Master chief petty officer Master Chief Petty Officer is the ninth , and highest , enlisted rate ( paygrade E - 9 ) in the U . S . Navy and U . S . Coast Guard , just above senior chief petty officer . Master chief petty officers are addressed as " Master Chief ( last name ) " . They constitute the top 1 . 25 % of the enlisted members of the maritime forces . Promotion . In the Navy , advancement to master chief petty officer is similar to that of chief petty officer and senior chief petty officer . It carries requirements of time in service , superior evaluation scores , and selection by a board of master chiefs . Similarly , senior chief petty officers and chief petty officers are chosen by selection boards . In the Coast Guard , advancement to master chief petty officer is similar to other advancements consisting of competition with other advancement - eligible senior chief petty officers . Advancement - eligible senior chief petty officers are prioritized based on written examination scores , evaluations , award points , time in service , and time in grade . Master chief petty officers are then selected monthly from this prioritization list as positions become available . Petty officer s of all grades possess both a rate ( the enlisted term for rank ) and rating ( job , similar to a military occupational specialty ( MOS ) in other branches ) . The full title ( rarely used ) is a combination of the two . Thus , a master chief petty officer with the rating of fire controlman would properly be called a master chief fire controlman . Each rating has an official abbreviation , such as FC for fire controlman , FT for fire control technician , and STS for sonar technician , submarines . When combined with the rate abbreviation ( CM for master chief ) , it produces the full rate designation , such as FCCM for master chief fire controlman . It is not uncommon practice to refer to the master chief by this shorthand in all but the most formal correspondence ( such as printing and inscription on awards ) . Mostly , though , they are simply called " Master Chief " , regardless of rating . In certain ratings , which are split into two or more designations , the third letter is often dropped when the rank of master chief ( or senior chief ) is attained , such as STS ( sonar technician , submarines ) , and STG ( sonar technician , surface ) . In this case , the official abbreviation becomes STCM , or master chief sonar technician . The rate insignia for a master chief is a white eagle with spread wings above three chevrons . The chevrons are topped by an arc that goes behind the eagle . Two inverted silver stars ( a reference to the stars used on the sleeves of line officers ) are placed above the eagle . Between the arc and the top chevron is the specialty mark of the enlisted rating . In the picture above , the two crossed anchors is the specialty mark of a boatswain ' s mate ( abbreviated as BM ) . This is used on the service dress blue , dinner dress blue jacket , and dinner dress white jacket uniforms . On other uniforms , the insignia used for shirt collars and caps is the one that has become universally accepted as the symbol of the chief petty officer . This is a gold foul anchor ( note : the proper term is " foul anchor " , not " fouled " ) superimposed with a silver " USN " ( Navy ) or a silver shield ( Coast Guard ) . As on the rating badge , this is capped by two five - pointed stars , showing one ray down . Command Master Chief Petty Officer . Master chief petty officers are generally considered to be the technical experts in their fields . They serve at sea and ashore in commands of all sizes . Many master chiefs choose to enter the command master chief petty officer program . If selected , a master chief receives additional leadership training and is assigned to a command as the command master chief ( CMC ) . The command master chief is the senior enlisted person at a command and as such works as a liaison between the commanding officer and the enlisted ranks , serving as the senior enlisted leader . In this capacity , the CMC assists the commanding officer in issues of quality of life , discipline , training , and morale . On submarines , the CMC is called the chief of the boat or " COB " . The CMC insignia has a silver star in lieu of the enlisted rating between the arc and the top chevron . Fleet and Force Master Chief Petty Officer . These two ranks are equivalent and their insignia is also the same — a master chief rating badge with two gold stars above the eagle and a gold star for the rating insignia . Force Master Chief Petty Officer . These are master chiefs who have virtually the same responsibility as command master Chiefs , but force master chief petty officers ( FORCM ) are responsible for larger force commands , such as Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet . There are 16 force master chief positions in the Navy : Bureau of Medicine and Surgery , Naval Air Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet , Naval Air Forces , Naval Education and Training Command , Naval Facilities Engineering Command , Naval Special Warfare , Naval Surface Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet , Naval Surface Forces , Navy Cyber , Navy Expeditionary Combat Command , Navy Installations Command , Navy Personnel Command , Navy Recruiting Command , Navy Reserve Forces , Submarine Force , U . S . Pacific Fleet , and Submarine Forces . Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer . These are master chiefs who have virtually the same responsibility as command master chiefs , but fleet master chief petty officers ( FLTCM ) are responsible for larger fleet commands , such as the U . S . Pacific Fleet . There are four fleet master chief positions in the Navy : United States Fleet Forces Command ; United States Pacific Fleet ; United States Naval Forces , Europe / Africa ; Navy Total Force / Manpower , Personnel , Training and Education . Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard . The master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard ( MCPOCG ) is the most senior enlisted member in the U . S . Coast Guard . The MCPOCG adds a third star above the rating insignia described earlier , and all three stars are gold ( silver on the gold foul anchor collar device ) . Likewise , the rating specialty mark is replaced by a gold shield . The current master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard is Michael P . Leavitt . Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy . There exists one post , master chief petty officer of the Navy ( MCPON , pronounced " mick - ponn " ) , which is unique . The holder of this post is the most senior enlisted member in the U . S . Navy . The MCPON adds a third star above the rating insignia described earlier , and all three stars are gold ( silver on the gold foul anchor collar device ) . Likewise , the rating specialty mark is replaced by a gold star . In September 2012 , Michael D . Stevens assumed the role of MCPON , replacing Rick D . West .