Military Rank - Enlisted

Navy - Coast Guard Rating and Rates

In the Navy and Coast Guard "rating" is synonimous with your job. For instance if your job in the Navy was as an electronics technician (ET) it is also considered as your rating. Your "rate" is the rank you hold within the rating. Most ratings are broken down by paygrades E-1 thru E-9 (Some ratings lowest rank/rate maybe higher than E-1, example would be Navy Counselor which has an entry level of E-5). Now your not going to address a Sailor as E-6 Electronics Technician Smith or Electronics Technician E-6 Smith - first you convert the rank E-6 into the proper rate. So, using the chart below if an electronics technician held the rank of E-6 the individuals proper title would be Electronics Technician First Class Petty Officer. Smith could be addressed as Electronics Technician First Class Petty Officer Smith, Petty Officer First Class Smith, Petty Officer Smith or even ET1 Smith.

Military Enlisted Pay-Grade and Ranks Chart

Enlisted Ranks and Paygrades
Paygrade	Navy Coast Guard	Marines	Army	Air Force
E-9	Master Chief Petty Officer	SGT Major Master Gunnery SGT	SGT Major Command SGT Major	Chief Master SGT
E-8	Senior Chief Petty Officer	1st SGT Master SGT	First SGT Master SGT	Senior Master SGT
E-7	Chief Petty Officer	Gunnery SGT	SGT 1st Class	Master SGT
E-6	1st Class Petty Officer	Staff SGT	Staff SGT SPEC. 6	Technical SGT
E-5	2nd Class Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant SPEC. 5	Staff SGT
E-4	3rd Class Petty Officer	Corporal	Corporal SPEC. 4	Senior Airman
E-3	Seaman	Lance Corporal	Private First Class	Airman First Class
E-2	Seaman Apprentice	Private First Class	Private	Airman
E-1	Seaman Recruit	Private	Private	Basic Airman