Leading Seaman
A junior supervisory rate of the Royal Navy, OR-4 in NATO terms, the first leadership step for sailors.
Overview
Leading Seaman or Leading Hand wears a single badge of a star or specialty mark and is the first supervisory rate in the Royal Navy, roughly OR-4 in NATO terms. Leading hands direct small working parties, stand watches, and mentor able seamen, the naval mirror of an Army corporal. The rate descends from the leading men of sailing ship crews who kept stations and taught the rest. Promotion requires passing professional courses and being rated by the captain. In the fleet the address is killick, from the anchor badge once worn, and the rate persists across Commonwealth navies with local variations.
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