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 . They are referred to as " Master Chief " in most circumstances . They constitute the top 1 % of the enlisted force of 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 , selection by a board of Master Chiefs . Similarly , Senior Chief Petty Officers and Chief Petty Officers are chosen by selection boards . Petty Officers 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 is a combination of the two . Thus , a Master Chief Petty Officer , who has 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 , or STS for Sonar Technician Submarines . When combined with the rate abbreviation , 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 short hand 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 rates , where the rate istelf is split into two , or more designations , the third letter is often dropped when the rank of Master Chief is attained , such as STS ( Sonar Technican , Submarines ) , and STG ( Sonar Technician , Surface ) , upon reaching Master Chief , the final letter of the designation is dropped from the official abbreviation , and is shown as STCM , or Sonar Technician , Master Chief Petty Officer . 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 . 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 they receive additional leadership training and are assigned to commands 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 " . Fleet / 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 : e . g . , Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet . There are ten Force Master Chief positions in the Navy . Naval Education and Training , Bureau of Medicine , Naval Reserve Force , Naval Air Force Pacific , Naval Air Force Atlantic , Naval Surface Forces Pacific , Naval Surface Forces Atlantic , Naval Submarine Forces Pacific , Naval Submarine Forces Atlantic , and the Force Master Chief Petty Officer of the Seabees . 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 : e . g . , U . S . Pacific Fleet . There are Five Fleet Master Chief positions in the Navy . 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 December 2008 , Rick D . West assumed the role of MCPON , replacing Joe R . Campa . 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 .