Master Chief Petty Officer
The top enlisted rate of the US Navy, E-9 and NATO OR-9, wearing an anchor with two stars.
Overview
Master Chief Petty Officer wears two stars above the anchor and serves as the senior enlisted leader of departments, ships, major commands, and force-level staffs. E-9 was created with the 1958 supergrade legislation and sits at OR-9. Master chiefs advise commanding officers on sailor matters, run discipline and standards programs, and represent the enlisted force in planning. A command master chief serves a specific commanding officer as principal enlisted advisor. The title carries enormous informal authority: decades of experience, technical mastery, and Mess membership stand behind it. Selection boards scrutinize records across whole ratings.
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