List of Naval Officer Designators

List Of Naval Officer Designators

In the United States Navy officers are assigned to one of four communities, based on their education, training and assignments: Line Officer, Staff Officer, Limited Duty Officer, or Warrant Officer. Each community is further subdivided by primary occupation. Each occupation is identified by a four digit numerical code, called a designator.

The first digit identifies the officer's community.

The final (fourth) digit denotes the officer's commission.

Up until Fiscal Year 2005, all officers entering the U.S. Navy were awarded a Reserve commission (commissioned as Ensign, USNR). Legislation was signed that all Reserve Officers on Active Duty, designated by a "5" in the last digit of the designator, would be converted over to a Regular Navy commission by close of Fiscal Year 2006.

Today, there is no distinction between USN and USNR Officers, no matter what the commissioning source. All hold the same ranks, have the same responsibilities and authority, and enjoy the same privileges. As part of the U.S. Navy's Active Reserve Integration (ARI) initiative that "operationalized" the Navy's Reserve Component, the term "U.S. Naval Reserve" was superseded by "U.S. Navy Reserve" and the term USNR was discontinued as a matter of Total Force policy in 2005. All officers in the U.S. Navy now use the term USN with their rank titles.