Quote: Justme wrote in post #2

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A lot is being made of the fact he is not an officer, but a Chief Petty Officer.

Anyone care to educate me on the difference? Please

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It's a senior non-commissioned officer.

A commissioned officer are those who go the academy. The higher educated elites. John McCain was a commissioned officer.

The petty officers are the grunts who run the ships and boats.

My husband was in the Navy and was a Petty Officer. Above him were the Chief Petty Officers of the different divisions. Chiefs of the submariners in each Division onboard the submarine. And then above that was "Chief of the Boat", the Chief of the Chiefs. The officers were the guys who wore the cool hats and uniforms like Richard Gere in "An Officer and a Gentleman". My husband and the other submariners of E rank were enlisted. E-1, E-2, E-3. Each move up is a promotion. My husband and the men in his rank wore the Navy dog-dishes with the Cracker-Jack uniforms.

Does that help?

It's the best I can do from memory and my limited experience as the wife of a man who was in Uncle Sam's canoe club.

Someone will come along and correct my errors, I'm certain. It's been awhile and I may have mangled the terminology and explanation a bit.