JAG and Petty Officers

Jack- In watching JAG over the last few years, these lawyer types address
Petty
Officers as Petty Officer "So and So". I had a "Crow" on my sleeve for 2
years and was never addressed as Petty Officer, nor did I ever hear anyone
else called a Petty Officer. BRBR

Yep, it was 'Petty Officer Smith', not Smith...the new PC Navy. I neevr thought
I was being sligjhted when somebody called me "Mister' instead of 'Lieutenant'
or 'LIeutenant Commander'..

When I was in my first squadron(VF-33-1975), troops(E-1 thru 6) went by their
last name...not so in my last squadron(VF-126 1990-2).
P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye Phlyer

When I was in, '68-72, being called Petty Officer along your last name
was the same as your parents calling you by your whole name. It
usually ment that you had to stand tall before the man. If someone
used petty officer before my name I knew that I was in trouble or
going to be in trouble.

Normally - all below chief - were addressed by their last name or
nickname - depending on the circumstances.

Addressing someone by rank and last name is proper etiquette. For E-3 and
below it is okay to just call them by their last name.

"Jim McCartan" wrote in message
om...
When I was in, '68-72, being called Petty Officer along your last name
was the same as your parents calling you by your whole name. It
usually ment that you had to stand tall before the man. If someone
used petty officer before my name I knew that I was in trouble or
going to be in trouble.

Normally - all below chief - were addressed by their last name or
nickname - depending on the circumstances.

I think, no, I am certain that this varies between communities and
even individual commands. Squadrons next door to each other can have
different nuances, never mind on coasts thousands of miles aways.

What is appropriate or inappropriate in one place may be verbose,
rude, too formal, not formal enough in another. A lot of things are
always a little different at sea too.

Nicknames or use of first names between Officer and Enlisted is
normally inappropriate, but I've met people who also thought that was
OK in certain circumstances.

Just some general thoughts to put it in perspective.