Coast Guard Enlisted Personnel
Unlike the other U.S. military services, which organize service members according to ranks, the Coast Guard, like the Navy, organizes its enlisted force by pay grades (E-1 through E-9) together with job specialties known as ratings. The combination of rating (job specialty) plus grade (pay grade) is referred to as a rate. Like the other branches, the Coast Guard uses E-1 to E-9 pay grade structures. The rate and grade of an enlisted Coast Guard member can be identified by rating insignia — specialty emblem and chevrons worn on enlisted uniforms — that indicate both the rating and the pay grade. Enlisted Coast Guard rates are broken down into various levels:
Non-rate or apprentice ranks (E-1 through E-3)
Petty officer ranks (E-4 through E-6)
Chief petty officer ranks (E-7 through E-9)
