How to become A Navy Officer

As deep as the ocean is, such are the depths of courage with which a Commissioned Navy Officer fulfils the mandate of protecting national security. Holding presidential commissions and Senate confirmation, Commissioned Navy Officers serve in specific roles across several specialisations in the highest ranks of the US Navy. Day after day and every night, come hail or storm, these highly educated and specially trained military leaders preserve peace, design missions and conduct air-sea combat operations when required.

• Naval Officer
• Navy Officer
• Officer
• Junior Officer
• Senior/Mid-Grade Officer
• Flag Officer

What do Navy Officers do?

A Navy Officer would typically need to:

• Provide leadership, management and problem-solving expertise to subordinates while planning, organising, preparing for and conducting naval operations and tactical missions
• Carry out duties in accordance with their officer designator and specialisation; work with an awareness of the ranks/ratings as a system of leadership indicating the efficiency, effectiveness and responsibility associated with each level
• Undergo rigorous training and advanced education to excel in naval warfare, build a thorough understanding of complex topics and confidently make critical decisions
• Train and manage enlisted troops assigned to them; lead, motivate and safeguard them during combat operations in assigned zones
• Operate, command and maintain naval assets, including submarines, unmanned surface vessels, warships, naval helicopters, stealth frigates and weapon systems; command naval bases
• Pilot aircraft, manage equipment on board and maintain aviation fleets if specialised in aviation 
• Operate radar, sonar and weapons systems if working on a submarine
• Acquire and develop advanced defence systems; understand, use and oversee innovative technology employed by naval ships, submarines and aircraft in order to optimise naval operations
• Select, procure and inventory supplies for missions; procure necessary government equipment; stay responsible for what is assigned to their unit
• Plan, test and execute the repairs and modernisation of ships and their systems 
• Analyse, process and report signal intelligence; work with cryptologic and IT technicians
• Provide naval personnel with specialised medical, legal, or engineering services
• Manage projects in diverse fields, depending on their function, including STEM, healthcare, administration, inventory management, human resources, media & public relations, security, logistics, and transportation
• Ensure safe operations and individual and team accountability by communicating expectations and instructions clearly, concisely and accurately
• Maintain effective working relationships with the general management; foster an engaging work environment by encouraging critical discussions and promoting unity within the team
• Provide coaching and direction to their team to achieve overall goals and ensure their individual professional growth
• Stand watches at shore installations and bases, making sure that daily operations run in compliance with the base commander’s orders
• Stand watches on ships and submarines to maintain smooth operations and safe navigation following the captain’s orders
• Instruct and supervise nurses; implement healthcare policies; provide pastoral support to those enlisted
• Carry out judicial duties at the Navy-Marine Corps Courts and provide legal assistance to the Navy 
• Adhere to published work schedules and established budgets
• Welcome, engage and prepare freshman and transferred recruits; organise and participate in college fairs and veterans’ events
• Perform additional designator-specific duties, some of which may be classified

The branch or functional area Navy Officers choose to be a part of is the key determinant of their work environment. Other factors that the work environment depends on include the nature of the deployment and the locations where personnel are needed at any given time. 

Navy Officers typically rotate between onshore assignments and sea deployments on Navy ships or submarines, each of which has a base assigned as its home port. The Navy uses four classes of submarines and a variety of ships, including aircraft carriers, amphibious warfare ships, cruisers, destroyers, littoral combat ships and hospital ships. 

Deployment in a submarine can be physically, mentally and emotionally challenging, given the space limitations and the need to stay underwater for extended periods with only a periscope for outside vision. Communication in various forms is possible though it may have some restrictions. Food supply may be stocked for as many as three months to allow the submarine to stay underwater for that long. In addition to necessary precautions, submariners are also monitored for radiation exposure or sickness on nuclear-powered submarines.

Most bases are located where there is access to large waterbodies, including the ocean, bay or gulf. However, you must stay prepared to move to any location within your home country or internationally.

The work environment for onshore assignments would depend on your specialisation and the specific nature of your work. For example, Emergency Management Officers work in offices while developing disaster response plans. They work outdoors when visiting a shelter or while engaged in disaster management. When not on sea deployment, healthcare officers may serve at a medical treatment facility, such as a navy hospital or clinic.

Transportation Officers travel extensively across air, sea, rail, & ground depending on the goods to be transported. Support Services Officers work indoors and outdoors when planning, organising or conducting recreational activities. 

Naval Officers, both male and female, have well-defined uniforms, including headgear, to suit different purposes. The different types of uniforms are dinner dress, ceremonial, service dress, service, working and physical training. In addition, depending on the specific uniform, they wear different rank devices, which include collar insignia pins, stripes on sleeves, and stripes on shoulder boards.

Willingness to travel to near and distant locations or even overseas as needed is critical with most career paths as a Commissioned Navy Officer. You must abide at all times by the specific guidelines about appearance, uniform and behaviour.

While long and stressful work hours are part of a career in the Navy, including long shifts, staying on call and spending months at sea, the specific work schedules of each Navy Officer depend on the nature and location of the assignment. Commissioned Navy Officers may work irregular and extended hours both on a naval base and a ship, particularly during operations on board warships or submarines. 

You will typically alternate between tours of duty with shore-based units and operational commands deployed overseas to support the national maritime strategy. However, you must be on active duty to be deployed. You will likely get your weekends and holidays off if you are on active duty but not deployed. Deployments to other countries or war zones are regular features for active-duty officers. Cycles run for six or nine months or up to a year, as determined by your branch of service. Typically, the intervals between deployments can last a year or 18 months, during which you train, depending on the nature of your next deployment and your role.

Sea deployments keep you away from home and family for several months at a time, depending on the mission and kind of ship. While at sea, you will likely have an eight-hour workday. You may also need to stand watch while at sea for the duration of a defined number of hours to keep the ship and its systems operating around the clock, which means that you may need to work during weekends, holidays, early evenings or mornings and nights. The rest of the time is typically meant for rest and recreation, physical training, drills, and administrative tasks. Submarine duty is usually divided into shifts.

Regular administrative work in the office during periods of shore duty may follow a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule, Monday to Friday, adding up to a 40-hour work week. 

Whether you are on full-time active duty or part-time reserve service also determines your work schedule. Active-duty officers are entitled to their time off and vacations, but they must remain ready to work around the clock if required. Reservists may be called upon to serve on active duty when there is a national cause. 

You must also devote the necessary time to maintain your fitness, often early in the morning, before reporting to duty, whether onshore or at sea.

Exploring and understanding your options to become a Commissioned Navy Officer might seem challenging. Talk with a Navy recruiter in your area, in person, via telephone/email or online, to help you decide on a suitable educational or career path based on your interests, education, capabilities and aspirations. Recruiters can also help you understand a little about the duties and responsibilities of each role. You can defer serving until graduation to receive naval assistance or join immediately and advance through the ranks within the Navy. Recruiters assist candidates in their application submission process.

Navy Officers are generally employed by: 

• The United States Navy
• The United States Department of the Navy
• The United States Armed Forces
• The United States Department of Defense (DoD)

Professional associations and organisations, such as the Association of the United States Navy, are crucial for Navy Officers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Demanding and fast-paced job, with the inherent risks associated with combat exposure, including physical, psychological and emotional harm, all of which can cause PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Higher risk of PTSD if there is a history of trauma before being commissioned
• The unpredictability and lack of information about the location, length and nature of deployment
• Not much say in location, even if the Navy tries to factor in choices or requests for relocation since the needs of the service take priority unless enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program
• The need to stay in excellent physical shape and mental condition at all times to be prepared to take part in or support dangerous combat missions
• Extended deployments that result in increased exposure to hazardous materials, greater risk of war-related injury, death or trauma, and longer family separations that lead to missed milestones
• The risk of becoming a prisoner of war; worrying about the well-being of friends and colleagues
• The need for young and recent graduates to maintain peace in high-stress and high-risk situations and areas of severe conflict, particularly overseas
• Long and challenging hours of work, including shifts that can extend beyond 12 hours and staying on call
• Time spent away from home and family during deployments at sea, training during the months leading up to deployment and temporary duty assignments
• Loss of privacy, restricted social life and a more significant impact on family life than many civilian jobs 
• The need for naval families to cope with naval-life stressors in addition to others, for instance, matters of child custody or child care for single parents or dual-military couples deployed simultaneously
• Managing post-deployment family reintegration
• Accumulation of individual or family stressors, either through a chronic recurrence of the same stressor or different ones simultaneously
• Having to interact, without sufficient preparation, with government agencies, foreign militaries and governments, industry, academia and other service departments or understanding diverse cultures as needed by the assignment
• Frustration during the first few years of being commissioned as you adapt to being the one in command and leading personnel and being unofficially tested by your superiors

A candidate seeking to become a Commissioned Navy Officer must start prepping their skills at the earliest, ideally in high school. Engaging in activities and programs that help develop their abilities, focusing on leadership and their versatility, would be helpful when applying to join any of the pathways to earning a commission.

Enrolling in sports during high school and college extends your proficiency in training outdoors, team building, time management & prioritisation, mutual responsibility, handling criticism, and performing well under pressure. Earning a varsity letter and becoming the captain of your team in the sport you participate in proves your dedication to achieving your aspiration to become a commissioned Navy Officer.

Other avenues to earn experience are volunteering for the Civil Air Patrol, studying at a high school military academy, joining Eagle Scouts and Girl Scouts, and enrolling in the JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) or the Navy Sea Cadets programs (for the age group 10 to 18). 

Being an experienced athlete with the ability to run (at least 1.5 miles without stopping) and do push-ups and crunches and also a skilled swimmer with the ability to tread water even before boot camp training will boost your chances of successfully graduating from the program.

If possible, read about the profession and interview or job shadow Navy Officers to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. Become familiar with the system of Navy ratings. Acquire basic knowledge of the field you are interested in by reading or taking a class or course.

Those selected for a direct commission among current or ex-military officers should note that their commission would depend upon the nature of their experience in the military.

A bachelor’s degree in any field is the minimum requirement for candidates to become Commissioned Navy Officers. You may not have a degree when you enter one of several pathways open to aspiring officer candidates, but you will typically earn your commission only after you become a college graduate in any field.

However, Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers may be commissioned based on their excellence and experience in a specialisation, even if they do not possess a degree. They train at the Limited Duty Officer/Warrant Officer/Chief Warrant Officer (LDO/WO/CWO) Academy. They are limited to carrying out duties related to only their field. Promotion requires a college degree.

Some officers joining the Navy may require higher education than a bachelor’s degree, for instance, those entering as military lawyers or doctors would require a law degree and a medical degree respectively. Furthermore, a master’s degree in fields such as military history, defence analysis, or operations research enables officers to apply the additional knowledge gained to strategising and executing military operations. It helps Commissioned Navy Officers build a deeper understanding of historical military successes and failures by providing insights into leadership styles, tactics and international relations.

Several pathways exist to help you secure a commission, such as joining the US Navy Academy (USNA), the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NROTC) or the Officer Candidate School (OCS), or receiving a direct commission. Candidates must meet the general requirements of US citizenship, age and educational qualifications to enter the pathway and receive their commission. In addition, you must pass the requisite medical and physical exams and security clearance and be in good moral standing. Age adjustments are possible for applicants with a record of military service. 

Depending on your interests, capabilities, education, and career goals, you may join the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program, Aviation Officer Program or Naval Flight Officer Program. The Seaman to Admiral-21 Program (STA-21-Program), run by the Naval Science Institute, prepares enlisted personnel with appropriate qualifications and outstanding service to progress to officer ranks.

Candidates are commissioned as officers on successfully completing relevant education and officer development training programs, as per their choice of career path, for example, naval engineering, civil engineering, submarine training, naval aviation (pilot) training, naval special warfare (SEALs), surface warfare, law, public affairs, healthcare and dentistry. In many cases, candidates are allowed to discuss and select their potential specialisation in a meeting with military advisors or career counsellors during college.

Depending on the career or specialisation that you are interested in, the Navy administers relevant aptitude tests to assess your eligibility. The Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR) and Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB) test candidates for officer specialities. Most officer positions require the OAR, which includes sections on mathematics, English and mechanical comprehension. Pilot and Naval Flight Officer candidates must take the ASTB, which includes aerodynamics, spatial recognition and aviation history.

Take high school courses in English, mathematics and the sciences so that you can major in a STEM subject at college, which may be helpful for entry into several areas of the Navy. Adding a foreign language to your repertoire, while not mandatory, may prove useful during overseas assignments. Focus on physical education to build your fitness, strength and stamina.

Consult your local recruiter to determine the pathway most suited to you and any mandatory pre-entry aptitude tests, physical exams or interviews to gain entry into your chosen pathway.

Certification demonstrates a Commissioned Navy Officer’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. Certification in EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) from an objective and reputed organisation, such as The National Registry, can help you administer aid to the ill or injured on the field. Among the skills the EMT students learn during the course are oxygen administration, bag valve mask ventilation, delivery of a newborn, and even administration of several medications. The skill they possess in identifying if someone is dying is the greatest asset they learn during their EMT education. 

The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB), a certification program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), enables you to assign team member roles, understand team dynamics and shoulder responsibilities that demonstrate team leadership. Each candidate should attend an open book examination with multiple-choice questions that measure their skillset and reward them accordingly.  

Certifications in CompTIA Security+ or as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) would also increase your chances of advancement.

You may pursue certification through the Navy E-Learning program. The Navy liaises with outside course providers for computer-based and IT training and subjects related to telecommunications.

Civilians who opt for the Direct Commission pathway must obtain the certification and licence their profession mandates. For example, you must maintain a valid state licence if you serve as a doctor with the US Navy.

In addition to health checks and the Navy Physical Readiness Test (PRT), security clearance through a criminal background check is mandatory. It includes investigations of character and conduct, focusing on a candidate’s honesty, trustworthiness, reliability, financial responsibility, education, credit history, work history, criminal records, emotional stability, drug abuse history, and other relevant aspects. 

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of higher academic qualifications and training drive career progression.

United States Navy Officers are positioned at ranks that fall into three levels: Junior Officers, Senior Officers and Flag Officers. Warrant Officers until Lieutenant Commander fall in the Junior Officers category. From Commander to Captain are the Senior Officers. The highest ranks in the Navy belong to the Flag Officers category.

Officer pay grades begin from O-1 and move until O-10, each rise accompanied by higher pay and greater responsibilities. Those ranked in the pay grades O-1 to O-4 are classified as Junior Officers, those in O-5 and O-6 are grouped as Senior Officers, while all those in pay grades O-7 to O-10 and above are in the category of Admirals or Flag Officers. Warrant Officers may rise from CWO2 through to CWO3, CWO4 and CWO5. 

A Commissioned Navy Officer generally progresses through a series of assignments, each lasting a few years and preparing you for the next rank. A cadet fresh out of college begins as an Ensign (ENS). Progression takes place sequentially to higher ranks: Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTJG), Lieutenant (LT), Lieutenant Commander (LCDR), Commander (CDR) and Captain (CAPT). The highest Navy ranks you may rise to are Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML), Rear Admiral Upper Half (RADM), Vice Admiral (VADM) and finally, Admiral (ADM). The rank of Fleet Admiral (FADM) is temporary and created only during wartime, the last one having been filled in 1945 in the US Navy.

Given that the government limits the number of positions, promotions take place only in response to a need and require Senate approval. However, officers in lower ranks are typically promoted faster than those in higher ones. Furthermore, while there is a path of career progression, one officer’s journey and timeline may differ from another’s, depending on their abilities and preferences.

Commissioned Navy Officers have several avenues open to them once they leave active service in the Navy and re-enter civilian life. The transferability of their experience, qualifications and skills allows them to take up roles in diverse areas, such as management, strategy and planning, counselling, and teaching.

Candidates who meet the age and citizenship requirements, clear their medical, fitness and security checks, pass the required aptitude tests/interviews, acquire the necessary skills from specialised training programs, complete a bachelor’s degree or higher, and hold the relevant experience have the best job prospects. Geographic mobility is a bonus. Evidence of leadership skills, managerial qualities and problem-solving abilities will help you enter the pathways to earn your commission. Exceptional performance, dedication, and further training and education will help you climb the ranks.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Navy Officer build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, 

formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

There are multiple educational and professional development avenues while you serve in the Navy, such as receiving additional military or technical training in your specialisation or refining your skills in leadership, management and international relations.

The Naval Leadership and Ethics Center (NLEC) prepares future command-level leaders, making them proficient in their areas of expertise and fully capable of providing ethical leadership and consistently demonstrating personal integrity.

The United States Naval War College (NWC) offers various opportunities at its research centres and numerous special programs through its College of Leadership and Ethics, College of Maritime Operational Warfare, College of Naval Command and Staff, and College of Distance Education. You can complete your Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) or Professional Military Education (PME) requirements through in-person learning at the Newport campus or study to acquire a diploma or advanced degree. You may also undertake coursework to develop a deeper understanding of ethics, tactics and strategy by completing the operational level of war training and education. The College of Distance Education makes programs available even to Navy Officers at sea, overseas, or unable to travel to campus. You may also sign up for the online PME certificate courses that the NWC offers.

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) provides opportunities to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant and defence-related field of study.

The United States Navy 

With honour, courage and commitment as its core values, the United States Navy is one of the forces under the United States Department of Defense and is forward deployed. Known as "the defender of the seas", it specialises in naval warfare, countering the dangers in the country’s seas and safeguarding national security against external threats and illegal activities. It also carries out additional duties, such as transportation, exploration, humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Additionally, one of the country’s most elite special operations units falls under the Navy’s wing, namely, the SEAL (Sea, Air and Land) teams.

The United States Marine Corps

Like the Navy, the United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and operates under the Department of the Navy. It is responsible for delivering task forces at sea, on land and in the air and includes marine expeditionary forces and aircraft wings. Its command structure is based on the pattern of the Army. The Marines are classified into the operating forces that engage in the actual fighting, the headquarters that provide leadership, the supporting establishment responsible for logistical support, and the Marine Corps Reserve.

Selection into the United States Naval Academy (USNA)

Begin prepping in high school by collecting leadership testimonials and conducting and participating in community work to increase your chances of earning the Congressional nomination required for applying to the academy. If selected into the USNA at Annapolis, Maryland, you will join a four-year bachelor's degree program leading to your commission as a Navy or Marine Corps Officer at the rank of an Ensign (O-1). While attending the academy, you will receive a monthly salary. Students must commit to serve on active duty for the defined period upon graduation, guided by additional training and their designation. Given that the competition is intense, considering the NROTC route for a commission is worthwhile if you are not selected to apply to or join the USNA.

The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC)

More than 60 leading colleges and universities in the US, including state schools, offer the NROTC program, which entails tuition and financial benefits, including two- and four-year subsidised scholarships and a monthly cash allowance to enrolled students. There is also the option to join non-subsidised college programs, through which you receive monthly cash allowances only during your junior and senior years. Although your college will determine specific academic requirements, you must still fulfil regular course requirements by studying calculus, physics, National Security Policy/American Military Affairs and Naval Sciences. Once you graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the NROTC, you may be assigned roles as Ensigns in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps.

Direct Commission 

Another pathway is through direct commission, which is available even at suitable higher ranks to professionals, especially lawyers, engineers and doctors. Some positions may waive age and other requirements. Contact your local recruiter to get up-to-date information about opportunities that change rapidly.

The Officer Candidate School (OCS)

Those officer candidates who have not earned a degree through the USNA or the NROTC program must undertake a 12-week specialised and intensive training program at the OCS (Officer Candidate School). In other words, OCS takes officer candidates who are graduates from a traditional college or university, enlisted personnel who have at least a bachelor’s degree and are moving into officer roles, and officers with direct commission and holding professional degrees or specialised skills. 

The OCS programs aim to build professional officership, confidence, character and competence among candidates by instilling in them the various aspects of leadership, such as integrity, accountability and teamwork; the different requirements of the profession of arms, such as discipline, patriotism and military bearing; fitness, strength and resilience to withstand the challenges of sea deployment; and academic knowledge of the Navy and relevant subjects. Classroom instruction and field training is delivered through the four phases of Indoctrination (INDOC), Junior Officer Candidate (JOC), Senior Officer Candidate (SOC), and Candidate Officer (Candio). 

The Officer Development School (ODS)

Staff Corps Officers and Engineers or Nuclear Power Instructors must attend ODS or Officer Development School for programs that last about five weeks. The programs help build your skills in naval leadership, administration and organisation, naval warfare, military law and indoctrination, and damage control. Upon graduation, you will be assigned to your permanent duty station.

The Seaman to Admiral-21 Program (STA-21-Program)

Regenerated in 1994, the STA-21-Program enables qualified and motivated enlisted naval personnel to receive their commission and transition into officer ranks. Upon completing the program, participants join an NROTC-affiliated college or university to acquire their bachelor’s degree within the stipulated time, following which they may earn their commission. During the program and their further studies, they may maintain the pay, benefits and privileges for which active-duty Sailors are eligible.

Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program

College juniors and seniors (and graduates up to the age of 31) enrolled in a bachelor's degree program and majoring in physics, chemistry, mathematics or an engineering discipline or college graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher may apply to join the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program. Current students must demonstrate consistent academic rigour by obtaining excellent grades in the required subjects and must receive their degree. Students receive many benefits similar to Navy Officers while in the program and, after graduating, join the OCS for their naval officer training.

Aviation Officer/Naval Flight Officer Programs

Open to college seniors and graduates aspiring to become naval pilots or aviation officers, the Aviation Officer Candidate (AOC) and Naval Flight Officer Candidate (NFOC) programs allow qualified candidates to attend the Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, US.

The Navy’s JAG (Judge Advocate General’s) Corps Program

You may apply to join a JAG Corps program that suits your current situation, qualifications and career aspirations. The program will lead you to work with a cadre of 900 attorneys who are Commissioned Navy Officers or the “uniformed lawyers” of the Navy, practising law, supporting their service, and serving their country on land and at sea worldwide. Among several other objectives, ​​the Navy JAG Corps offers legal expertise in three main areas: command advice and support for programs such as recruitment and training, military justice, and support to sailors and their families. 

The Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC)

Established in 1987 in Coronado, CA, the NSWC or “WARCOM” is in charge of the growing Naval Special Warfare (NSW) forces. As the Navy component of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) that combines the Army, Navy and Air Force Special Operations Forces (SOF), the NSWC leads, guides and oversees the NSW forces, maintaining their overseas presence and providing resources. In command is a two-star Navy SEAL Rear Admiral. 

The force's mission is to train, equip and deploy SEAL, SWCC ( Special Warfare Combatant-Crew) and SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) personnel who carry out maritime special operations overseas. While the NSWC is responsible for the NSW budget and its policies, doctrine, war plans, training curriculum and equipment, its subordinate commands take care of executing the actual training, deployments and combat operations. NSWC also leads the development of maritime craft, submersible vehicles, desert patrol vehicles and highly specialised equipment and weapons that the NSW uses. 

The Navy SEALs

The SEAL (sea, air and land) teams are the Navy’s leading special operations force trained to operate in all environments, as their name indicates. According to the website of the Navy SEALs Museum, the SEALs are often referred to as the “quiet professionals” who participate in perilous missions, typically on anonymous grounds and asking for nothing in return. 

Becoming a Navy SEAL requires intensive and highly challenging mental and physical training, called Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, or BUD/S. You come out with a strong character and readiness to give your all to accomplish your mission and support your team members.

Commissioned vs Non-Commissioned Officers

Commissioned officers achieve their rank in advance of officially assuming their role. Based on their Presidential commission, they command officers and enlisted personnel. Commissioned officers outrank non-commissioned officers, the significant difference between the two lying in the level of authority they can exercise over other service members. 

Enlisted & Officer Pathways 

The pathway you choose determines the kind of training you receive and the experience you acquire. It has its designated hierarchy of ranks and insignias representing a service member’s level of responsibility, leadership and seniority, and pay grade.

The minimum qualification for enlistment is a high school diploma, although candidates with a GED, barring certain exceptions, may be accepted. Enlisted careers include infantry roles but mainly entail hands-on training for mechanical work, transportation, human service or office management, and building skills transferable to the civilian world. While the Navy tries to fit the assignment to a candidate and their choice, the service needs take priority. Enlisted personnel in the Navy are organised at three levels according to rates rather than ranks and include apprenticeships (E-1 through E-3), Petty Officers (E-4 through E-6) and Chief Petty Officers (E-7 through E-9).

You may choose from several routes to become a Commissioned Officer. Nearly all officer positions require candidates to possess a four-year degree or equivalent. You play a managerial and leadership role as an officer, planning and directing operations and making critical decisions. Some officer positions need higher educational qualifications, such as degrees in law or medicine. 

Transitioning From Enlisted To Officer Ranks

Enlisted personnel have opportunities to move into officer roles. If you possess the required qualifications, your commanding officer may recommend you for Officer Candidate School (OCS). If you wish to return to school, you may be recommended for the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NROTC). 

Navy Officer vs Petty Officer & Chief Petty Officer

Despite the term “officer” in their titles, a Petty Officer and Chief Petty Officer are non-commissioned and enlisted naval personnel who derive their authority from their command officers and can only recommend disciplinary punishment but not impose it. On the other hand, Navy Officers are commissioned officers with higher salaries and the authority to command service members and promote order and discipline within the ranks, imposing punishment as required. Commissioned Navy Officers receive their commission from the President of the United States and typically have had their college education in the US.

Ranks of Commissioned Navy Officers

United States Navy Officers are positioned at ranks that fall into three levels: Junior Officers, Senior Officers and Flag Officers. Warrant Officers until Lieutenant Commander fall in the Junior Officers category. From Commander to Captain are the Senior Officers. The highest ranks in the Navy belong to the Flag Officers category.

Warrant Officers (CWO2 to CWO5)

Service as enlisted personnel in pay grades E6 and above for the prescribed number of years, along with your commander’s recommendations based on your technical expertise and the selection board’s approval, could qualify you to receive a commission as a Warrant Officer in the Navy.

The ranks range from Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) to Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO5), with CWO2 being the juniormost commissioned officer in the Navy. Warrant Officers are senior to enlisted Chief Petty Officers but junior to Ensigns. Working on maintenance and repairs in roles such as electronics techs and software experts, they provide specialised technical skills and leadership to enlisted technicians under their charge and support communication across the chain of command. 

Junior Officers (O1 to O4)

• Ensign (ENS, O1) - This entry-level rank for Commissioned Navy Officers is assigned to graduates of the United States Naval Academy (USNA), Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), Officer Candidate School (OCS) and other commissioning sources. Most ensigns train for their warfare or staff specialisation in schools, while some serve as division officers in the fleet.
• Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTJG, O2) - An ensign may be promoted to LTJG two years after being commissioned. At this stage, some officers may still be training in schools for their warfare or staff specialisation, while others may be division officers in the fleet.
• Lieutenant (LT, O3) - Lieutenants may serve as division officers or service heads on small ships, aircraft squadrons or submarines. Senior lieutenants may be department heads in some commands. For SEAL teams, platoon leaders may have the ranks of ensign, Lieutenant, Junior Grade or Lieutenant.
• Lieutenant Commander (LCDR, O4) - They may serve as a department head or executive officer aboard a ship, aircraft squadron or submarine, as executive officers on SEAL teams, or as commanding officers of a minesweeper or a patrol craft.

Senior/Mid-Grade Officers (O5 - O6)

• Commander (CDR, O5) - Being senior officers, CDRs may command frigates, destroyers, fast-attack submarines, smaller amphibious ships, aviation squadrons, SEAL teams or shore installations.
• Captain (CAPT, O6) - In their senior position, Captains serve as commanding officers of major commands, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, cruisers, destroyer squadrons, carrier air wings, ballistic missile submarines, submarine squadrons, major shore installations and SEAL groups.

Admirals or Flag Officers (O7 to O10)

• Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML, O7), a one-star rank: The RDML commands an amphibious group, carrier-cruiser group, and carrier or expeditionary strike group at sea. Flag officers may also serve as deputies to larger commands.
• Rear Admiral Upper Half (RADM, O8), a two-star rank: The RADM’s at-sea commands include an amphibious group, carrier-cruiser group, carrier or expeditionary strike group. Flag officers may also serve as deputies to larger commands.
• Vice Admiral (VADM, O9), a three-star rank: The VADM commands numbered fleets and serves as deputies for regional commands.
• Admiral (ADM, O10), the senior most and four-star flag rank during times of peace: Admirals are in charge of regional and joint commands. They may serve as chief of naval operations and may also chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Fleet Admiral (FADM, O11), a five-star Flag Officer rank created on a temporary basis only during times of war: It is a position equivalent to the ranks of Generals of the Army and Air Force. The last time there was an active rank holder was in 1945.

General Officers vs Flag Officers

General Officers (pay grades O7 to O10) are the seniormost officers in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, while their counterparts in the Navy are Flag Officers. “General and Flag Officers”, or GFO, is a combined term used to denote all commissioned officers in pay grades O7 to O10, including one-star, two-star, three-star, and four-star officers. In general, generically applying the term Flag Officer to your position title if you are a senior officer in pay grades O7 to O10 in any branch of service indicates that you are authorised to fly your flag in appropriate areas and under specific conditions.

Rank, Insignia & Pay Grade

Ranks are levels in the hierarchical structure of the military or another armed force. The insignia that service members wear on their uniform collars or shoulders represent ranks and include various emblems, such as chevrons, bars, oak leaves or stars. A service branch represents their pay grades using a letter and a number, such as O-1 to O-10 for Commissioned Navy Officers and CWO2 to CWO5 for Warrant Officers. 

The rank devices that Commissioned Navy Officers Naval officers differ with each uniform. With khakis, they wear collar insignia pins. Stripes on shoulder boards go with white uniforms. Stripes sewn on the lower coat sleeves accompany blue uniforms. 

Officer Designators

The specific duties of Navy Officers depend on their office designators and their specialisations. The designator categories are typically named Line Officers and Staff Corps Officers. 

Naval officers in training who are not physically qualified to serve in the unrestricted line but may be commissioned in active duty have a wide choice of careers open to them. Along with Staff Corps Officers, they may opt for intelligence, information warfare, information professional, oceanography, medicine, civil engineering, supply, and aviation maintenance. They may serve aboard ships, with aircraft squadrons and at shore bases worldwide. If graduating officers receive medical school acceptance, they are commissioned into the medical corps, even if they are physically eligible for the unrestricted line.

Restricted Line Officers work in the Navy or Navy Reserves but cannot command at sea or pursue Unrestricted Line Officer roles. Unrestricted Line Officers work in the Navy or the Naval Reserve and may progress to command submarines, ships, fleets, aircraft squadrons and shore bases. Staff Corps Officers have specialised occupations and may work as physicians, nurses, lawyers, civil engineers and chaplains, to name a few, and also in the areas of intelligence, public relations and supply. They may command only those units related to Restricted Line or Staff Corps Officers. 

Limited Duty Officers may be commissioned based on their length of service and specialised knowledge, even without formal education or a bachelor's degree. While restricted in career progression, they wield authority and discharge responsibilities similar to Unrestricted and Restricted Line Officers.

Types of Officers

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Nuclear-powered submarines can typically go without refuelling for more than 30 years. They can also stay submerged at great depths for several months since nuclear reactions do not require air.

Navy Officers work hard to prepare to receive their commission and then continue to put their best foot forward, anchored by integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness, the core attributes of their service to the nation. They are highly qualified managers and leaders, commanding innovative technology in times of peace and conflict, always keeping their country’s security in focus. Perhaps, the expanse and depths of the ocean remind them of the vastness of their duties and the immensity of their responsibilities.

Value and care for your enlisted sailors. Understand their work to advocate for them. Explain the mission to help them feel connected with it. Equally, help your colleagues and seniors. At the same time, make sure you know your goals and develop professionally to achieve them. Hard as it may be, balance work and family life.