#                                                                         Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                                                    

##### by MC1(SW/AW) Jeanette M. Mullinax, Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

27 February 2024
ARLINGTON, Va. - The Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, and the Navy's Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13) Director, Rear Adm. Jim Waters, pinned Master Chief Christopher Rambert as the Navy's first Robotics Warfare Specialist during an office call at Naval Support Facility Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 27, 2024.The rating insignia reveal followed the U.S. Navy’s announcement in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing the branch’s enlisted career field for operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems.

            The Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, right, and the Navy’s Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13) Director, Rear Adm. Jim Waters, present the new Robotics Warfare Specialist (RW) rating insignia, worn by Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambert, at Naval Support Facility Arlington, Feb. 27, 2024.                             Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            1 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambertfrom Naperville, Ill., wears the new rating’s uniform insignia during an office call at the Chief of Naval Personnel headquarters in Arlington, Va., Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to wear the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                                        Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            2 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - The Navy’s Fleet Master Chief of Personnel, Manpower, and Training, Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell, congratulates Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambert on being the Navy's first Robotics Warfare Specialist, Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to don the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                                ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - The Navy’s Fleet Master Chief of Personnel, Manpower, and Training, Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell, congratulates Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambert on being the Navy's first Robotics Warfare Specialist, Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to don the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                            Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            1 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambertfrom Naperville, Ill., wears the new rating’s uniform insignia during an office call at the Chief of Naval Personnel headquarters in Arlington, Va., Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to wear the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                                        Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            2 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - The Navy’s Fleet Master Chief of Personnel, Manpower, and Training, Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell, congratulates Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambert on being the Navy's first Robotics Warfare Specialist, Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to don the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                                ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambertfrom Naperville, Ill., wears the new rating’s uniform insignia during an office call at the Chief of Naval Personnel headquarters in Arlington, Va., Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to wear the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                            Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            1 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambertfrom Naperville, Ill., wears the new rating’s uniform insignia during an office call at the Chief of Naval Personnel headquarters in Arlington, Va., Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to wear the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                                        Navy Pins First Robotics Warfare Specialist                                            2 of 2                                        ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 27, 2024) - The Navy’s Fleet Master Chief of Personnel, Manpower, and Training, Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell, congratulates Master Chief Robotics Warfare Specialist Christopher Rambert on being the Navy's first Robotics Warfare Specialist, Feb. 27, 2024. Rambert, the Navy’s Robotics Enlisted Community Manager, is the first Sailor to don the RW uniform rating badge. The RW rating was announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing an enlisted career field for the Navy’s operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax)                                        Download Image                                            Image Details                    

The establishment of the RW rating underpins the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s plans for building and developing “a team who has the reps and sets in sensors, platform autonomy, and mission autonomy programs, and can provide input in machine-learning feedback processes,” a priority she discussed in her keynote address at the WEST 2024 naval conference.

Although Rambert is the first Sailor to don the new RW uniform rating badge, the development of the Navy robotics warfare community represents years of effort.

“It's a proud moment to see all the hard work that's gone into developing this badge, and just seeing it finally get codified and brought to life – to me, it signifies the hard work of the people around me,” Rambert said.

From research and analysis to organizing working groups and designating individual subject matter experts, Sailors and Navy civilian employees have been working behind the scenes on creating the Robotics Warfare Specialist career field for more than three years.

Its founding has distinguished the Navy as the first Department of Defense branch to establish a dedicated enlisted workforce specialized in unmanned and autonomous technology.

“The RW rating is a major milestone in our Navy’s relentless march to achieve a truly hybrid Fleet,” Cheeseman penned in NAVADMIN 036/24.

According to Rambert, the DoD’s hybrid force framework is a force multiplier, allowing Sailors to develop seasoned experience across the rating’s multiple domains – subsurface, surface, air, and ground platforms.

With a background as an aviation electrician’s mate, Rambert spoke to the tactical advantages that will come with the new rating’s initial cadre – and the growing opportunity for future RW Sailors.

“You get the opportunity to go to so many different places,” Rambert said. “If you look across the spectrum of the entire Navy, you’ve got Sailors that have the potential to really touch every single domain out there and that's very rare.”

Rambert has served as the Navy’s sole Robotics Enlisted Community Manager at the Bureau of Naval Personnel since October 2023.

“It's really an awesome feeling to be the first one to represent the rating,” Rambert said. “And to see this rating finally come to fruition, you can see the level of excitement, and passion from the other Sailors that are out there.”

**Eligibility and Application**

The initial selection of Sailors for RW conversions will consist primarily of active-duty Sailors currently holding robotics-related Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) codes. Sailors currently or previously assigned to billets in unmanned vehicle divisions are primed for selection.

Active-duty E-4 to E-9 Sailors who meet the above criteria can apply by submitting a NAVPERS 1306/7 Electronic Personnel Action Request (EPAR) form to BUPERS-328 or BUPERS-352 (SELRES).

The Navy’s Fact Sheet focused on RW Conversion Opportunity provides further details on the specific NECs, ASVAB scores, and background requirements for applicants.

Rambert described the sought-after characteristics of RW candidates as being driven, adaptable, and motivated to become masters of the craft.

“They have to have [the] drive to want to be a part of something that might not be entirely defined by policy,” Rambert said. “They need to be passionate about what they do because what they're learning now and the lessons learned that we take to the table later can have huge effects on the success of the rating as we progress into the future.”

**Rating Symbol Design**

                The rating symbol for the newly established Navy Robotics Warfare Specialist (RW) rating, announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, comprises an airplane propeller and lightning bolt crossed over a treaded wheel, all layered over a single wave.                             Robotics Warfare Specialist (RW) Rating Symbol                            The rating symbol for the newly established Navy Robotics Warfare Specialist (RW) rating, announced in NAVADMIN 036/24, comprises an airplane propeller and lightning bolt crossed over a treaded wheel, all layered over a single wave.             SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: MCC Zachary AndersonVIRIN: 240222-N-MH210-1060

Originally designed by Chief Aviation Electrician’s Mate McLean Monaghan, the RW rating symbol comprises an airplane propeller and lightning bolt crossed over a treaded wheel, all layered over a single wave. Each element represents a domain that U.S. Navy Robotics Warfare Specialists are expected to operate in to support the mission of the DoD:

· Airplane Propeller - Aerial Systems

· Lightning Bolt - The Electromagnetic Spectrum

· Treaded Wheel - Ground Systems

· Wave - Surface and Subsurface Systems

For information regarding the application process, visit the RW enlisted community management page on the MyNavy HR website at: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Community-Management/Enlisted/Robotics-Warfare/

For more news from the Chief of Naval Personnel, follow MyNavy HR on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube, or visit https://www.navy.mil/cnp

Tags:
**robotics**RobotX**Robotics Systems**CNP**RW**RX**RWCM

Terms:
**CNP**CNP**NSW