CPOs or just chiefs? Navy guidance leaves sailors confused

With the elimination of all rating titles, a new question is popping up across the fleet: Are E-7s still "chief petty officers" or just "chiefs?"

With sailors still reeling from the unpopular stripping of all these time-honored titles, the service issued conflicting guidance on the official titles for senior enlisted, which has sailors scratching their heads.

Navy officials say this is a misunderstanding and that their official title remains, chief petty officer.

“There has been no change to our E-7 and above rank titles,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the chief of naval personnel. “A chief petty officer is still that, and those words are still part of their formal title, that is the intent.”

But the words "petty officer" are no longer to appear on any chief's formal award, according to written guidance from the CNO's awards branch now circulating in the fleet. Instead, Navy awards will refer to them as:

• E-7. "Chief," such as Chief Timmy Turner.
• E-8. "Senior Chief," such as Senior Chief Timmy Turner.
• E-9. "Master Chief," such as Master Chief Timmy Turner.
However, officials say this awards guidance is wrong -- reiterating that awards should say, "chief petty officer," for example -- and will be corrected.