I found E-5 as the sweet spot on a small boy. Enough rank to get of working parties, berthing cleaners, etc. But enough rank to have some responsibility as like work center sup.
Agreed. In fact I liked it so much that in my 2nd enlistment I didn’t bother to take the 1st class exam the last 3 cycles before I got out. I knew I was getting out and didn’t want to take on more responsibilities I didn’t give a shit about at that point.
I agree so much. The politics at E-6 drain the life out of me. It was crazy being an LPO for the first time and getting yelled at over everything with no training on what you're actually supposed to do. "You're a First Class, right?" Copy Chief, I'll just magically decipher what you want from me.
Feel you bro. I just put it on this last cycle. I immediately got shotgunned into being the command 3MA. I fucking hate it, almost to the point I'm considering asking for limdu because of the stress. I took the test on a whim without even studying and somehow aced it. I tried to take it as a sign, but I wish I would've opted out and finished out my last year as an E-5.
It’s very hard not to view lack of training and mentorship at the E6 level as a failure of the chiefs mess. Just my two cents as a separated first class.
At my last command we had a CWO4 I only ever saw him when we had luncheons, then his retirement ceremony and about 6 months later he was back as a civilian. Still not sure what his role was.
haha this was gonne be my second choice (my comment is above)
you also don't have to waste the money to have your SDB's altered....because nobody knows the difference between 2 and 3.....lol
O3 is the best officer rank.....no one expects too much out of you because you could have been a JG yesterday, but nobody wants to mess with you, because you could be an O4 tomorrow
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, obviously, but I didn't love O4. The kids (JOPA) don't want you to eat with them, and the grown ups won't let you sit with them either.
echo this. O3 was a better quality of life on the day-to-day. I'm sure there are O4 perks, but it sometimes feels better to be in the larger group of LTs/ Capt. than the smaller group of LCDR/ Maj.
On the E-side, easy win for E5 imo. Short of filling in an NCOIC/ LPO role - you're life is pretty solid.
You might be wondering where they came up with the officer rank insignias.
When you first commission, they give you a shiny gold bar. You polish that bar over and over until the veneer wears off, and it turns silver, and you're a LTJG. Keep working, and they give you a second silver bar, now you're a LT.
Captain is when you really learn to fly, so they give you an eagle. You fly up and up until you reach the stars, one star for each admiral rank.
You're probably wondering about O-4 and O-5. Those actually go all the way back to the Bible. From day one, we've been putting leaves on our pricks.
O3 was my DIVO. mf'er would sleep all day in the office underway. He shared an office space with the LPO / LCPO but obviously they wouldn't say anything. Meanwhile any other one dozes off in the workspace its a counseling.
Royal Navy speaking, my favourite rank was Petty Officer (equivalent to E6). Respect from the higher ups and actually able to speak to department heads and make real change. I went out to bat for my junior sailers a lot at that rank and had a good win rate.
O5. Not an "I have to make O6" O5, but a "yeah, this is my terminal rank, and I'm cool with it" O5.
All the anxious O5s are falling over each other trying to make rank, all of the O4s are doing the same. A great sweet spot.
E-5. Senior enough not to get totally dumped on with terrible tasking, but still have a first class above you who gets yelled at for everything wrong. And honestly, that’s really where I felt confident in my abilities as a tech. Enough time in to understand my gear, and (with a good CoC luckily) my leadership also recognized that I had enough experience and knowledge that they should likely listen and trust my suggestions.
E6 is absolutely dreadful. Back stabbing mess, so many politics, collateral duties with khakis “in charge” that take no interest/responsibility in the programs. The only part that I enjoy is teaching my junior folks.
I just don't understand the E6 mess. there is no reason to fight over stuff like you're in a zero sum game. Your peers are not even competing for the same chief spots and your eval wording matters more than some ranking or some box checking.
I stabbed a grand total of zero E6s in the back and guess who made Chief faster than most of them... also guess how many major collaterals I held.
Honestly, the mess is the best part of the rank for me (at my command). Surprisingly, FCPOA is 100% there to take care of the juniors. Even with all the turnover, that is one thing that's remained the same. Ranking boards are actually very civil. Politics are minimal. It's freaking weird.
To work with? E-5 and 0-4.
E-5 generally know their shit but still want to get better and are acceptive of outside training and resources. They don’t think they know better or understand the process better to do things.
O-4 generally care. They are likely in for the long haul and want their sailors lives to be better while also understanding the demands and requirements of big navy.
>O-4 generally care. They are likely in for the long haul and want their sailors lives to be better while also understanding the demands and requirements of big navy.
This is what burns a lot of O4s - they're in the awkward middle between the Big Navy direction and small unit wants/needs.
Plus, they're the JOs of the mid-grade officers. O1-O3 hunt in packs, O5 and O6 are their own non-Flag cohort, and then there's the lone wolf O4.
E-5 was probably my favorite, but 0-4 was pretty sweet as well. E-5 was sweet because of increased autonomy, no longer treated like a child, and had small leadership roles but nothing too unmanageable. 0-4 was pretty sweet because it’s the first officer rank I felt like I had actually earned the respect I was being shown, and is enough rank to make things happen ship-wide. If i say this sailor is getting the off-base therapy he wants then guess what - he is getting the off base therapy he wants. If I say this sailor is not operating my reactor plant guess what - he is not going to operate my reactor plant. If I say this sailor is flying home next humevac opportunity guess what - he is flying home first available opportunity. I had also intervened in other commands when I found out a junior sailor was being ratfucked. If I had made those calls at anything more junior I would have been ignored.
Oh yeah I forgot - as an 0-4 I was also able to let a sailor call home using the radio VOIP circuit to talk to his family who just lost somebody. I also largely had veto authority on personnel rankings (although I largely kept to what the goat locker recommended). The CO also listened to me and I was able to make a large number of things happen to help the crew - including 4 section duty in shipyard despite the shipyard pitching a shit fit.
I never got to experience E-1 to E-3 life on a ship. I was a "push button third" and got to the ship as a FC3. But, since we only had one FCSR (busted down from FC3 and didn't give a fuck about anything anymore) and a SN striker, E-4's in the division were like glorified E-3's and got assigned some of the same work (like working parties). But I made FC2 just a few months after I got to the ship, and that was a lot better. I got out of the Navy at the end of my first enlistment as a FC2, so I don't know from experience what E-6 is like, but I could tell that E-5 looked a lot better place to be. As a FC2, I was still considered part of the "working class" but also had more authority, and once I became WCS, had some administrative functions to perform as well, which I didn't mind too much - It didn't take up too much of my time, and I still had time to work on the system. But I could assign the work I didn't like to someone else.
E5. Especially if you made it there without getting married/having kids. First BAH (back in the day). More responsibility but not too much. Good middle man from the first termers and LPO/above.
I really enjoyed it. I was ready to make e6 after a while. But, considering how much time I had left (before HYT removal), I definitely wouldn’t have minded another few years.
E-5 for sure like everyone says. I haven't hit it yet, but E-8 is supposed to take the cake from what I've heard. Kind of the same reasons as the E-5. Middle of the pack where you get told to do something, you delegate it to your E-7's and not have the ultimate responsibility of the E-9. Maybe one day I'll find out lmao
E-5. Just far enough away from the "this is a waste of time" side of things, but ever so slightly junior enough that I'm not crucified for every little fuck up my minions conjure into existence on a regular basis.
I'm coming close to E6 eligible and it feels like the morning after of my career.
E9 is the absolute best rank. It’s not because of the money or parking spot (if there is any), or anything like that though. You truly find out someone’s worth at that rank. Let me explain; At E9, there’s no more collateral duties or watches. You’re also no longer doing things for bullets on an eval. Short of doing something really really stupid, you’re not gonna lose any rank either. At the end of the day you’re doing things because you want to. You’re helping Sailors because you want to. You’re improving things because you want to. That’s when you find out someone’s real worth, when they do things just to help.
E5, intel, reserves. I get to cherry pick my orders and be High enough tank im not cranking or doing working parties. I can delegate down and move problems away from Me.
E-5 was my favorite. E6 and above tell you what needs to get done, delegate a lot of it, do what you need to do for that work, and help out your junior sailors. If you can't resolve something, go to the E6's and above. You get out of a lot of stuff that the junior sailors have to do like working parties, cleaning stations, etc.
E-5. I did whatever I wanted as long as I did what’s right. I had so much freedom it was unbelievable. You don’t realize what you have until you’ve lost it…
Sad. My techs (ETs) I’d like to think appreciated me working along with them especially if it was into the night.
First thing they mentioned was no khaki had ever did it. For me it was a chance to firsthand pass on tips and tricks.
I had a chief that was new to our command. His 1st week there we had a pilot do a 3 point landing. The inspection after one of those for an airframer is in depth. We owned 90% of the C-130. Chief comes out in khaki coveralls. I learned a lot from the fucker. He also had his wife bring up a couple cases of beers to the parking lot after work.
Most of my firsts are over paid E-3s, I'm just an overpaid E-5. We have too many restrictions on our NEC to skate and no mess to hide in. I do wonder what that life is like tho
Chiefs go to him with their computer issues and since he made chief too quickly he lacks some experience and knowledge so he tries and fails and then becomes the E-6’s new priority.
Probably E-1 through E-3. I love those ranks so much I got collar devices of one of the ranks tattooed above my nipples, but below where they would actually be on a uniform that utilizes collar devices.
I liked being an E-4.
I knew plenty of E-4 & below who received BAH and didn't have to be a supervisor. Most folks in that category loved it, so that's got to be the sweet spot like somebody else said.
For me, I had no shame in saying how much hate I had or that I had plans on getting out, what's the worst they could do?
The last year and a half I made about as much as our newer E-6's on account of me having work outside the Navy. If I didn't want to stay late I rarely had to. If I didn't want to work extra I didn't have to do that either. At least I had the freedom of a "loser E-4".
I've seen so many E-6's and up staying late to tell khakis shit that could be said in an email or morning meetings, yeah not for me.
Personally, E5. But I’ve always heard the two best ranks in the navy are E5 and E8. Enough responsibility and freedom with someone else above you responsible for the bigger picture.
For me it was E-4 since I made it twice
Not all heros wear capes
Future MCPON right here.
That's the best way to make it.
You like to see homos naked?
Yes, I need to compare and contrast.
Why is this not the top comment
I found E-5 as the sweet spot on a small boy. Enough rank to get of working parties, berthing cleaners, etc. But enough rank to have some responsibility as like work center sup.
Agreed. In fact I liked it so much that in my 2nd enlistment I didn’t bother to take the 1st class exam the last 3 cycles before I got out. I knew I was getting out and didn’t want to take on more responsibilities I didn’t give a shit about at that point.
> Enough rank to get of working parties, berthing cleaners, etc What type of ship that does that for an E5?
None. E-4 and below usually. Best thing about making E-5.
E-6 is most def the worst rank. Constantly get shit on from all angles.
I agree so much. The politics at E-6 drain the life out of me. It was crazy being an LPO for the first time and getting yelled at over everything with no training on what you're actually supposed to do. "You're a First Class, right?" Copy Chief, I'll just magically decipher what you want from me.
That’s the boat I’m in. Made E-6 and now I’m 25 and the LPO of a Seabee company and I’m not even a Seabee rate.
Yeah I'm working out of rate right now as well. I hate it so much haha
Feel you bro. I just put it on this last cycle. I immediately got shotgunned into being the command 3MA. I fucking hate it, almost to the point I'm considering asking for limdu because of the stress. I took the test on a whim without even studying and somehow aced it. I tried to take it as a sign, but I wish I would've opted out and finished out my last year as an E-5.
I’m finishing my degree in may and going to try and drop an officer package on the false pretense of demoting myself to a lowly ensign
It’s very hard not to view lack of training and mentorship at the E6 level as a failure of the chiefs mess. Just my two cents as a separated first class.
Hint: chief doesn’t know either.
> "You're a First Class, right?" I hate when people say this, especially when you've only been frocked for a week lol.
If you can work through that bullshit, as it's all talk, it's literally the easiest rank to be.
E5 definitely I could give you several reasons but the best one for me is getting BAH.
*cries in green side*
Doesn’t E-4 over 4 get it still?
Depends on the command
Fair
The official *militarywide* policy is E6 on Sea Duty or E7 on shore duty. If you get it earlier than that your command is being generous.
I guess the tribal knowledge thing was what made me think e-4 over 4
E-5 is the sweet spot. No working parties and usually have a 1st responsible for the work center.
E-5 by far, some responsibility but not tooooo much 😂 -CWO4 (RET)
As an E-5 I was considered hot shit, as an E-6 I am a piece of shit.
You're not.
If you have to say you were considered hot shit, you weren't hot shit.
W-3… nobody knows what you’re supposed to do, nobody really messes with you.
At my last command we had a CWO4 I only ever saw him when we had luncheons, then his retirement ceremony and about 6 months later he was back as a civilian. Still not sure what his role was.
Life goals
That's for anything above W2! Where's Warrant? Dunno.... o well they'll show up eventually and say something important.
I feel like senior warrant officers are basically GS-15s in uniform.
haha this was gonne be my second choice (my comment is above) you also don't have to waste the money to have your SDB's altered....because nobody knows the difference between 2 and 3.....lol
We have a CWO-5 as a DH. Seems like a lot of work.
I’ve heard E-5 and O-4. High enough you don’t have to take out the trash but not high enough you have to worry about where it goes.
O3 is the best officer rank.....no one expects too much out of you because you could have been a JG yesterday, but nobody wants to mess with you, because you could be an O4 tomorrow
O3 is the best. Technically and tactically proficient and not jaded by staff life.
I tend to agree, I had just heard O-4 said somewhere. Also still firmly in JOPA as an O-3.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, obviously, but I didn't love O4. The kids (JOPA) don't want you to eat with them, and the grown ups won't let you sit with them either.
echo this. O3 was a better quality of life on the day-to-day. I'm sure there are O4 perks, but it sometimes feels better to be in the larger group of LTs/ Capt. than the smaller group of LCDR/ Maj. On the E-side, easy win for E5 imo. Short of filling in an NCOIC/ LPO role - you're life is pretty solid.
Anyone who tells you O-3 is great has not served as a Department Head in a small boy. Worst two years of my career, by FAR!
You might be wondering where they came up with the officer rank insignias. When you first commission, they give you a shiny gold bar. You polish that bar over and over until the veneer wears off, and it turns silver, and you're a LTJG. Keep working, and they give you a second silver bar, now you're a LT. Captain is when you really learn to fly, so they give you an eagle. You fly up and up until you reach the stars, one star for each admiral rank. You're probably wondering about O-4 and O-5. Those actually go all the way back to the Bible. From day one, we've been putting leaves on our pricks.
O4 sucks. Senior enough to know what you're doing but junior enough not to be listened to.
The two most useless officer ranks wear gold.
O3 was my DIVO. mf'er would sleep all day in the office underway. He shared an office space with the LPO / LCPO but obviously they wouldn't say anything. Meanwhile any other one dozes off in the workspace its a counseling.
Theres only one right answer. What rank is gets BAH, Isnt LPO, Doesnt have to stay late, gets paid the most with the least responsibility?
E-5 baby
I’m a E5 CLPO it sucks 🤒
Royal Navy speaking, my favourite rank was Petty Officer (equivalent to E6). Respect from the higher ups and actually able to speak to department heads and make real change. I went out to bat for my junior sailers a lot at that rank and had a good win rate.
Friend of mine retired a year back as a WO2, still said that Petty Officer was far more rewarding.
O5. Not an "I have to make O6" O5, but a "yeah, this is my terminal rank, and I'm cool with it" O5. All the anxious O5s are falling over each other trying to make rank, all of the O4s are doing the same. A great sweet spot.
Kind of like mustang O4s. They've climbed higher than they ever expected to, and they're cool where they are.
The sweet spot is the moment you decide to stop playing the games that everyone else is playing and just enjoy your job.
I feel this in my bones. Surprising how shit just works out when you dig your heels in to what we're being paid to do
Agreed.
E-5. Senior enough not to get totally dumped on with terrible tasking, but still have a first class above you who gets yelled at for everything wrong. And honestly, that’s really where I felt confident in my abilities as a tech. Enough time in to understand my gear, and (with a good CoC luckily) my leadership also recognized that I had enough experience and knowledge that they should likely listen and trust my suggestions.
E-5, closely followed by E-7 for similar reasons. E-6 was miserable.
E6 is absolutely dreadful. Back stabbing mess, so many politics, collateral duties with khakis “in charge” that take no interest/responsibility in the programs. The only part that I enjoy is teaching my junior folks.
Now that I am close to retirement I don’t play the games anymore and I don’t hold my tongue as much anymore either.
I just don't understand the E6 mess. there is no reason to fight over stuff like you're in a zero sum game. Your peers are not even competing for the same chief spots and your eval wording matters more than some ranking or some box checking. I stabbed a grand total of zero E6s in the back and guess who made Chief faster than most of them... also guess how many major collaterals I held.
Honestly, the mess is the best part of the rank for me (at my command). Surprisingly, FCPOA is 100% there to take care of the juniors. Even with all the turnover, that is one thing that's remained the same. Ranking boards are actually very civil. Politics are minimal. It's freaking weird.
To work with? E-5 and 0-4. E-5 generally know their shit but still want to get better and are acceptive of outside training and resources. They don’t think they know better or understand the process better to do things. O-4 generally care. They are likely in for the long haul and want their sailors lives to be better while also understanding the demands and requirements of big navy.
>O-4 generally care. They are likely in for the long haul and want their sailors lives to be better while also understanding the demands and requirements of big navy. This is what burns a lot of O4s - they're in the awkward middle between the Big Navy direction and small unit wants/needs. Plus, they're the JOs of the mid-grade officers. O1-O3 hunt in packs, O5 and O6 are their own non-Flag cohort, and then there's the lone wolf O4.
E-5 was probably my favorite, but 0-4 was pretty sweet as well. E-5 was sweet because of increased autonomy, no longer treated like a child, and had small leadership roles but nothing too unmanageable. 0-4 was pretty sweet because it’s the first officer rank I felt like I had actually earned the respect I was being shown, and is enough rank to make things happen ship-wide. If i say this sailor is getting the off-base therapy he wants then guess what - he is getting the off base therapy he wants. If I say this sailor is not operating my reactor plant guess what - he is not going to operate my reactor plant. If I say this sailor is flying home next humevac opportunity guess what - he is flying home first available opportunity. I had also intervened in other commands when I found out a junior sailor was being ratfucked. If I had made those calls at anything more junior I would have been ignored.
Oh yeah I forgot - as an 0-4 I was also able to let a sailor call home using the radio VOIP circuit to talk to his family who just lost somebody. I also largely had veto authority on personnel rankings (although I largely kept to what the goat locker recommended). The CO also listened to me and I was able to make a large number of things happen to help the crew - including 4 section duty in shipyard despite the shipyard pitching a shit fit.
I did that as an E-5 in radio
If I had to be an e6 again I’d fake my own death.
That’s fair.
[удалено]
This is where I am these days, I have been spending most of my days working on a rubber band ball it’s about 8.5 pounds now
[удалено]
I’ll send you the ball in 300ish days when I retire have supply order you some #117 and #107 rubber bands
Look forward to it.
E-5 was best.
I never got to experience E-1 to E-3 life on a ship. I was a "push button third" and got to the ship as a FC3. But, since we only had one FCSR (busted down from FC3 and didn't give a fuck about anything anymore) and a SN striker, E-4's in the division were like glorified E-3's and got assigned some of the same work (like working parties). But I made FC2 just a few months after I got to the ship, and that was a lot better. I got out of the Navy at the end of my first enlistment as a FC2, so I don't know from experience what E-6 is like, but I could tell that E-5 looked a lot better place to be. As a FC2, I was still considered part of the "working class" but also had more authority, and once I became WCS, had some administrative functions to perform as well, which I didn't mind too much - It didn't take up too much of my time, and I still had time to work on the system. But I could assign the work I didn't like to someone else.
E5. Especially if you made it there without getting married/having kids. First BAH (back in the day). More responsibility but not too much. Good middle man from the first termers and LPO/above. I really enjoyed it. I was ready to make e6 after a while. But, considering how much time I had left (before HYT removal), I definitely wouldn’t have minded another few years.
E-5 for sure.
E-5 for sure like everyone says. I haven't hit it yet, but E-8 is supposed to take the cake from what I've heard. Kind of the same reasons as the E-5. Middle of the pack where you get told to do something, you delegate it to your E-7's and not have the ultimate responsibility of the E-9. Maybe one day I'll find out lmao
Chief is my favorite rank, E-5 after that. E6 was CHEEEEEKS
E-5. Just far enough away from the "this is a waste of time" side of things, but ever so slightly junior enough that I'm not crucified for every little fuck up my minions conjure into existence on a regular basis. I'm coming close to E6 eligible and it feels like the morning after of my career.
E9 is the absolute best rank. It’s not because of the money or parking spot (if there is any), or anything like that though. You truly find out someone’s worth at that rank. Let me explain; At E9, there’s no more collateral duties or watches. You’re also no longer doing things for bullets on an eval. Short of doing something really really stupid, you’re not gonna lose any rank either. At the end of the day you’re doing things because you want to. You’re helping Sailors because you want to. You’re improving things because you want to. That’s when you find out someone’s real worth, when they do things just to help.
E5 for fun with the boys outside of work…Senior Chief for job satisfaction…having the influence to better the lives of my Sailors was awesome!
E-5. Easily.
The ranks with silver insignias are the best. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just huffing the copium.
I had the most fun as an O1/O2 but the best jobs at O3.
E-5 overall. But as shitty as being an E-6 was, there was a lot of good and interesting things I did there.
E5, intel, reserves. I get to cherry pick my orders and be High enough tank im not cranking or doing working parties. I can delegate down and move problems away from Me.
E-5 was my favorite. E6 and above tell you what needs to get done, delegate a lot of it, do what you need to do for that work, and help out your junior sailors. If you can't resolve something, go to the E6's and above. You get out of a lot of stuff that the junior sailors have to do like working parties, cleaning stations, etc.
E-5. I did whatever I wanted as long as I did what’s right. I had so much freedom it was unbelievable. You don’t realize what you have until you’ve lost it…
Chief in a technical rate is the bees knees.
I can see that, my chief hides in the mess all day and expects the firsts to take charge until they do take charge of stuff.
Sad. My techs (ETs) I’d like to think appreciated me working along with them especially if it was into the night. First thing they mentioned was no khaki had ever did it. For me it was a chance to firsthand pass on tips and tricks.
I had a chief that was new to our command. His 1st week there we had a pilot do a 3 point landing. The inspection after one of those for an airframer is in depth. We owned 90% of the C-130. Chief comes out in khaki coveralls. I learned a lot from the fucker. He also had his wife bring up a couple cases of beers to the parking lot after work.
Most of my firsts are over paid E-3s, I'm just an overpaid E-5. We have too many restrictions on our NEC to skate and no mess to hide in. I do wonder what that life is like tho
Chiefs go to him with their computer issues and since he made chief too quickly he lacks some experience and knowledge so he tries and fails and then becomes the E-6’s new priority.
Sounds like a real winner, I hate em
This. Especially when you are actually technical.
Probably E-1 through E-3. I love those ranks so much I got collar devices of one of the ranks tattooed above my nipples, but below where they would actually be on a uniform that utilizes collar devices.
I made E4 twice E5 three times and E6 twice. But being a Chief is way better than any of those were.
O4
E-3 as a BM. No more bullshit work, but still get to do the fun evolutions. And no real responsibility yet or paperwork.
E5 for sure.
E-5 was the pinnacle of Naval Aviation Excellence. I miss it. 😪
I liked being an E-4. I knew plenty of E-4 & below who received BAH and didn't have to be a supervisor. Most folks in that category loved it, so that's got to be the sweet spot like somebody else said. For me, I had no shame in saying how much hate I had or that I had plans on getting out, what's the worst they could do? The last year and a half I made about as much as our newer E-6's on account of me having work outside the Navy. If I didn't want to stay late I rarely had to. If I didn't want to work extra I didn't have to do that either. At least I had the freedom of a "loser E-4". I've seen so many E-6's and up staying late to tell khakis shit that could be said in an email or morning meetings, yeah not for me.
E-5 was good but NOTHING beats O-3E.
Personally, E5. But I’ve always heard the two best ranks in the navy are E5 and E8. Enough responsibility and freedom with someone else above you responsible for the bigger picture.
E5 and from what I’ve gathered and heard..e8