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U.S. Military Enlisted Rank

The Navy Rate

In the Navy, rates identify enlisted Sailors occupationally by pay grades E-1 through E-9 and reflect levels of aptitude, training, experience, knowledge, skill, and responsibility. Enlisted rates are divided into three groups: general rates (E-1 through E-3 apprenticeships), Petty Officers (E-4 through E-6), and Chief Petty Officers (E-7 through E-9).

General rates are apprenticeships assigned to personnel at pay grades E-1 through E-3 to indicate their eligibility for entry into various ratings (specific Navy enlisted job). These apprenticeships are: Airman (AN), Fireman (FN), and Seaman (SN).

Petty Officers (Third Class Petty Officer [PO3 -- E-4]; Second Class Petty Officer [PO2 -- E-5]; and First Class Petty Officer [PO1 -- E-6]) are the technicians and work managers within Navy ratings who possess increasing degrees of skill responsibility and authority as they advance in pay grade. Petty officers are capable of accomplishing tasks normal to their rating and pay grade and they provide the "hands on" skills required to maintain, repair, and operate systems and subsystems.

The Chief Petty Officer (CPO) (E-7) is the technical authority, expert, and supervisor within a rating. The CPO is capable of accomplishing all tasks normal to a rating using technical supervision, instruction, and training of lower rated personnel.

The Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) (E-8) is the senior technical supervisor within a Navy rating with primary responsibilities for supervising and training enlisted personnel oriented to system and subsystem maintenance, repair, and operation. Based on wide ranging experience and specialized training, the SCPO provides the command with a higher level of technical and managerial expertise than is expected at the E-7 level.

The Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) (E-9) is the senior enlisted petty officer in the United States Navy. As such, the MCPO is vested with special command trust and confidence extending to administrative and managerial functions involving enlisted personnel. Based upon experience, proven performance, and technical knowledge necessary for advancement to the grade of MCPO, individuals of that rate within a command hold the senior enlisted positions and contribute to forming as well as implementing policy within their occupational field or across the full Navy rating spectrum.

*Commanding Officers and Officers in Charge may waive up to 1 year of the required Time In Rate for Sailors in paygrades E-5 and E-6 who received a promotion recommendation of EP on the most recent periodic evaluation in the current paygrade.

Navy Active Duty High Year Tenure

Among its many manpower management tools, High Year Tenure (HYT) may be one of its most controversial. HYT is a move up or out force structure tool. For example, if an E-5 is unable to advance to E-6 before reaching the 16 year year of service, the E-5 will be forced to leave the Navy.

Per MILPERSMAN 1160-120, CH84, July 13, 2023, the High Year Tenure years of service by pay grade allowed are as follows:

Navy Active Duty High Year Tenure (HYT) chart.
Pay Grade (Note 4)Years
E-1 and E-24
E-3 6
E-4 10
E-5 16
E-6 22
E-724
E-826
E-930
CMDCM 32
CMDCM/ FORCM (Note 1) 34
CMDCM/ FORCM/ FLTCM (Note 2) 36
MCPON (Note 3) 38

Notes:

  1. Selected for a 1 or 2-star flag/general officer support assignment to complete a 3-year tour of duty.
  2. Selected for a 3 or 4-star flag/general officer support assignment to complete a 3-year tour of duty.
  3. Selected to serve as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) to complete a 4-year tour of duty.
  4. Sailors who have completed 18 years, but less than 20 years of service and are subsequently reduced in rate must be retained on active duty until they are eligible to transfer to the Fleet Reserve, unless they are discharged under other provisions of law.

Military Enlisted Pay-Grade and Rank Comparison Chart

Enlisted U.S. military pay-grade and rank comparison chart.
Enlisted Ranks and Pay grades
Pay gradeNavy
Coast Guard
MarinesArmyAir Force
Space Force
E-9Master Chief Petty OfficerSGT Major
Master Gunnery SGT
SGT Major
Command SGT Major
Chief Master SGT
E-8Senior Chief Petty Officer1st SGT
Master SGT
First SGT
Master SGT
Senior Master SGT
E-7Chief Petty OfficerGunnery SGTSGT 1st ClassMaster SGT
E-61st Class Petty OfficerStaff SGTStaff SGTTechnical SGT
E-52nd Class Petty OfficerSergeantSergeantStaff SGT
E-43rd Class Petty OfficerCorporalCorporal
SPEC. 4
Senior Airman
E-3SeamanLance
Corporal
Private First ClassAirman First Class
E-2Seaman ApprenticePrivate
First Class
PrivateAirman
E-1Seaman RecruitPrivatePrivateBasic
Airman

*SGT = Sergeant

References used are BUPERSINST 1430.16G, "Advancement Manual for Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve" dated September 19, 2018; MILPERSMAN 1160-120, "High Year Tenure" dated July 13, 2023; NAVADMIN 168/23, "Navy-Wide Apprentice (E1-E4) Advancement Changes" DTG: 272200Z July 2023.

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