What is a Rating?

What is a Rating?

• A. Officer's specialty
• B. Enlisted occupational specialty
• C. Ship class designation
• D. Duty location assignment

Answer: (B)

A rating is the enlisted occupational specialty in the Navy. It identifies the specific job you perform, the skills you develop, and the training path you follow. For example, someone with the Machinist Mate rating trains to maintain and repair propulsion and power systems on ships, guiding the schools they attend and the billets they pursue as they advance. This concept applies only to enlisted personnel; officers have their own designators for specialty. A ship class designation describes the vessel type, not a person’s role, and a duty location assignment is simply where you’re posted to serve.

A rating is the enlisted occupational specialty in the Navy. It identifies the specific job you perform, the skills you develop, and the training path you follow. For example, someone with the Machinist Mate rating trains to maintain and repair propulsion and power systems on ships, guiding the schools they attend and the billets they pursue as they advance. This concept applies only to enlisted personnel; officers have their own designators for specialty. A ship class designation describes the vessel type, not a person’s role, and a duty location assignment is simply where you’re posted to serve.