What is the rank insignia for a Navy Chief Petty Officer?

• A. Two connected silver bars
• B. A fouled anchor with the letters USN across the anchor
• C. Four gold stripes
• D. One silver star

Answer: (B)

The key idea is recognizing the distinctive insignia of the Navy’s Chief Petty Officer. This rank, an E-7, is shown by a gold fouled anchor with the letters USN across the anchor, a symbol that uniquely marks senior enlisted leadership in the Navy. The anchor motif signals naval service, and the USN lettering across it identifies the branch. Other designs, like paired bars, belong to officer ranks; four gold stripes don’t represent this enlisted rank; and a lone silver star isn’t the full insignia for a Chief Petty Officer (the Senior Chief and Master Chief have stars above the anchor as part of their insignia).