Seaman - United States

United States


Constructionman
variation


Fireman
variation


Airman
variation


Seaman
insignia

Seaman is the third enlisted rank from the bottom in the U.S Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and other navies and coast guards. For the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard the rank and pay just above that of a seaman apprentice and below those of a petty officer third class. This naval rank was formerly called "seaman first class".

The actual title for an E-3 in the U.S. Navy varies based on the subset of the Navy to which the sailor, seaman, submariner, aviator, hospitalman, nurse, etc., has been assigned. Likewise, the color of his/her group rate mark also depends on his section of the navy.

  • Those in the general deck and administrative community are "seamen". They wear white stripes on their navy blue uniforms, and navy blue (black) stripes on their white uniforms.
  • Hospital corpsmen are now called "hospitalmen." They possess the only rating in this area of duty. They wear white stripes on their navy blue uniforms, and navy blue stripes on their white uniforms.
  • Those in the ship's engineering and hull maintenance area are called "firemen", and they wear red stripes on both their navy blue and white uniforms.
  • Those in the aviation area of the Navy are called "airmen", and they wear green stripes on both their navy blue and white uniforms.
  • Seabees are called "constructionmen", and they wear light blue stripes on both their navy blue and white uniforms.

No such stripes are authorized to be worn on the working uniforms - NWUs (navy working uniform), coveralls, utility wear, flight suits, hospital and clinic garb, diving suits, etc. However, sailors with the rank of E-3 are permitted to wear silver-anodized collar devices on their navy service uniforms.

In October 2005, the dental technician rating was merged into the hospital corpsman rating, eliminating the "dentalman" title. Those who once held the rank of "dentalman" have instead become "hospitalmen".

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 (i.e., machinist's mate fireman, as opposed to simply fireman), though the rating is often left off in informal communications. Those who have not officially been assigned to a rating are officially referred to as "undesignated" or "non-rates." In order to advance to the rate of petty officer third class, a seaman would have to submit a request every 6 months. However, advancement is not guaranteed because of the vast amounts of seamen competing for a promotion.

As with the Navy, the actual title for a E-3 in the U.S. Coast Guard varies based on their community. However, the smaller size of the Coast Guard limits the E-3s to only three options: seaman (white stripes), fireman (red stripes), and airman (green stripes). The Coast Guard does not possess its own medical corps, dental corps, pharmacy corps, or legal corps, but rather, it either draws the necessary services and experts from the U.S. Navy, Air Force, or Army, or it contracts for services by civilians. Likewise, the U.S. Marine Corps does not possess its own trained experts in these areas, but rather, it generally uses the corps of experts from the U.S. Navy, or else from the other two American Armed Forces (whichever one is available in the region) that have own corps of experts: e.g. medical, dental, legal, or nursing.

United States enlisted ranks
Pay Grade →
Branch of Service ↓
E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9
Air Force AB Amn A1C SrA SSgt TSgt MSgt SMSgt CMSgt - CCM - CMSAF
Army PVT PV2 PFC SPC - CPL SGT SSG SFC MSG - 1SG SGM - CSM - SMA
Marine Corps Pvt PFC LCpl Cpl Sgt SSgt GySgt MSgt - 1stSgt MGySgt - SgtMaj - SgtMajMarCor
Navy SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO SCPO MCPO - CMDCM - FORCM - FLTCM - MCPON
Coast Guard SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO SCPO MCPO - CMC - MCPOCG

Read more about this topic:  Seaman

Famous quotes related to united states:

    Of all the nations in the world, the United States was built in nobody’s image. It was the land of the unexpected, of unbounded hope, of ideals, of quest for an unknown perfection. It is all the more unfitting that we should offer ourselves in images. And all the more fitting that the images which we make wittingly or unwittingly to sell America to the world should come back to haunt and curse us.
    Daniel J. Boorstin (b. 1914)

    To the United States the Third World often takes the form of a black woman who has been made pregnant in a moment of passion and who shows up one day in the reception room on the forty-ninth floor threatening to make a scene. The lawyers pay the woman off; sometimes uniformed guards accompany her to the elevators.
    Lewis H. Lapham (b. 1935)

    Places where he might live and die and never hear of the United States, which make such a noise in the world,—never hear of America, so called from the name of a European gentleman.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Some of the offers that have come to me would never have come if I had not been President. That means these people are trying to hire not Calvin Coolidge, but a former President of the United States. I can’t make that kind of use of the office.... I can’t do anything that might take away from the Presidency any of its dignity, or any of the faith people have in it.
    Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)

    Why doesn’t the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the more they will dwindle. At least you could use it for a summer resort instead of Maine.
    —W.H. (Wystan Hugh)