Temporary Archive: Suzanne Brockmann's Message Board

The cracker jacks are both in white and blue and are the dress uniform for E-1 through E-6--Seaman Recruit through First Class Petty Officer. When you become a Chief Petty Officer through Master Chief Petty Officer (E-7 through E-9) you were uniforms very similiar to officers, but without shoulder boards (whites) or gold braid (cuffs)--the CHief rank is worn on the collar.

Okay, then--your rank is--well--your rank--so a rank is 1st Class Petty Officer or E-6--same thing/same guy--your rank positions you somewhere in the pecking order--your Rate is your job--Gunnersmate is a rate--it tells people what you specialize in (Except SEALs and EOD which are not ratings) the symbol for the rate--what you do--is colocated with your rank--so when you see a bomb in 2 chevrons--that is a Gunnersmate 2nd Class---otherwise known as rank and rate---
I never bothered to learn much beyond that!