 | The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and Canada and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(July 2011) |
Able seaman is a military rank used in some navies.
| The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and Canada and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(July 2011) |
Able seaman is a military rank used in some navies.
In the Royal Australian Navy, able seaman (AB) is the second-lowest of the non-commissioned member ranks, ranking above seaman and below leading seaman.
Able seaman is the equivalent rank to Leading aircraftman, in the Royal Australian Air Force and Private Proficient in the Australian Army. It is not equivalent to Lance Corporal which is rated as E4, not E3 like the ranks of Able Seaman and Leading Aircraftsman.
Able Seamen with additional skills are denoted by modifications to the "AB" rank; for example photography skills which are acknowledged in the title Able Seaman Imagery Specialist, or ABIS. [1]
In the Royal Canadian Navy, sailor second class (previously able seaman until August 2020) is the second-lowest of the non-commissioned member ranks, ranking above sailor third class and below sailor first class. Sailors second class wear a single gold chevron, point down, as an insignia of rank; it is worn on the upper part of both sleeves of the service dress tunic, and on slip-ons on both shoulders on other uniforms.
In all trades, the rank is awarded on completion of 30 months of service, by which time all initial training is completed. Consequently, it is sometimes said that promotion to the rank of sailor second class means the recipient has lost their 'best excuse', on the theory that sailors third class are generally assumed to know nothing.
Sailor second class is the equivalent rank to private (trained), or simply private, in the Army and Air Force. In French the rank is called matelot de 2e classe.
In August 2020, the Royal Canadian Navy replaced the term seaman with the gender-neutral term sailor. Able seamen are now referred to as "sailor second class". [2] [3] [4]
In 1653 the Royal Navy introduced a new pay scale as part of reforms following defeat in the Battle of Dungeness the previous year. Included in these reforms were, for the first time, separate pay scales for more experienced seamen that distinguished between an ordinary seaman and an able seaman. The higher ranked able seaman was required to be competent in steering, use the lead and working aloft, [5] and received about 25% higher pay than an ordinary seaman.
In the middle of the 18th century the term "able seaman" (abbreviated AB) referred to a seaman with more than two years experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". [6] Seamen with less experience are referred to as landsmen (for the first year at sea) or ordinary seamen (for the second).
In time of war (such as the Seven Years' War or the Napoleonic Wars), with many more warships in service, the navy, merchant marine, and privateers competed ferociously for the limited pool of able seamen, leading to the unpopular use of impressment by the Royal Navy to keep its ships manned. In peacetime, with fewer active warships, there was usually a surplus of unemployed able seamen willing to work in the navy. As late as the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy's practice of stopping American ships to press American sailors into involuntary service was one of the main factors leading to the War of 1812 with the United States.
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank in most armies and air forces is major, and in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces is squadron leader. It is roughly equivalent to the Corvette Captain rank in central European countries and the Captain 3rd rank rank in eastern European/CIS countries.
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces. The lowest officer rank, it is usually placed below lieutenant or first lieutenant.
The Royal Canadian Navy is the naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 Halifax-class frigates, 12 Kingston-class coastal defence vessels, 4 Victoria-class submarines, 4 Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessels, 8 Orca-class patrol vessels, and several auxiliary vessels. The RCN consists of 8,400 Regular Force and 4,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by 3,800 civilians. Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee is the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and chief of the Naval Staff.
A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards, usually above petty officer.
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies. Often they may be superior to a seaman, and subordinate to more senior non-commissioned officers, such as chief petty officers.
Seaman apprentice is the second lowest enlisted rate in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps just above seaman recruit and below seaman; this rank was formerly known as seaman second class.
Seaman is a military rank used in many navies around the world. It is considered a junior enlisted rank and, depending on the navy, it may be a single rank on its own or a name shared by several similarly junior ranks.
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy Scouts, civil defence organisations, ambulance services, customs services, fire services etc.
Leading seaman is a junior non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. When it is used by NATO nations, leading seaman has the rank code of OR-4. It is often equivalent to the army and air force rank of corporal and some navies use corporal rather than leading seaman.
Master sailor, formerly Master seaman, or matelot-chef (matc) in French, is a non-commissioned member rank of the Royal Canadian Navy, which is between sailor first class and petty officer 2nd class. Technically, the rank is actually an appointment, with appointees holding the rank of sailor first class. If demoted, a master sailor will become an sailor second class or sailor first class depending on seniority. However, the process to be appointed is very similar to that of a promotion, and holding the appointment of master sailor is a prerequisite to promotion to PO2.
Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the Canadian military had three distinct services: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Army. All three services had a Regular (full-time) component and a reserve (part-time) component. The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army. The change to a "Canadian" rank structure meant that many of the traditional (British) rank titles and insignia were removed or changed.
This is a list of Royal Navy ratings rank insignia.
Ordinary seaman is a military rank used in naval forces.
Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt, LT (U.S.), LT(USN), Lieut and LEUT, depending on nation) is a commissioned officer rank in many English-speaking nations' navies and coast guards. It is typically the most senior of junior officer ranks. In most navies, the rank's insignia may consist of two medium gold braid stripes, the uppermost stripe featuring an executive curl in many Commonwealth of Nations; or three stripes of equal or unequal width.
The Kriegsmarine was the navy of Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II. Kriegsmarine uniform design followed that of the preexisting Reichsmarine, itself based on that of the First World War Kaiserliche Marine. Kriegsmarine styles of uniform and insignia had many features in common with those of other European navies, all derived from the British Royal Navy of the 19th century, such as officers' frock coats, sleeve braid, and the "sailor suit" uniform for enlisted personnel and petty officers.
Rank comparison chart of naval forces of Commonwealth of Nations states.
Rank comparison chart of naval forces of Commonwealth of Nations states.
Sailor first class is a rank used in the navies of many countries.
