What is Rate?
Navy/Coast Guard enlisted job designator and pay grade combined.
Definition
In the Navy and Coast Guard, a 'rate' is the combination of an enlisted service member's rating (occupational specialty) and their pay grade. A BM2 is a Boatswain's Mate (rating) at pay grade E-5 (rate). Sailors are identified by their rate in a way that Army soldiers identify with their MOS, but the Navy's rate system is more integrated into everyday naval identity and culture. Making rate — i.e., getting promoted — is a significant milestone in a Navy career.
In Dating & Relationships
A sailor's rate shapes their deployment schedule, their assignment options, and the communities they serve within — all relevant context for anyone building a relationship with a sailor.
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