Talk:Petty officer

Introduction Suggestions
In the introduction three of the british forces are referenced specifically, when their rank equivalents are more clearly detailed in the United Kingdom section. I suggest removing these references and adding a subsection for equivalent ranks to the UK section and other countries' sections where it is applicable. 76.241.134.47 (talk) 14:42, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

What is the line in the table of Royal Navy ranks which has OR-x
What is the line in the table of Royal Navy ranks which has OR-x ? Please modify to make this meaningful. Thx Facius 12:43, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

Speaking as someone who is in the US Navy this comment that a Petty Officer Third class is only equal to equivalent ranks in the other armed forces in terms of pay grade is obscene. Petty Officer Third Class is a rank EARNED not given in most rates. It is sometimes granted for extended obligation of service for advanced rates or rates with low retention (such as Intelligence Specialist, or "nuclear field") or for outstanding achievement during "A" school (Accelerated Advancement Program) but is still considered a Non-Commissioned Officer and subordinates can still be prosecuted under the UCMJ for failure to obey a lawful order given by a Third Class Petty Officer.

"Specialist" in the USA is NOT an NCO rank E-4 is no longer an NCO rank in the USAF since phasing out of the rank of Sergeant in the mid 1990's.

This can be verified by simply doing a google search or referencing other Wikipedia articles on the subject.

DoobieEx 15:32, 03 OCTOBER 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.183.161.117 (talk)

Etymology
We have nothing on the etymology of Petty Officer ... presumably from the french Petit, cf. Petty France in London? Anyone have any info on this? --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:49, 24 January 2012 (UTC)


 * seems to be related to the French petit
 * https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/w/naval-traditions-names-of-rank/enlisted-ranks/petty-officer.html 165.1.187.223 (talk) 12:44, 28 April 2024 (UTC)

Proposed minor change
"Petty officer, third class is equivalent in paygrade to corporal in the United States Army (or specialist)" Propose dropping the "(or specialist)". While PO3, CPL and SPC are all E-4 paygrade, only the first two are NCOs; the latter is considered a non-NCO position. Thoughts? --ip.address.conflict (talk) 14:00, 13 November 2014 (UTC)

Midshipman evolved into...?
Whilst I don't question the reference the line stating Midshipman evolved into Naval Cadet is (I suspect) very US specific or at least quoted in a way which leaves the reader with the wrong impression. In any case it seems superfluous in an article about the rate of Petty Officer. Suggest that line be removed? At best it is superfluous and at worst it is not clear enough that this does not apply to all Navies or that the rank of Midshipman still, and always has, existed in Commonwealth Navies. Naval Cadet may have split off from the rank but most Commonwealth countries still use Midshipman as the most junior officer rank. Sure, often one still in 'on the job' training, but it is quite possible to be on the trained strength for a short while still as a Midshipman on completion of training. Nowadays, generally the rank of 'Officer Cadet' is used whilst in basic officer training or equivalent. 207.132.224.130 (talk) 06:03, 30 November 2020 (UTC)
 * Agreed; I'm not sure that a midshipman was ever regarded as a petty officer. Alansplodge (talk) 16:48, 30 November 2020 (UTC)
 * It's not US specific. The source is N.A.M. Rodgers, the eminent historian of the Royal Navy, in a book about the Royal Navy. So you have to trust it. The midshipmen were technically petty officers, but they were not regarded as such. They were regarded as young gentlemen together with others borne as able seamen or Captain's servants on the books of the ship. Creuzbourg (talk) 09:17, 25 May 2021 (UTC)