Chief Petty Officer is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above Petty Officer First Class and below Senior Chief Petty Officer, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The Grade of Chief Petty Officer was established on April 1, 1893 for the Navy.

On Sept 18, 2009, our own Capt Anthony Acosta of Battalion 3-C shift joined the reanks of Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy. At a ceremony attended by fellow Sailors, Family and friends in Miami, Chief Acosta was promoted with 14 others. The fifteen newly promoted Chiefs were the only promoted among almost 1500 Sailors that are on active duty or reserve in South East Florida, not including Key West.

Among those pictured, attendees included Capt Larry Doelling 36-C and FF/PM J.R Scarso of Batt 7-B, Scarso also serves in the US Navy with Chief Acosta.

Unlike Petty Officer First Class and lower ranks, advancement to Chief Petty Officer not only carries requirements of time in service, superior evaluation scores, and specialty examinations, but also carries an added requirement of peer review. A Chief Petty Officer can only advance after review by a selection board of serving Senior and Master Chief Petty Officers, in effect "choosing their own" and conversely not choosing others.

Advancement into the Chief Petty Officer grades is the most significant promotion within the enlisted naval ranks. At the rank of Chief, the Sailor takes on more administrative duties. In the Navy, their uniform changes to reflect this change of duty, becoming identical to that of an officer's uniform except with different insignia. Sailors in the three Chief Petty Officer ranks also have conspicuous privileges such as separate dining and living areas. Any naval vessel of sufficient size has a room or rooms that are off-limits to anyone not a Chief (including officers) except by specific invitation.