Subscribe to our newsletter. This history of ratings and apprenticeships in the U.S. Navy has been compiled primarily for use by members of the Rating Review Board which has the responsibility for conducting a continuing study of the enlisted rating structure. It will also prove helpful in answering many questions that are received at frequent intervals concerning the past enlisted rating structure. While the ratings and historical notes referred to in this work are based on factual data extracted from official publications and other historical sources, it is recognized that there may be some discrepancies or omissions. The Navy's enlisted occupational system of today is a product of continuing evolution during the Navy's almost 200 years of existence.
Ratings come and go as new techniques and equipment are introduced.
Fulton could be said to be the father of our engineering ratings, and also responsible for the disestablishment of the Sailmaker rating, for when steam came, sails went, and the Sailmaker rating followed. As the Navy's rating structure has changed, so too, has the Navy. And so, after nearly 200 years of evolution, today's Navy enlisted rating structure still plays a key role in career development, serves as a basis for training programs, detailing, advancement, and simply keeping tabs on several hundred thousand Navymen. The best fares. The best prices.