Petty officer second class (E-5)
Petty officer second class is the fifth enlisted rank in the US Navy, pay grade E-5. Its badge is an eagle above two chevrons.
How to read it
The rating badge is an eagle over two chevrons pointing down, with the sailor’s specialty mark between them; on khaki shirts it is a small metal eagle and two chevrons on each collar point. A Petty officer third class (E-4) has one chevron and a Petty officer first class (E-6) three. Navy.com says a petty officer second class oversees work centers, mentors junior sailors and is a trusted technical expert.
Also searched as: E-5 navy, PO2.
Ranks and insignia as the US Navy’s own uniform regulations and pages set them out. Pay grades are the Department of Defense’s.
Red or gold chevrons
The Navy’s uniform regulations let enlisted sailors with 12 cumulative years of active or active reserve service wear gold rating badges and gold service stripes in place of red ones, and gold chevrons on the cap device. The Department of Defense’s insignia chart gives a different test, saying gold stripes indicate 12 or more years of good conduct.
The diagonal stripes on the lower sleeve
Diagonal stripes near the cuff are service stripes, and they don’t show rank: the regulations give one stripe for each four years of service.
Read next
- Next in Navy ranksPetty officer first class (E-6)Petty officer first class is the sixth enlisted rank in the US Navy, pay grade E-6, and the highest petty officer rank below chief. Its badge is an eagle above three chevrons.
- The same shape in Smoke and CO alarm soundsFour beeps and a pause (carbon monoxide alarm)A carbon monoxide alarm sounding for carbon monoxide. Four short beeps and a pause of about 5 seconds, repeating, is the temporal-4 pattern, the standard signal for carbon monoxide.
More navy ranks
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with lines.
Sources
- U.S. Military Rank Insignia, Resources: U.S. Military Rank Insignia (enlisted and officer insignia by paygrade), U.S. Department of Defense (defense.gov), Enlisted insignia, E-5; Navy notes
- U.S. Navy Ranks & Insignia, U.S. Navy Ranks & Insignia (navy.com), U.S. Navy Recruiting Command (navy.com), Petty Officers: E-4 to E-6
- Navy Uniform Regulations, articles 4231–4235: Service stripes, United States Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 15665J), arts. 4231–4235, Navy Personnel Command (MyNavy HR), art. 4231.4; art. 4232; art. 4231.2
- Navy Uniform Regulations, articles 4221–4227: E-1 to E-6 rate insignia, United States Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 15665J), arts. 4221–4227, Navy Personnel Command (MyNavy HR), art. 4226; art. 4227.2b
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 30, 2026. How we research
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