. Navy officer rank insignia. (Also see the article on Commodore which explains the evolution of this title (no longer a rank) and its relationship to Rear Admiral over the years)

Contents 1 Commissioned Officer Ranks 2 Commissioned Warrant Officer Ranks 3 Officer Corps 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Commissioned Officer Ranks

Commissioned Officer Rank Structure of the United States Navy
Pay grade	O-11¹	O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7	O-6	O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1
Insignia
Title	Fleet Admiral	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral [4][5]	Rear Admiral (lower half)	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade) [4][5]	Ensign
Abbreviation	FADM	ADM	VADM	RADM	RDML	CAPT	CDR	LCDR	LT	LTJG	ENS
NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
¹Awarded only in times of Congressionally declared war (active).

[edit] Commissioned Warrant Officer Ranks

Commissioned Warrant Officer Rank Structure of the United States Navy
Pay grade	W-5	W-4	W-3	W-2
Insignia
Title	Chief Warrant Officer Five	Chief Warrant Officer Four	Chief Warrant Officer Three	Chief Warrant Officer Two
Abbreviation	CWO-5	CWO-4	CWO-3	CWO-2

lawrence

[edit] Officer Corps

Navy Officers serve either as a line officer (with a star above the stripes on the sleeve or shoulderboards), or in one of the staff corps:

Staff Corps	Medical Corps	Dental Corps	Nurse Corps	Medical Service Corps	Chaplain Corps (Christian Faith)
Insignia
Designator1	210X	220X	290X	230X	410X
Staff Corps	Chaplain Corps (Jewish Faith)	Chaplain Corps (Muslim Faith)	Supply Corps	Civil Engineer Corps	Judge Advocate General's Corps
Insignia
Designator1	410X	410X	310X	510X	250X
1An officer designator describes their general community or profession. The final (fourth) digit (X) denotes the whether the officer has a Regular (0), Reserve (5), or Full Time Support (7) commission.

Not pictured: Chaplain Corps (Buddhist Faith)

The staff corps devices are also worn on the left collar of uniforms.

[edit] See also

• List of Naval Officer Designators
• List of United States Navy staff corps
• United States Navy enlisted rate insignia
• Naval officer ranks - comparison to other countries and explanation of NATO rank codes
• U.S. Navy Midshipman rank insignia can be found in the Midshipman article.
• U.S. Navy Warrant officer rank insignia can be found in the Warrant Officer (United States) article.

[edit] References

• U.S. Navy Office of Information

[edit] External links

• Info on becoming a Navy Officer
• Naval History Reference: Naval Uniforms and Insignia
• Chapter 4, Section 1: OFFICER RANK INSIGNIA of the Bureau of Personnel Uniform Regulations
• Department of Defense Rank Insignias — Officers Rank

v • d • e United States Uniformed Services rank and rate insignia Officer Army · Navy (midshipman) · Coast Guard · Air Force · Marine Corps · PHS Commissioned Corps · NOAA Commissioned Corps · Warrant Enlisted Army · Navy · Coast Guard · Air Force · Marine Corps

v • d • e United States Navy Portal: United States Navy Leadership Secretary of the Navy · Chief of Naval Operations · Vice Chief of Naval Operations · Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy · Active duty Navy four-star admirals Organization Regular Navy · Navy Reserve · Fleet Marine Force · civilian auxiliaries: Merchant Marine · Maritime Service Major Commands Fleet Forces Command · Naval Forces Europe · Pacific Fleet · Naval Forces Central Command · Naval Forces Southern Command · Military Sealift Command · Naval Special Warfare Command Numbered Fleets Second Fleet · Third Fleet · Fourth Fleet · Fifth Fleet · Sixth Fleet · Seventh Fleet Structure The Pentagon · Units · Aircraft Wings · Aircraft Squadrons · Installations · Naval Observatory Ships A-B · C · D-F · G-H · I-K · L · M · N-O · P · Q-R · S · T-V · W-Z Aircraft carriers · Airships · Amphibious warfare ships · Auxiliaries · Battleships · Cruisers · Destroyers · Destroyer escorts · Escort carriers · Frigates · Mine warfare vessels · Monitors · Patrol vessels · Sailing frigates · Steam frigates · Steam gunboats · Ships of the line · Sloops of war · Submarines · Torpedo boats Personnel & Training People  · Officers: Officer Insignia / Designators  · Enlisted: Enlisted Insignia / Ratings / Classification Personnel: Chaplain Corps · Medical Corps · Dental Corps · Nurse Corps · Supply Corps · Civil Engineer Corps · JAG Corps · NCIS · SEALs · SWCCs · Naval Aviator · Seabee · Navy Expeditionary Combat Commands Training: Recruit Training · United States Naval Academy · Officer Candidate School · TOPGUN · Naval War College · SMTC · BESS Uniforms & Equipment Uniforms · Awards · Badges · Current Fleet · Reserve Fleet · Aircraft · Weapons · Naval Reactors History & Traditions Navy history · Continental Navy · USS Constitution · "Anchors Aweigh" · Navy Hymn · Navy Band · Fleet Week · Navy Flag · Ensign · Jack · Blue Angels · Ship commissioning · Ship decommissioning · Line-crossing ceremony · National Museum

v • d • e Military of the United States Portal (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Category (A · MC · N · AF · CG · PHS · NOAA) · Navbox (A · MC · N · AF · CG) Leadership Commander-in-chief · Secretary of Defense · Deputy Secretary of Defense · Joint Chiefs of Staff (Chairman) · Senate Committee on Armed Services · House Committee on Armed Services · Active duty four-star officers · Highest ranking officers in history · Goldwater-Nichols Act Organization Service Departments Department of Defense (Secretary): Army (Secretary) · Navy (Secretary) · Air Force (Secretary) Department of Homeland Security (Secretary): Coast Guard Branches Army (Chief of Staff) · Marine Corps (Commandant) · Navy (Chief of Naval Operations) · Air Force (Chief of Staff) · Coast Guard (Commandant) Other Uniformed Services U.S. PHS Commissioned Corps (Surgeon General) · NOAA Commissioned Corps (Director) Reserve Components Reserves: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · National Guard: (A · AF) Civilian Auxiliaries Military Affiliate Radio System · Merchant Marine · Maritime Service · Civil Air Patrol · Coast Guard Auxiliary Unified Combatant Command Northern · Central · European · Pacific · Southern · Africa · Joint Forces · Special Operations · Strategic · Transportation Structure Title 10 of the United States Code · The Pentagon · Bases · Budget · Units: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Logistics · Media Operations & History Current Deployments · Conflicts · History: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Timeline · Wars Personnel Training MEPS · ASVAB · Recruit training: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Officer Candidate School: (A · MC · N · AF) · Service Academies: (A (prep) · N (prep) · AF (prep) · CG · Merchant Marine · PHS) · Junior/Reserve Officers' Training Corps: (A · MC/N · AF) · Other Education Uniforms Uniforms: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Awards & Decorations: (Inter-service · A · MC/N · AF · CG · Foreign · International · Devices) · Badges: (Identification · A · MC · N · AF · CG) Ranks Enlisted: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) · Warrant Officers · Officer: (A · MC · N · AF · CG · PHS · NOAA) Other Oath: (Enlistment · Office) · Code of Conduct · Military Occupational Specialty/Rating/Air Force Specialty Code · Pay · Uniform Code of Military Justice · Judge Advocate General's Corps · Military Health System/TRICARE · Separation · Veterans Affairs Equipment Land Individual Weapons · Crew-Served Weapons · Vehicles (active) Sea All watercraft · Ships: (A · N (active) · AF · CG · MSC · NOAA) · Weapons: (N · CG) · Aircraft: (N · CG · NOAA) · Reactors Air Aircraft (active) · Aircraft Designation · Missiles · Helicopter Arms Other Electronics (designations) · Flags: (A · MC · N · AF · CG · Ensign · Jack · Guidons) · Food · WMDs: (Nuclear · Biological · Chemical) Legend: A=Army, MC=Marine Corps, N=Navy, AF=Air Force, CG=Coast Guard, PHS=Public Health Service, NOAA=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, MSC=Military Sealift Command

v • d • e United States commissioned officer and officer candidate ranks
	Officer candidate	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9	O-10	Special	Special
Approximate insignia:	(no universal insignia)												(no authorized insignia)
Air Force:	CDT / OT	2d Lt	1st Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig Gen	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	GOAF[1][4]	[2]
Army:	CDT / OC	2LT	1LT	CPT	MAJ	LTC	COL	BG	MG	LTG	GEN	GA[1][4]	General of the Armies[1][4]
Marine Corps:	Midn / Cand	2ndLt	1stLt	Capt	Maj	LtCol	Col	BGen	MajGen	LtGen	Gen	[2]	[2]
Navy:	MIDN / OC	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	CDRE[5] / RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	FADM[1][4]	Admiral of the Navy[1][4]
Coast Guard:	CDT	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	CDRE[5] / RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
Public Health Service:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM[1][4]	[3]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3] Grade requires Congressional approval for re-activation [4] Rank inactive and abolished [5]

v • d • e United States warrant officer ranks
	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
Approximate insignia:	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)
Air Force:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2[1]	CWO-3[1]	CWO-4[1]	CWO-5[1]
Army:	WO1	CW2	CW3	CW4	CW5
Marine Corps:	WO-1	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
Navy:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
Coast Guard:	[3]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	[3]
Public Health Service:	[3]	[3]	[3]	[3]	[2]
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3]