Chief Petty Officer

Chief Petty Officer is the seventh, and third highest, enlisted rate (paygrade E-7) in the United Stars Navy between Petty Officer First Class and Senior Chief Petty Officer. It also is the first of the Senior NCO ranks in the Union Navy.

They are referred to as Chief in most circumstances. They constitute the top 1% of the enlisted members of the maritime forces.

Advancement to Chief Petty Officer is similar to that of Senior Chief Petty Officer and Master Chief Petty Officer. It carries requirements of time in service, superior evaluation scores, and selection by a board of Master Chiefs. Similarly, Senior Chief Petty Officers and Chief Petty Officers are chosen by selection boards.

Petty Officers of all grades possess both a rate (the enlisted term for rank) and rating (job, similar to a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in other branches). The full title is a combination of the two. Thus, a Master Chief Petty Officer, who has the rating of Translocator Specialist would properly be called a Master Chief TLS.

Each rating has an official abbreviation, such as TLC for Translocator Specialist,PSI Propulsion Specialist ISAH, or SSP for Sensor Systems Specialist.It is not uncommon practice to refer to the master chief by this short hand in all but the most formal correspondence (such as printing and inscription on awards). Mostly, though, they are simply called "Chief", regardless of rating.