what is a chief petty officer

A Chief Petty Officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in the United States Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, usually above Petty Officer First Class and below Senior Chief Petty Officer). The rank of CPO is the first of the Navys Chief Petty Officer ranks, and the first rank with the Chief Petty Officers enhanced duties and benefits. Every Chief Petty Officer has both a rate (job specialty) and a rating (job specialty), and their full operational title is determined by their rating. Navy Chief Petty Officers serve a dual role as both technical experts and as leaders, with an increasing emphasis on leadership as they progress through the CPO paygrades). They are responsible for training junior officers and leading their division of sailors and petty officers. Unlike Petty Officer First Class and lower grades, 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).