# US Navy Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-question/300935>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 25, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-question/300935 "2005-04-25T00:58:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Argo84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Argo84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argo84)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-question/300935/1 "2005-04-25T00:58:23Z")

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I just watched a show about US nuclear submarines on tv. I noticed that some of the petty officers’ chevrons were red and some were gold. What’s the difference?

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-question/300935/2 "2005-04-25T01:09:38Z")

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E-1 through E-3 are color-coded by [specialty.](http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ranks/rates/rates2.html)

Higher enlisted ratings are colored due to [good service.](http://www.answers.com/topic/u-s-navy-enlisted-rate-insignia)