Which rank is described as the Navy/Coast Guard’s top enlisted leader?

• A. Master Chief Petty Officer
• B. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy/Coast Guard
• C. Fleet/Force/Command Master Chief Petty Officer
• D. Chief Petty Officer

Answer: (B)

The top enlisted leader for both the Navy and the Coast Guard is the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy/Coast Guard. This position serves as the senior enlisted adviser to the Secretary of the Navy (and Chief of Naval Operations) and, for the Coast Guard, to the Commandant, guiding enlisted policy, personnel quality of life, training, and career development across the entire service. It sits above other senior enlisted ranks, such as Fleet/Force/Command Master Chief Petty Officers, who lead at major commands but aren’t the service-wide senior leader. The standard Coast Guard equivalent exists as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, but the combined title shown here represents the highest enlisted leadership for both services.