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Amaster chief petty officer is a seniornon-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards, usually above some grade ofpetty officer.
| Master chief petty officer | |
|---|---|
  Navy and coast guard insignia | |
| Country |  United States |
| Service branch | |
| Abbreviation | MCPO |
| Rank group | Enlisted rank |
| Rank | Petty officer |
| NATOrank code | OR-9 |
| Pay grade | E-9 |
| Formation | 1958 |
| Next higher rank | Command master chief petty officer |
| Next lower rank | Senior chief petty officer |
| Equivalent ranks | |
Master chief petty officer (MCPO) is the ninth (just below the rank of MCPON)enlisted rank (withpay grade E-9) in theUnited States Navy andUnited States Coast Guard, just aboveSenior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO). Master chief petty officers are addressed as "Master Chief (last name)" in colloquial contexts. They constitute the top 1.25% of the enlisted members of the maritime forces.[1]
Prior to 1958,chief petty officer was the highest enlisted rate in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. This changed on 20 May 1958 with the passage of Public Law 85-422, the Military Pay Act of 1958, which established two new enlisted pay grades ofE-8 andE-9 in all five branches of theU.S. Armed Forces. In the Navy and Coast Guard, the new E-8 pay grade was titled Senior Chief Petty Officer and the new E-9 pay grade as Master Chief Petty Officer, with the first selectees promoting to their respective grades in 1959 and 1960.[2]
In the Navy, advancement to master chief petty officer is similar to that ofchief petty officer andsenior chief petty officer. It carries requirements of time in service, superior evaluation scores (based on rater giving the evaluation, fluid variables for criterion and other factors including but not limited to community involvement), and selection by a board of master chiefs. Similarly, senior chief petty officers and chief petty officers are chosen by selection boards. In the Coast Guard, advancement to master chief petty officer is done by competing in a single annual board. The board ranks all eligible senior chiefs using their career records. Master chief petty officers are then selected monthly from this prioritization list as positions become available.
Petty officers of all grades possess both arate (the enlisted term for rank) andrating (job, similar to amilitary occupational specialty (MOS) in other branches). The full title (most commonly used[3]) is a combination of the two. Thus, a master chief petty officer with the rating offire controlman would properly be called a master chief fire controlman.
Each rating has an official abbreviation, such as FC forfire controlman, FT forfire control technician, and STS forsonar technician, submarines. When combined with the rate abbreviation (MC for master chief without rating), it produces the full rate designation, such as FCCM for fire controlman chief master (more commonly said as Master Chief Fire Controlman). It is not uncommon practice to refer to the master chief by this shorthand 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.
The rate insignia for a master chief is a white eagle with spread wings above threechevrons. The chevrons are topped by a rocker (arc) that goes behind theeagle. 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. 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 goldfoul anchor (though sometimes the word "fouled" is used, the proper term is "foul anchor") 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.
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. Some master chiefs choose to enter the command master chief petty officer program. If selected, a master chief receives additional leadership training and is assigned to a command as the command master chief (CMC). The command master chief is the senior enlisted person at a command and works as a liaison between the commanding officer and the enlisted ranks, serving as thesenior enlisted leader. In this capacity, the CMC assists the commanding officer in issues of quality of life, discipline, training, and morale. On submarines, the equivalent of a CMC is called the chief of the boat or "COB". The CMC insignia has a silver star in lieu of the enlisted rating insignia between the rocker and the top chevron.
Fleet and force master chiefs are appointed by the commander of a fleet or a force command to serve as their senior enlisted adviser. 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.
Aforce master chief petty officer (FORCM) is a master chief who has virtually the same responsibility as command master chiefs, but for larger force commands rather than a single unit. There are 15 force master chief positions in the Navy:
Afleet master chief petty officer (FLTCM) is a master chief who again has virtually the same responsibility as command master chiefs, but for larger fleet commands. There are four fleet master chief positions in the Navy:[4]
There exists one post that is unique – Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON, pronouncedMIK-paw-UNN). The holder of this post is appointed by theChief of Naval Operations (CNO) to serve as the most senior enlisted member in the 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. As of September 2022,James Honea is the current MCPON.
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is appointed by theCommandant of the Coast Guard to serve as the most senior enlisted member in the 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. As of 2023[update], the current master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard isHeath B. Jones.
![Master chief petty officer class 1 (Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard)[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aAntigua_and_Barbuda_Navy_OR-9.svg)
![Master chief petty officer class 2 (Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard)[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBritish_Royal_Marines_OR-8.svg)
![মাস্টার চীফ পেটি অফিসার Māsṭāra cīpha pēṭi aphisāra (Bangladesh Navy)[6]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBangladesh-Navy-OR-9.svg)
![Master chief petty officer I मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर फर्स्ट क्लास (Indian Navy)[7][8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aIndia-Navy-OR-9.svg)
![Master chief petty officer II मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर सेकेंड क्लास (Indian Navy)[7]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aIndia-Navy-OR-8.svg)
![Master chief petty officer 1 (Jamaican Coast Guard)[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aJamaica-Navy-OR-9a.png)
![Master chief petty officer (Jamaican Coast Guard)[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aJamaica-Navy-OR-8a.png)
![(Liberian National Coast Guard)[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBlank.svg)
![(Sri Lanka Navy)[11]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSri_Lanka-Navy-OR-9.svg)
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