Navy History & Heritage
Know Your Rate
Tools of the Trade
Navy Firsts
Steak and Lobster
100

The year the U.S. Navy was officially established

1775

100

Rate that manages personnel and correspondence

Yeoman

100

EMs use this tool to test electrical continuity

Multimeter

100

The first female LCDR in the Naval Reserve

LCDR Mildred McAfee Horton

100

Type of event might Sailors enjoy a “Steak and Lobster” dinner at sea

Deployment extension

200

The Navy’s oldest enlisted rate 

Boatswain’s Mate  

200

Rate powers ship lighting and electrical systems


 Electrician’s Mate 

200

Primary tool DCs use to fight shipboard fires

Fire hose / Nozzle

200

Year women first enlisted as Yeomen

1917

200

It looks like eggs, smells like eggs, but somehow tastes like regret.

Midrats scrambled eggs

300

Rating merged Storekeeper and Postal Clerk in 2009 

Logistics Specialist


300

Maintains diesel engines and auxiliaries


Engineman

300

Form documents Navy administrative actions and counseling

NAVPERS 1070/613

300

Rate that serves as the most decorated in Navy history

Hospital Corpsman 

300

You know chow’s bad when even this fearless group refuses to eat it.

Chiefs

400

Rating first to allow women in WWI

Yeoman 

400

Operates deck equipment and handles small-boat ops

Boatswain’s Mate 

400

Tool helps BMs tighten or secure mooring lines

Marlinspike

400

Year the Hospital Corps was established

1898

400

This is the one place on the ship where your dreams go to die—along with your fingerprints.

The Scullery

500

Program that brought women into the Navy during WWII.

WAVES

500

Maintains interior alarms, comms, and CCTV

Interior Communications Electrician (IC)

500

CPOs were officially authorized to wear this as a part of their uniform as of 2010.  May only be worn as a ceremonial article.

Cutlass

500

This rating was re-established in 1987 after a 15-year break

Damage Controlman

500

You’re not officially a Sailor until you’ve spent at least three months doing this “temporary” assignment.

Cranking

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