Sailors are demanding their job titles back, but Navy officials are trying to persuade them their future is brighter without them.
The red-hot controversy over the Navy's stripping every sailor of his or her rating titles isn't dying down and officialdom is ratcheting up its response. The chief of naval personnel published their second blog in as many weeks on Sunday, which defends the action as a first-step to creating more flexible enlisted careers. That's summarized by their new graphic, Navy Occupational Specialty: "One sailor, many paths."
"Sailors have had a lot of questions about this," said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the chief of naval personnel. "There's a lot in this for sailors to take in and we're working to help them understand how this effects them today and ultimately how it will be helpful to their careers in the future."
The official blog post garnered over 600 comments, the great majority of which blasted the Navy for taking away sailors' ratings, job titles like gunner's mate or master-at-arms that sailors have identified with for generations. Now, all of the roughly 90 ratings will be replaced by NOS codes.
"I cannot begin to explain how frustrating this is," commented Colton Morris on the Navy's post. "There are so many other ways this change could have been executed to better honor our long standing traditions. The leadership of this Navy is so far detached that they are willing to gamble the morale of the entire enlisted Navy on a hopeful whim that this new system will work better?"
'Give us our traditions back'
The Navy says the "ratings modernization" will take place in six phases over the next three years, beginning with a review.
"A working group, comprised of members throughout the Fleet including senior enlisted sailors… has been formed to identify and propose modifications to personnel policies, management programs and information technology systems that will require changes," the blog said.
The group will include sailors from both fleets and DC area commands. They'll review and make recommendations on how to to boost career flexibility.
The scope of their review includes "recruiting, detailing, advancements, training, and personnel and pay processes" the post said, adding that the working group will be expanded over time and is seeking sailor input.
Meanwhile, community managers are preparing to redraw the Navy's community lines to create broader career fields.
The timeline says that within the next year, the current occupations will be regrouped and cross-community occupation opportunities will be identified and piloted. Also, links will be developed to align all Navy communities with related civilian career fields.
Even with all these proposals, sailors are taking every opportunity to voice their discontent. As of Monday afternoon, 632 sailors and veterans commented on the blog post, the vast majority of which were unhappy.
"Hopefully when the SecNav is replaced we can repeal this and get some of our traditions back," said Ryan Leland. "Ratings have been in our Navy since before we were America — I'm talking continental Navy — so please give us our traditions back. Not to mention at my reserve center there are three Jones, two of the same rank. How do I tell them apart?"
Others railed at what they saw as political correctness, citing variations of the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" argument.
Then there's the cost. Many felt the money spent to make the change is more needed in the fleet, such as with the troubled littoral combat ships.
"Anyone figure out how much this is gonna cost?," another wrote. "Seems like the money would be better spent on fixing the LCS's."
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
