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Addressing an officer of unknown rank

Goober

Professional Javelin Catcher
None
What does the OCSN,OC1,OC2, OC3 etc on the contract mean if you are not an Officer Candidate? Why not just put "undesignated"?

Denotes your contract paygrade. Those being paid at E-3 level = OCSN, etc.
 

fudog50

Registered User
Funny because I am a CWO!

Nobody knows what to call me!

Used to be a time when all CWO's were called Mr.,,,

But I am fine with "WO", "warrant", or the ole standby sir!

(just to hard to say "Chief Warrant Officer (last name)" every time you address a warrant!)
 

fudog50

Registered User
Another quick response, probably get some flak for this...

out if the 5 responses that mentioned a "chief" it was spelled wrong! (cheif).

That is totally unsat for anyone in the Navy and quite offensive for a prior 6 year Chief.

Pretty sad, cmon guys and gals, attention to a great detail?
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Another quick response, probably get some flak for this...

out if the 5 responses that mentioned a "chief" it was spelled wrong! (cheif).

That is totally unsat for anyone in the Navy and quite offensive for a prior 6 year Chief.

Pretty sad, cmon guys and gals, attention to a great detail?
Sorry, couldn't help myself......:D
 

Cordespc

Active Member
None
Contributor
Funny, in the Marine Corps it's even more awkward to address Warrant Officers because we have W1s, who are WOs, but not CWOs. W2s and up generally don't like to be referred to as "Warrant Officer", "Warrant" or "WO", and sometimes "Dude" or "Man" comes off a little inappropriate when talking to the old salts.

I think most aviation types like to be called "Gunner" unless, of course they are in the vicinity of infantry folk who are all too eager to point out that they are most definitely not "Gunners", a term reserved for infantry weapons officers.

Paul
 

Cordespc

Active Member
None
Contributor
Fudog, another thing I was wondering about the flying WO program....I had always assumed that since the Navy required you to be a CPO before becomming a CWO, this was justification for going straight to W2. Do you think that maybe the E5s and E6s selected for the program should get commissioned as W1s, or is it just not worth the trouble to "invent" a new Navy rank? Just wondering.

Paul
 

LoneSailor

Registered User
Funny, in the Marine Corps it's even more awkward to address Warrant Officers because we have W1s, who are WOs, but not CWOs. W2s and up generally don't like to be referred to as "Warrant Officer", "Warrant" or "WO", and sometimes "Dude" or "Man" comes off a little inappropriate when talking to the old salts.

I think most aviation types like to be called "Gunner" unless, of course they are in the vicinity of infantry folk who are all too eager to point out that they are most definitely not "Gunners", a term reserved for infantry weapons officers.

Paul

It's even weirder in the Army. If you're a WO1, you're called "Warrant Officer/Sir," if you're CWO2 or above you're called "Chief/Sir." Now imagine being in a joint command with Navy Chiefs (E7), Navy CWOs, and Army CWOs.. our Navy CWO hates it whenever he's called "Chief," he feels obliged to correct every soldier that calls him that.
 

Road Program

Hangin' on by the static wicks
None
Sir or Ma'am is fine initially. However, while standing OOD (in-port) on the carrier, you come across this situation frequently. I have found that asking "how may/should I address or announce you" works well and shows your concern for proper protocol.

Actually, if you wanna be all anal about it, the correct question would be, "How do you hail sir/ma'am?" Of course if they answer with "No no" or some title that has no rank associated with it, you're probably left more dumbfounded than you were before you opened your mouth...or started reading this post.

Sorry, the former SWO in me had to chime in.
 

etnuclearsailor

STA 21 Nuclear OC
They do have an OC option for the ID cards. They say "OC" under "rank" and "STDT" under "paygrade". However, they told us at the command we weren't supposed to have those ID's, so those of us who had them had them replaced with our enlisted ID cards.
 

BackOrdered

Well-Known Member
Contributor
They do have an OC option for the ID cards. They say "OC" under "rank" and "STDT" under "paygrade". However, they told us at the command we weren't supposed to have those ID's, so those of us who had them had them replaced with our enlisted ID cards.

It's strange that I heard they don't. There is too much ambiguity as to who gets what. I know what you are talking about. A STA/ROTC cadet I know, great gal, has an enlisted ID too and said, "That's what they said I should have." I say let your command/contract decide where you stand. So long as my command refers to me as Officer Candidate,that suits me just fine.
 

etnuclearsailor

STA 21 Nuclear OC
The midshipmen that went off on their own to get IDs landed up with NON-PO ID's. Those ID's were confiscated, and those mids were sent to get MIDN/ STDT ID's. I had an OC/STDT ID, and I was sent to get it replaced with another PO2/E5 ID (I only landed up with the OC ID for about two months).
BTW, we aren't known as Cadets in the NROTC. The regular students are midshipmen, the enlisted students are officer candidates, and the Marines are known by their enlisted ranks.
 

BackOrdered

Well-Known Member
Contributor
The midshipmen that went off on their own to get IDs landed up with NON-PO ID's. Those ID's were confiscated, and those mids were sent to get MIDN/ STDT ID's. I had an OC/STDT ID, and I was sent to get it replaced with another PO2/E5 ID (I only landed up with the OC ID for about two months).
BTW, we aren't known as Cadets in the NROTC. The regular students are midshipmen, the enlisted students are officer candidates, and the Marines are known by their enlisted ranks.

Noted!
 

blackjack_rj

Alpha PHlyer
Especially when you have those Senior Chiefs that wear their anchors too high (unsat) and they are taller than you. If that happens, I just call them Master Chief. You can never go wrong by promoting. Of course when you do that, you notice some YOUNG Master Chiefs. Better safe than sorry! Chiefs take that seriously.
 
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