Seaman Recruit
Encyclopedia
Seaman recruit is the lowest enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy
and U.S. Coast Guard
, just below seaman apprentice
; this rank was formerly known as seaman third class. Two separate pay grades exist within this rank (and the corresponding ranks in the other branches of the United States military structure) — one for those with service of less than four months, with a higher pay scale for those in service for more than four months, even if they have not yet advanced to seaman apprentice.
Navy seaman recruits do not bear any uniform rank insignia currently. Prior to 1996, a diagonal stripe, which was the same as the U.S. Coast Guard
was used.
While all E-1's in the Coast Guard are called seaman recruits regardless of their assignment, the actual title for an E-1 in the U.S. Navy varies based on the community to which the sailor belongs:
In October 2005, the dental technician rating was merged with the hospital corpsman rating, eliminating the dentalman recruit title. E-1's who held the rank of dentalman recruit at the transition became hospitalman recruits.
Sailors who have completed the requirements to be assigned a rating and have been accepted by the Bureau of Naval Personnel as holding that rating (a process called "striking") are called designated strikers, and are called by their full rate and rating in formal communications (e.g., "machinist's mate fireman recruit", as opposed to simply "fireman recruit"), though the rating is often left off in informal communication. Those who have not officially been assigned to a rating are officially referred to as "undesignated" or "non-rates".
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 below seaman apprentice
Seaman Apprentice
ConstructionmanvariationFiremanvariationAirmanvariationSeamaninsigniaSeaman apprentice is the second lowest enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above seaman recruit and below seaman; this rank was formerly known as seaman second class.The actual title for an E-2 in the U.S....
; this rank was formerly known as seaman third class. Two separate pay grades exist within this rank (and the corresponding ranks in the other branches of the United States military structure) — one for those with service of less than four months, with a higher pay scale for those in service for more than four months, even if they have not yet advanced to seaman apprentice.
Navy seaman recruits do not bear any uniform rank insignia currently. Prior to 1996, a diagonal stripe, which was the same as the 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...
was used.
While all E-1's in the Coast Guard are called seaman recruits regardless of their assignment, the actual title for an E-1 in the U.S. Navy varies based on the community to which the sailor belongs:
- Navy E-1's in the general deck and administrative community are seaman recruits.
- Navy E-1 hospital corpsmenUnited States Navy Hospital CorpsmanA Hospital Corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist for the United States Navy who serves with Navy and United States Marine Corps units. The Hospital Corpsman works in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships,...
are hospitalman recruits. This is the only rating in this community. - Fireman recruits are Navy E-1's in the engineering and hull community.
- Navy E-1's in the aviation community are called airman recruits.
- Navy Seabees are called constructionman recruits.
In October 2005, the dental technician rating was merged with the hospital corpsman rating, eliminating the dentalman recruit title. E-1's who held the rank of dentalman recruit at the transition became hospitalman recruits.
Sailors who have completed the requirements to be assigned a rating and have been accepted by the Bureau of Naval Personnel as holding that rating (a process called "striking") are called designated strikers, and are called by their full rate and rating in formal communications (e.g., "machinist's mate fireman recruit", as opposed to simply "fireman recruit"), though the rating is often left off in informal communication. Those who have not officially been assigned to a rating are officially referred to as "undesignated" or "non-rates".
See also
- 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...