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RANK/RATE INSIGNIA
4211 - CPO Rate Insignia


 

Section 2

Part 1

Article

1. CPO RATING BADGES 4211
2. CPO COLLAR INSIGNIA 4212
3. METAL RANK INSIGNIA ON OUTERGARMENTS 4213
4. SOFT SHOULDER BOARDS 4214
1.  Description
 
a.  Rating badges consist of a perched Eagle with expanded wings pointing upward and the eagle's head to its right.  Chevrons, rocker, and stars, as authorized, indicates the wearer's rate, and a specialty mark to indicate rating are included as part of the rating badge.  All are embroidered on a pentagonal shaped background.  The chevrons on rating badges measure 3-1/4 inches wide for male CPO's and rating badges measure 2-1/2 inches wide for female CPO's.  Rating insignia, chevrons and rockers for women are 3/4 the size of the men's rating badges.
 
 
     
     
MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER
 
 b.  Background material for rating badges and service stripes match the color of the uniform coat or jacket.  Colors of the eagles, specialty mark, stars, chevrons and service stripes for prescribed uniforms are as indicated below:   
 
UNIFORM
RATING BADGE
BACKGROUND
EAGLE SPECIALTY MARK,
STAR(S)
CHEVRONS SERVICE
STRIPES
Service Dress Blue
Navy Blue
Silver
Gold/Scarlet
Dinner Dress Blue Jacket
Navy Blue
Silver
Gold/Scarlet
Dinner Dress White Jacket
White
Silver
Gold/Blue
 
2.  Special Rating Badges.  Personnel assigned as the Senior Enlisted Advisor, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officers, Command Master Chief Petty Officers, and Command Senior Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, and wear special rating badges which meet the following criteria:
 
a. Senior Enlisted Advisor, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff.  Wear three gold stars above the eagle and in place of the specialty mark an American eagle facing to the right with wings horizontal and surrounded by four gold stars.  The eagle is grasping three crossed arrows and bearing on its breast a shield of 13 pieces Argent and Gules, a chief Azure.  

b.  Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.  Wear three gold stars above the eagle and one gold star in place of the specialty mark.

c.  Post Tour MCPON.  Continue wearing three gold stars above the eagle.  A gold specialty mark in lieu of the gold star in center of rating badge unless assigned to a Command Master Chief billet following OPNAVINST 1306.2 (series), then a silver star replaces the specialty mark.

d.  Post Tour FLTCM/FORCM's.  Continue wearing two gold stars above the eagle.  A gold specialty mark replaces the gold star centered on the rating badge unless assigned to a Command Master Chief billet following OPNAVINST 1306.2 (series), then a silver star replaces the specialty mark.

e.  Command Master Chief Petty Officer.  MCPO's assigned to a full time CMDCM billet (NEC 8CMC/8COB) following OPNAVINST 1306.2 (series) wear silver stars above the eagle and silver star in place of the specialty mark. Senior Chief Petty Officers and Chief Petty Officers filling CMDCM billets do not replace the specialty mark with a star.

f.  Post Tour CMDCM/CMDCS's.  Wear two silver stars (Master Chief) / one silver star (Senior Chief) above the eagle and a silver specialty mark in the center of the rating badge (excluding past MCPON's and FLTCM/FORCM's).
 
         
Senior Enlisted Advisor, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Special Rating Badge (SEAC) Master Chief Petty Officer
Special Rating Badge (MCPON)
Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer
Special Rating Badge (FLTCM/FORCM) (Gold Stars)
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Special Rating Badge (CMDCM) (Silver Stars)
Command Senior Chief Petty Officer 
Special Rating Badge (CMDCS)

 
 
3.  Position.  Rating badges are sewn on the left sleeve of Service Dress Blue Jacket, Dinner Dress Blue Jacket, and Dinner Dress White Jacket centered on the sleeve midway between the shoulder seam and the elbow.

 
 
1.  General.  Wear metal collar devices (approximately 1 inch) on the collar point Khaki shirts. 

2. 
Description.  A chief petty officer collar grade insignia consists of a gold fouled anchor with silver block letters "USN" superimposed on the shank of the anchor.  Senior, Master, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and Senior Enlisted Advisor, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff collar insignia have one, two, or three silver stars attached above the anchor stock as follows:

 
Master Chief Petty Officer
of the Navy (MCPON)
Senior Enlisted Advisor,
Chairman Joint Chief of Staff
(SEAC)
Master Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer
  3.  Manner of Wearing.  Collar grade insignia are worn on both collar points.        
 
a.  Open Collar Short Sleeve Shirt.  Center the insignia at a point 1 inch from the front and lower edges of the collar and position the vertical axis of the insignia along an imaginary line (A) bisecting the angle of the collar point.
 
 
b.  Service Dress WhiteWear collar insignia on the standing collar of the Service Dress White coat.  The anchor shank will be parallel to the vertical edge of the collar, with the center of the insignia on the midline of the standing collar, 1 inch from the vertical edge of the collar.

 


 
1.  General.  Wear metal insignia centered on shoulder straps or epaulet with the bottom edge of the device approximately ¾ inch from the squared end of the shoulder strap or epaulet of Black Relaxed Fit Jackets and Double-Breasted All Weather Coats.  Metal insignia may also be worn centered on the Cold Weather Parka rank tab.  (CPO rank insignia is not worn on reefers and overcoats.)

2.  Description.  Same device as worn on garrison cap (approximate size: 1-1/4 inch).  Refer to article 4321.
 

 
4214.  SOFT SHOULDER BOARDS
 
1.  General.  CPOs wear soft shoulder boards on the Service Dress Blue white shirt and black V-neck sweater.

2.  Description. The soft shoulder board is black cloth with anchor, and stars as appropriate, indicating rank.  The bottom of the anchor is approximately 3/4 inch from the end of the board.  Same size soft shoulder boards are worn by men and women. 

 
 


 
 
 
3.  Manner of Wearing.  Place soft shoulder board on each epaulet with insignia resting on the squared end of the epaulet.
 
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