§ 301. Grades and ratings

717 words·~3 min read·/usc/title-14/section-301

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(a)In General.— In the Coast Guard, there shall be—

(1)admirals (two);

(2)vice admirals;

(3)rear admirals;

(4)rear admirals (lower half);

(5)captains;

(6)commanders;

(7)lieutenant commanders;

(8)lieutenants;

(9)lieutenants (junior grade);

(10)ensigns;

(11)chief warrant officers;

(12)cadets;

(13)warrant officers; and

(14)enlisted members.

(b)Enlisted Members.— Enlisted members shall be distributed in ratings established by the Secretary.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 497, § 41; Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §§ 6, 53, 70A Stat. 620, 679; Pub. L. 86–474, § 1(1), May 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 144; Pub. L. 92–451, § 1(1), Oct. 2, 1972, 86 Stat. 755; Pub. L. 97–417, § 2(1), Jan. 4, 1983, 96 Stat. 2085; Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(B), (C), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865; Pub. L. 99–145, title V, § 514(a)(2), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 628; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 541(f)(4), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2766; Pub. L. 114–120, title II, § 201(a), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 33; renumbered § 301, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196;

Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(b), (e)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1675, 1678.)

Historical and Revision Notes

1949 Act

Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §§ 5, 9, 21 (Apr. 12, 1902, ch. 501, § 1, 32 Stat. 100; Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 20, § 2, 38 Stat. 801; May 18, 1920, ch. 190, § 8, 41 Stat. 603; June 5, 1920, ch. 235, § 1, 41 Stat. 879; Jan. 12, 1923, ch. 25, §§ 1, 2, 42 Stat. 1130; July 3, 1926, ch. 742, §§ 3, 9, 10, 44 Stat. 815, 817).

The grades of vice admiral and rear admiral are added to make provision for the commissioned officer personnel structure of the service as provided for in this revision. The entire rating structure for enlisted men is left to the administrative discretion of the Secretary, as in the past, for reasons of flexibility.

The last two paragraphs of said section 5 are obsolete and have been omitted.

Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

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