Gunner's mate no more? Few fans of Navy's name changes

[Zorro]

The Navy announced a tsunami of a cultural shift on Thursday, and the move has not produced many fans on the internet.

It used to be, in a Navy steeped in tradition, a sailor was known by his or her job, or rate.

If you were a gunner’s mate, people called you, “Hey, GM1,” for example.

That let people know your job, which is gunner’s mate (the sailors in charge of weapons and ordnance,) and your rank, which is petty officer 1st class.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sd-me-navy-ratings-20160930-htmlstory.html

[Siwsan]

1. I was always referred to as 'Petty Officer' but then I was an instructor

in the Medical/Dental corps. The vast majority of my students were just out of basic training so they were E1, 2 or 3 until they graduated.

Now I'm trying to remember how we called people, in a clinic setting, but it seems like it was always either by a last name or by Seaman or Petty Officer and then last name until they hit the 'Chief' level. THEN it got more specific.

Maybe the ship traditions were more individualized, which makes sense. It does seem like a really dumb change, though.

[GWC58]

2. Storekeeper here, or

"Stores."

[gladium et scutum]

5. Usually refered to as snipes

I was a BT. Rating went away a couple of decades ago.

[War Pigs]

7. when I was sweating my a$$ off in those

Fire rooms we were affectionately called Barely Trainable by the Machinist Mates lol. Great to see the old squids on here!!!

[Zorro]

3. Former RM here

That rating went by the wayside about 20 years ago.

I recall we typically referred to one another by last names, unless one was an officer or CPO.

[Submariner]

4. I was called a NQP, Non-qualified puke

until I got my dolphins. Then I was treated as a human and an IC3(SS).

[BlueCollar]

6. petition signed

AMS2

NEC 8319

1979-1983

[yurbud]

8. this sounds like some desk jockey at the Pentagon was trying to justify their job by doing something

big.

Maybe it's the same guy who changes what the military calls the uniform you wear in combat every two years lately (and even change the uniform itself).