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Signalman was a U.S. Navy
Signalmen Shine a Fading Light
Story Number: NNS031114-17, Journalist Seaman Mark A. Catalano, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs, 2003-11-14 Many chose the Master-at-Arms rating, which expanded dramatically to meet the needs of the Navy in the War on Terror.
Signalman was a U.S. Navy rating
A rating is an evaluation or assessment of something, in terms of a metric (e.g. quality, quantity, a combination of both,...).
Rating or rating system may also refer to:
Business and economics
* Credit rating, estimating the credit worthiness ...
for sailors that specialized in visual communication. See Signaller
A signaller, signalman, colloquially referred to as a radioman or signaleer in the armed forces is a specialist soldier, sailor or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, a.k.a. Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are ...
for more about the roles of Signalmen.
United States usage
U.S. Navy
A signal lamp (also called an Signal Searchlight) is a visual signaling device foroptical communication
Optical communication, also known as optical telecommunication, is communication at a distance using light to carry information. It can be performed visually or by using electronic devices. The earliest basic forms of optical communication date ...
In the U.S. Navy, "signalman" (nicknamed "Sigs", "Flags", or "Skivvy Waver") was a job field combining both visual communications, and advanced lookout skills. While there was certainly a Signalman rating
A rating is an evaluation or assessment of something, in terms of a metric (e.g. quality, quantity, a combination of both,...).
Rating or rating system may also refer to:
Business and economics
* Credit rating, estimating the credit worthiness ...
before World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
(the Signalman rating is one of the oldest in the Navy), a specialized Signalman rating was established shortly after the war. Then, Signalmen were identified by the symbol of two crossed semaphore flags on the left sleeve of the uniform, integrated with their rank insignia. Signalmen were responsible for transmitting, receiving, encoding, decoding, and distributing messages obtained via the visual transmission systems of flag semaphore
Flag semaphore (from the Ancient Greek () 'sign' and - (-) '-bearer') is a semaphore system conveying information at a distance by means of visual signals with hand-held flags, rods, disks, paddles, or occasionally bare or gloved hands. Informa ...
, visual Morse code
Morse code is a telecommunications method which Character encoding, encodes Written language, text characters as standardized sequences of two different signal durations, called ''dots'' and ''dashes'', or ''dits'' and ''dahs''. Morse code i ...
, and flaghoist signalling.
The U.S. Navy disestablished the rating of Signalman in late 2003, reassigning visual communications duties to the Quartermaster rating. Signalmen were either absorbed into the Quartermaster
Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land army, armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises military logistics, logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distri ...
rating, or allowed to switch to other job fields in the Navy.Story Number: NNS031114-17, Journalist Seaman Mark A. Catalano, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs, 2003-11-14 Many chose the Master-at-Arms rating, which expanded dramatically to meet the needs of the Navy in the War on Terror.
Australian usage
Royal Australian Navy
Signalman was a trade category in use by theRoyal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...
until its amalgamation with the Radio Operator category in 1999. This new category, known as Communications and Information Systems, has retained traditional means of transmitting and receiving messages, such as flashing light and flags.
British usage
British Army
In the British Army'sRoyal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...
, a private soldier's rank is a ''Signalman''. Non-Royal Signals operators are referred to as Signaller
A signaller, signalman, colloquially referred to as a radioman or signaleer in the armed forces is a specialist soldier, sailor or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, a.k.a. Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are ...
s; this is a qualification and not a rank.
See also
*Signal corps
A signal corps is a military branch, responsible for military communications (''signals''). Many countries maintain a signal corps, which is typically subordinate to a country's army.
Military communication usually consists of radio, telephone, ...
References
Military ranks Military ranks of Ireland {{mil-rank-stub