![Jean-Bart seaman Bastille Day 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Jean-Bart_seaman_Bastille_Day_2008.jpg)
Seaman is a
military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a ...
used in many
navies
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
around the world. It is considered a junior
enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States m ...
and, depending on the navy, it may be a single rank on its own or a name shared by several similarly junior ranks.
In the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
, it is the lowest rank in the navy, while in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, it refers to the three lowest ranks of the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
and
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
. The equivalent of the seaman is the ''matelot'' in French-speaking countries, and ''Matrose'' in German-speaking countries.
Australia
The
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
features one seaman rank, which is split into two distinct classes. Seaman and seaman* (pronounced "seaman star"), to differentiate between those who have completed their employment training and those who are in training. There is no insignia on a seaman rank slide.
Canada
There are 4 grades of sailor (previously the term "seaman", until it was replaced with "sailor" in August 2020)/''matelot'' in the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...
:
Image:CDN-Navy-OS.svg, Sailor Third Class (previously Ordinary Seaman) or ''matelot de troisième classe''
Image:CDN-Navy-AB.svg, Sailor Second Class (previously Able Seaman) or ''matelot de deuxième classe''
Image:CDN-Navy-LS.svg, Sailor First Class (previously Leading Seaman) or ''matelot de première classe''
Image:CDN-Navy-MS.svg, Master Sailor (previously Master Seaman) or ''matelot-chef''
The rank of master sailor is unique because it was created only for the Canadian Navy. It does not follow the British tradition of other Canadian ranks. It corresponds to the rank of
master corporal/''caporal-chef''.
France
''Matelot 2e classe'' (seaman 2nd class), or apprentice seaman, and ''matelot breveté'' (able seaman) are designations of the
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
. ''Matelot''s are colloquially known as "''mousse''s".
File:French Navy-Rama NG-M0.svg, ''Matelot''
File:French Navy-Rama NG-M1.svg, ''Matelot breveté'' (able seaman)
Estonia
![Mereväemadrus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Merev%C3%A4emadrus.png)
''Madrus'' is the lowest rank in the
Estonian Navy
The Estonian Navy ( et, Merevägi) are the unified naval forces among the Estonian Defence Forces.
With only six commissioned ships and displacement well under 10,000 tonnes, the Estonian navy is one of the smallest navies in the world. Its shi ...
. It is equivalent to
OR-1 in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
Germany
![MDS 11 Matrose 10 L](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/MDS_11_Matrose_10_L.svg)
The German rank of "seaman" (german: Matrose) is the lowest enlisted rank of the
German Navy
The German Navy (, ) is the navy of Germany and part of the unified ''Bundeswehr'' (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Mari ...
.
It is equivalent to OR1 in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
and is a grade A3 in the pay rules of the
Federal Ministry of Defence
The Federal Ministry of Defence (german: Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, ), abbreviated BMVg, is a top-level federal agency, headed by the Federal Minister of Defence as a member of the Cabinet of Germany. The ministry is headquartered at ...
.
Greece
![GR-Navy-Ναύτης](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/GR-Navy-%CE%9D%CE%B1%CF%8D%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82.svg)
There is one grade of seaman in the
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy (HN; el, Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, War Navy, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of vari ...
.
Indonesia
In the
Indonesian Navy
The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol I ...
, this rank is referred to as "''
kelasi''". There are three levels of this rank in the Indonesian Navy which are: "seaman recruit" (''kelasi dua''), "seaman apprentice" (''kelasi satu''), and "seaman" (''kelasi kepala''), the rating system thus mirrors the one used in the US Navy.
Kelasi kepala pdh al.png, Seaman rank of the Indonesian Navy
The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol I ...
Italy
The
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
rank of "seaman" ( it, comune di seconda classe) is the lowest enlisted rank of the
Italian Navy
"Fatherland and Honour"
, patron =
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = ( is the return of soldiers to their barrack, or sailors to their ship after a ...
equivalent in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
to OR1.
File:Tecnico_macchine.jpg, Badge of technics and mechanics
File:Badge of coxswains category of the Italian Navy.svg, Badge of coxswains
File:Badge of tracking radar operators category of the Italian Navy.svg, Badge of tracking radar operators
File:Badge of electro-mechanics category of the Italian Navy.svg, Badge of electro-mechanics
Japan
See
Military ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
The Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces are the military insignia used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
History
Following the end of World War II in Asia, after the surrender of Japan, the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Ja ...
Russia
![RAF_N_R1-Matros_2010%E2%80%93](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/RAF_N_R1-Matros_2010%E2%80%93.svg)
Much Russian military vocabulary was imported, along with military advisers, from Germany in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Russian word for "seaman" or "sailor" (russian: матрос; ''matros'') was borrowed from the German "''matrose''". In Imperial Russia the most junior naval rank was "seaman 2nd class" (матрос 2-й статьи; ''matros vtoroi stati''). Estonia ( et, mаdrus) and Latvia ( lv, mаtrozis) use closely related loanwords.
The 1917 Revolution led to the term "Red Fleet man" (краснофлотец; ''krasnoflotets'') until 1943, when the Soviet Navy reintroduced the term "seaman" (матрос; ''matros''), along with badges of rank. The Russian Federation inherited the term in 1991, as did several other former Soviet republics, including Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Belarus, with Bulgaria using the same word and the same Cyrillic orthography.
United Kingdom
In the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
the rate is split into two divisions: AB1 and AB2. The AB2 rating is used for those who have not yet completed their professional taskbooks. The rate of
ordinary seaman
__NOTOC__
An ordinary seaman (OS) is a member of the deck department of a ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an able seaman, and has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a ship for a specific amount o ...
has been discontinued.
Malaysia
The
Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...
(RMN; ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM;
Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of operation consists of 603,210 square kilometers covering the country's coastal areas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). RMN also bears the responsibility of controlling the country's main Sea Lines of Communications (SLOC) such as the Straits of Malacca and the Straits of Singapore and also monitors national interests in areas with overlapping claims such as in Spratly.
United States
Constructionman
variation
Fireman
variation
Airman
variation
Seaman
insignia
Seaman is the third enlisted rank from the bottom in the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
and
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
, ranking above
seaman apprentice
Constructionman Apprenticevariation
Fireman Apprenticevariation
Airman Apprenticevariation
Seaman Apprenticeinsignia
Collarinsignia
Seaman apprentice is the second lowest enlisted rate in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and ...
and below
petty officer third class. This naval rank was formerly called seaman first class, such as
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient
James R. Ward. The rank is also used in
United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps
The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC or NSCC) is a congressionally chartered, U.S. Navy-sponsored organization that serves to teach individuals about the sea-going military services, U.S. naval operations and training, community serv ...
, a naval-themed uniformed youth program under the sponsorship of the
Navy League of the United States
The Navy League of the United States, commonly referred to as the Navy League, is a national association with nearly 50,000 members who advocate for a strong, credible United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard and ...
.
The actual title and insignia for an E-3 varies based on the job rating to which the member will ultimately be assigned.
* Those in the general deck, technical, weapons and administrative groups (with the exception of the aviation administration men) are called "seamen" and they represent the largest group of Navy and Coast Guard personnel in pay grades E-3 and below. They wear white stripes on their blue uniforms (USN and USCG), and navy blue (black) stripes on their white uniforms (USN only).
* Those in the medical group are now called "hospitalmen." In October 2005, the USN dental technician (DT) rating was merged into the hospital corpsman (HM) rating, eliminating the "dentalman" title for E-3 and below. Those who once held the rate of "dentalman" have become "hospitalmen". They wear white stripes on their blue uniforms, and navy blue stripes on their white uniforms. After the completion of their "A" school, they wear a caduceus of the same color as the stripes on their uniforms. On their combat uniforms, a hospitalman wears their caduceus on the tab of their left collar tab. This rating was previously called pharmacist's mate (PHM) and HMs are colloquially referred to as "corpsman" in the naval service. Hospitalmen exist only in the U.S. Navy; their equivalent in the U.S. Coast Guard is the health services technician (HS), which is sourced from seamen in that service's administrative and scientific group.
* Those in the shipboard engineering and hull group, comprising conventional (USN + USCG) and nuclear (USN only) powerplants and propulsion, as well as the hull maintenance area, are called "firemen." They wear red stripes on both their USN and USCG blue uniforms and, in the case of the Navy, white uniforms.
* Those in the aviation group of the Navy and Coast Guard are called "
airmen
An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions.
In civilian aviation usage, t ...
", and they wear green stripes on blue uniforms (USN + USCG) and white uniforms (USN only).
* Enlisted personnel in the construction group, which primarily populates the U.S. Navy's civil engineering construction battalions (i.e.,
Seabees
United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Force (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Depending upon ...
), are called "constructionmen" and they wear light blue stripes on both their blue and white uniforms. Constructionmen are unique to the U.S. Navy; there is no U.S. Coast Guard equivalent.
No such stripes for E-1, E-2 or E-3 are authorized to be worn on working uniforms, e.g.,
navy work uniform, USCG operational dress uniform, coveralls, utility wear, flight suits, hospital and clinic garb, diving suits, etc. However, sailors with the pay grade of E-2 or E-3 are permitted to wear silver-anodized collar devices on their service uniforms.
Some sailors and Coast Guardsmen receive a rating following completion of a military technical training course for that particular rating known as an "A" school. Other sailors and Coast Guardsmen who have completed the requirements to be assigned a rating and have been accepted by the Navy Personnel Command/Bureau of Naval Personnel (USN) or the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center Command (USCG) as holding that rating (a process called "striking") are called "designated strikers", and are referred to by their full rate and rating in formal communications (i.e., machinist's mate fireman (MMFN), as opposed to simply fireman (FN)), though the rating is often left off in informal communications. Those who have not officially been assigned to a rating are officially referred to as "undesignated" or "non-rates." Once selected for a particular rating of their choice they become eligible for advancement in that community.
Venezuela
![Distinguido](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Distinguido.png)
The rank is used by the
National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela
The National Bolivarian Armed Forces ( es, Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana - FANB) of Venezuela are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President) and a civilian Minister of Defense. In addition to the army, navy, and air force there ...
.
See also
*
Seaman (Admiralty Law)
*
Comparative military ranks
This article is a list of various nations' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention ...
*
List of United States Coast Guard ratings
The United States Coast Guard's ratings are general occupations that consist of specific skills and abilities. Each rating has its own specialty badge, which is typically worn on the left sleeve of their service dress uniform by enlisted personnel ...
*
United States Coast Guard enlisted rate insignia
These charts represents the United States Coast Guard enlisted rank insignia. Ranks are used to describe an enlisted sailor's pay-grade. Ranks are not to be confused with " ratings", which describe the Coast Guard's enlisted occupations. (The rat ...
*
United States Coast Guard officer rank insignia
United States Coast Guard officer rank insignia describes an officer's pay-grade. Rank is displayed on collar devices, shoulder boards, and on the sleeves of dress uniforms.
Commissioned officer ranks
Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard are ...
*
United States Navy enlisted rates
In the United States Navy, a ''rate'' is the military rank of an enlisted sailor, indicating where the sailor stands within the chain of command, and also defining one's pay grade. However, in the U.S. Navy, only officers carry the term ''rank ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Military ranks of Canada
Military ranks of the United States Navy
Military ranks of the United States Coast Guard
United States military enlisted ranks
Military specialisms
Combat occupations
Water transport
Marine occupations