Master Chief Petty Officer
Encyclopedia
Master Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Coast GuardMaster Chief
Petty Officer
Cap & Collar device
U.S. Coast Guard
Master Chief
Petty Officer
insignia
Good conduct
U.S. Navy Good Conduct Variation
In the United States Navy, enlisted members in pay grades E-4 to E-9 are authorized to wear gold rate insignia instead of red if the individual meets the requirements for good conduct service.-Gold Rating Badge and Service Stripes:...
Rating badge
Master Chief
Petty Officer
Cap & Collar Insignia
Master Chief Petty Officer is the ninth, and highest, enlisted rate (paygrade E-9) in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and U.S. Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, just above Senior Chief Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Coast GuardSenior ChiefPetty Officercollar deviceU.S. Coast GuardSenior ChiefPetty OfficerinsigniaGood conductvariationSenior ChiefPetty OfficerinsigniaSenior ChiefPetty Officercollar device...
. They are referred to as Master Chief in most circumstances. They constitute the top 1% of the enlisted members of the maritime forces.
Advancement to Master Chief Petty Officer is similar to that of Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
and Senior 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
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
of all grades possess both a rate
Naval rating
A Naval Rating is an enlisted member of a country's Navy, subordinate to Warrant Officers and Officers hence not conferred by commission or warrant...
(the enlisted term for rank) and rating (job, similar to a Military Occupational Specialty
Military Occupational Specialty
A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...
(MOS) in other branches). The full title is a combination of the two. Thus, a Master Chief Petty Officer, who has the rating of Fire Controlman
Fire Controlman
Fire Controlman is a United States Navy occupational rating.Fire Controlmen provide system employment recommendations; perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on digital computer equipment, subsystems, and systems; operate and maintain combat and weapons direction systems,...
would properly be called a Master Chief Fire Controlman.
Each rating has an official abbreviation, such as FC for Fire Controlman, FT for Fire Control Technician
Fire Control Technician
Fire Control Technician is a United States Navy occupational rating.Fire Control Technicians perform organizational and intermediate level maintenance on submarine combat control systems, equipment, and associated combat control systems test equipment; operate submarine combat control systems;...
, or STS for Sonar Technician Submarines
Sonar Technician
Sonar Technician is a United States Navy occupational rating.ST's are responsible for underwater surveillance. They assist in safe navigation and aid in search, rescue and attack operations. They operate and repair sonar equipment...
. When combined with the rate abbreviation, it produces the full rate designation, such as FCCM for Master Chief Fire Controlman. 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 "Master Chief", regardless of rating. In certain rates, where the rate itself is split into two, or more designations, the third letter is often dropped when the rank of Master Chief is attained, such as STS (Sonar Technician, Submarines), and STG (Sonar Technician, Surface), upon reaching Master Chief, the final letter of the designation is dropped from the official abbreviation, and is shown as STCM, or Sonar Technician, Master Chief Petty Officer.
The rate insignia for a master chief is a white eagle with spread wings above three chevrons. The chevrons are topped by an arc that goes behind the eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
. Two inverted silver stars (a reference to the stars used on the sleeves of line officers) are placed above the eagle. Between the arc and the top chevron is the specialty mark of the enlisted rating. In the picture above, the two crossed anchors is the specialty mark of a Boatswain's Mate (abbreviated as BM). This is used on the Service Dress Blue, Dinner Dress Blue Jacket, and Dinner Dress White Jacket uniforms. On other uniforms, the insignia used for shirt collars and caps is the one that has become universally accepted as the symbol of the Chief Petty Officer. This is a gold foul
Foul (nautical)
Foul is a nautical term meaning to entangle or entwine, and more generally that something is wrong or difficult. The term dates back to usage with wind-driven sailing ships.-Fouled anchor:...
anchor (note: the proper term is "foul anchor", not "fouled") superimposed with a silver "USN" (Navy) or a silver shield (Coast Guard). As on the rating badge, this is capped by two five-pointed stars, showing one ray down.
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Master Chief Petty Officers are generally considered to be the technical experts in their fields. They serve at sea and ashore in commands of all sizes. Many Master Chiefs choose to enter the Command Master Chief Petty OfficerCommand Master Chief Petty Officer
-Background:First referenced in OPNAVINST 1306.2C dated 16 October 1995, the Navy's Command Master Chief Program is a valuable asset which stimulates free-flowing communications and ensures the highest standards of professionalism are upheld at all levels within the chain of command...
Program. If selected they receive additional leadership training and are assigned to commands as the Command Master Chief (CMC). The Command Master Chief is the senior enlisted person at a command and as such works as a liaison between the Commanding Officer and the enlisted ranks, serving as the senior enlisted leader
Senior Enlisted Advisor
A Senior Enlisted Advisor in the United States armed forces is the most senior enlisted service member in a unit, and acts as an advisor to the commanding officer. Most units will have a formal billet for the senior enlisted advisor, from a platoon's platoon sergeant to the Senior Enlisted Advisor...
. In this capacity the CMC assists the commanding officer in issues of quality of life, discipline, training, and morale. On Submarines, the CMC is called the Chief of the Boat or "COB". The CMC insignia has a silver star vice their enlisted rating between the arc and the top chevron.
Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer
These two ranks are equivalent and their insignia is also the same—a master chief rating badge with two gold stars above the eagle and a gold star for the rating insignia.Force Master Chief Petty Officer
These are Master Chiefs who have virtually the same responsibility as Command Master Chiefs, but Force Master Chief Petty Officers (FORCM) are responsible for larger force commands: e.g., Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet. There are 16 Force Master Chief positions in the Navy: Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Naval Air Force, U. S. Atlantic FleetCommander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...
, Naval Air Forces
Commander, Naval Air Forces
Commander, Naval Air Forces is the aviation Type Commander for all United States Navy naval aviation units...
, Naval Education and Training Command, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Naval Special Warfare, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic
Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Atlantic is a post within the United States Fleet Forces Command. As Naval Surface Forces, Atlantic, it is a military formation, but the organization is often known as COMNAVSURFLANT. Its headquarters are at the Norfolk Naval Base, Norfolk, Virginia. The commander,...
, Naval Surface Forces, Navy Cyber
Navy Cyber Forces
Navy Cyber Forces is the type commander for the U.S. Navy's global cyber workforce. The headquarters is located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story...
, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
The Navy Expeditionary Combat Command serves as the single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the United States Navy's 40,000 expeditionary forces who are currently serving in every theater of operation. The NECC was...
, Navy Installations Command, Navy Personnel Command, Navy Recruiting Command, Navy Reserve Forces
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
ComSubPac
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force includes attack, ballistic missile and auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence...
, and Submarine Forces
ComSubLant
Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic is the type commander for U.S. submarines in the Atlantic Fleet. Established on 7 December 1941, Rear Admiral Richard S. Edwards was assigned as the first Force Commander. U.S. submarine operations in the Atlantic, however, go back to before the First World War...
.
Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer
These are Master Chiefs who have virtually the same responsibility as Command Master Chiefs, but Fleet Master Chief Petty Officers (FLTCM) are responsible for larger fleet commands: e.g., U.S. Pacific Fleet. There are four Fleet Master Chief positions in the Navy: United States Fleet Forces CommandUnited States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, United States Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, United States Naval Forces, Europe/Africa
United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
, Navy Total Force/Manpower, Personnel,Training and Education
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
There exists one post, Master Chief Petty Officer of the NavyMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Navy, which has a paygrade of E-9. The holder of this rank and post is the most senior enlisted member of the U.S...
, (MCPON, pronounced "Mick-Ponn") which is unique. The holder of this post is the most senior enlisted member in the U.S. Navy. The MCPON adds a third star above the rating insignia described earlier, and all three stars are gold (silver on the gold foul anchor collar device). Likewise, the rating specialty mark is replaced by a gold star. In December 2008, Rick D. West
Rick D. West
Rick D. West is the 12th and current Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy . On December 12, 2008, West accepted the passing of the ceremonial cutlass from outgoing MCPON Joe R. Campa-Early life and naval career:...
assumed the role of MCPON, replacing Joe R. Campa
Joe R. Campa
Joe R. Campa, Jr., was the 11th Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy.-Education:Campa is a distinguished honor graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy. He also graduated from the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in May 2003 and completed the Command Sergeants Major...
.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast GuardMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Coast Guard.The holder of this rank and post is the senior enlisted member of the U.S...
(MCPOCG) is the most senior enlisted member in the U.S. Coast Guard. The MCPOCG adds a third star above the rating insignia described earlier, and all three stars are gold (silver on the gold foul anchor collar device). Likewise, the rating specialty mark is replaced by a gold shield. The current Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard is Michael P. Leavitt
Michael P. Leavitt
Michael Phillip Leavitt is the eleventh and current Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard , assuming the position from MCPOCG Charles W. Bowen on May 21, 2010...
.
Popular culture
- In the 2000 film Men of HonorMen of HonorMen of Honor is a 2000 drama film, starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding, Jr. The film was directed by George Tillman, Jr...
, the character Leslie William "Billy" Sunday (portrayed by Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
) is a U.S. Navy diver with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. This film is based on real life events of Carl BrashearCarl BrashearCarl Maxie Brashear was the first African American to become a U.S. Navy Master Diver in 1970.-Early life:...
, the first black man to be accepted into the salvage divers school and eventually earning the rank of Master Chief in his own right. - In the 1997 film, G.I. JaneG.I. JaneG.I. Jane is a 1997 American action film directed by Ridley Scott, produced by Largo Entertainment, Scott Free Productions and Caravan Pictures, distributed by Hollywood Pictures and starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortensen. The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo training...
, the U.S. Navy SEALUnited States Navy SEALsThe United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
in charge of training the recruits is Command Master Chief John Urgayle, played by Viggo MortensenViggo MortensenViggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. is a Danish-American actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He made his film debut in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness, and subsequently appeared in many notable films of the 1990s, including The Indian Runner , Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , Daylight , The...
. - In the HaloHalo (series)Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
video game franchise, the protagonist, Master Chief Petty OfficerMaster Chief (Halo)Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a fictional character and protagonist of the Halo fictional universe, created by Bungie. Master Chief is a player character in the trilogy of science fiction first-person shooter video games Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 and will appear in the...
John-117, commonly referred to as "Master Chief" or simply "Chief," derives his nicknames from his rank as Master Chief Petty Officer.
See also
- Petty officerPetty OfficerA petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
- U.S. Navy enlisted rate insignia
- Comparative military ranksComparative military ranksThis article is a list of various states' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention NATO reference codes. These are the NATO rank reference...