Good conduct
variation,
12 years or more
of good conduct
Petty officer
first class
insignia
U.S. Navy &
U.S. Coast Guard
Petty officer, first class is the sixth enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above petty officer, second class and below chief petty officer, and is a non-commissioned officer.
Each rating has an official abbreviation, such as ET for electronics technician, STS for sonar technician submarines, or FT for fire control technician. When combined with the petty-officer level, this gives the short-hand for the petty officer's rank, such as ET1 for electronics technician, first class. It is common practice to refer to the petty officer by this short hand in all but the most formal correspondence (such as printing and inscription on awards). Often, the petty officer is just referred to by the short-hand designation, without using the surname. Thus ET1 Jones would just be called "ET1". A first-class petty officer may be generically referred to as PO1 when the sailor's rating is not known, although some prefer to be called simply "Petty Officer (last name)". To address a petty officer, one would say, "Petty Officer Smith", "Smith", or "Sailor" (the latter two forms being acceptable for use by those equal or greater in rank than the Petty Officer). It is uncommon to address a petty officer as simply, "Petty Officer" the way one might address an NCO in the Marine Corps as "Sergeant". Also acceptable, but archaic, would be to address a petty officer or chief petty officer of any grade as "Mister Smith" or "Ms. Smith". The use of "Ms." or "Mister" is commonly only in reference to junior commissioned officers or warrant officers.
Similar to petty officer, second class and third class, advancement to petty officer, first class is contingent upon the following conditions:
The advancement cycle is currently every 6 months (March and September). Only second-class petty officers that achieve a passing score on the biannual advancement examination are eligible to be advanced to first-class petty officer. Once the examination is complete, a quota is established based upon the needs of the Navy with respect to the specific rating the sailor holds. Using the rating ET (electronics technician) as an example:
The Navy's high year tenure policy imposes a maximum enlistment of 20 years to a petty officer, first class. If a petty officer, first class fails to make chief petty officer within those 20 years, the petty officer is honorably retired from the United States Navy.
The rate insignia for a petty officer, first class is a perched eagle above three chevrons. On more formal uniforms (dress white and dress blue uniform), the symbol for the petty officer's rating will be placed between the eagle and the chevrons. On white uniforms, the eagle, rating, and chevrons are dark blue (almost black- this has led to the eagle being referred to as the "crow" in common practice, and often the entire rating badge is simply referred to as the crow). On navy blue (black) uniforms, the eagle and rating are white, and the chevrons are red, unless the sailor has served in the Navy for 12 years or more with good conduct- then that sailor wears gold chevrons on the dress blue uniform. Gold chevrons are also worn on the collars of the Navy blue coveralls uniform, and on the black garrison cap (only) worn with the Navy service working uniform (often called "peanut butters"). The Coast Guard does not use golden chevrons. Working uniforms (all variations of the camouflage uniform) and metal rank devices do not have the rating badge symbol.
First-class petty officers normally serve as a leading petty officer (LPO) of a division, and direct the activities of a division. LPO experience for a first-class petty officer is not officially required for advancement to chief petty officer; however, it is generally accepted that at least one documented tour as an LPO (preferably at sea) is a vital step for advancement.
First-class petty officers often form associations at their commands. Membership in these associations are voluntary.
Petty officers serve a dual role as both technical experts and as leaders. Unlike the sailors below them, there is no such thing as an "undesignated petty officer." Every petty officer has both a rate (rank) and rating (job, similar to a Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) in other services. A petty officer's full title is a combination of the two. Thus, a petty officer, first class, who has the rating of electronics technician would properly be called an electronics technician petty officer, first class, or ET1. The term "petty officer" is only used in the general sense when referring to a group of petty officers of different ratings, when the petty officer's rating is unknown, or when someone who is E-3 or below addresses a petty officer while in basic training or "A" school.
| Pay Grade → Branch of Service ↓ |
E-1 | E-2 | E-3 | E-4 | E-5 | E-6 | E-7 | E-8 | E-9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | AB | Amn | A1C | SrA | SSgt | TSgt | MSgt | SMSgt | CMSgt - CCM - CMSAF | |
| Army | PVT | PV2 | PFC | SPC - CPL | SGT | SSG | SFC | MSG - 1SG | SGM - CSM - SMA | |
| Marine Corps | Pvt | PFC | LCpl | Cpl | Sgt | SSgt | GySgt | MSgt - 1stSgt | MGySgt - SgtMaj - SgtMajMarCor | |
| Navy | SR | SA | SN | PO3 | PO2 | PO1 | CPO | SCPO | MCPO - CMDCM - FORCM - FLTCM - MCPON | |
| Coast Guard | SR | SA | SN | PO3 | PO2 | PO1 | CPO | SCPO | MCPO - CMC - MCPOCG | |