SEAMAN (SN)
The U.S. Navy general surface and combat seaman rating — SN.
OVERVIEW
Seaman (SN) is the U.S. Navy's general-detail deck/surface apprentice rating for non-rated Sailors at paygrades E-1 through E-3 striking for a deck or operations rating (BM, OS, GM, FC, QM, MA, IC, SI, etc.). Seamen wear the white color group and serve in the deck and operations departments of surface ships, submarines (until designating into a sub rating), and shore commands.
The general community covers the U.S. Navy's traditional shipboard ratings — deck, engineering, weapons, and combat-systems Sailors who keep surface combatants and amphibious ships in the fight. Sailors in this community typically rotate between sea and shore tours and are eligible for a wide range of NECs, instructor billets, and enlisted commissioning programs.
A-school for the rating runs On-the-job training; A-school after rating designation at Seaman Apprenticeship Training, Naval Station Great Lakes IL (no formal A-school until rating designation), where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score Varies by target rating and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. SNs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior SNs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.
Across the active force, SN Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.
WHAT SNs DO
Seamen stand bridge and deck watches, perform deck-seamanship work (line-handling, painting, preservation), strike for a designated rating, and qualify for basic shipboard watchstations during their apprentice tour.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Seamen stand bridge and deck watches, perform deck-seamanship work (line-handling, painting, preservation), strike for a designated rating, and qualify for basic shipboard watchstations during their apprentice tour.
- Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior SNs as required by the chain of command.
- Lead the SN work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
- Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.
HISTORY
Seaman apprentice was formalized in the 1948 enlisted restructuring as the entry-level rating for non-designated Sailors in the deck and operations communities. The rating's lineage traces to the Continental Navy's Seaman rating of 1775.
Like all surface-Navy general ratings, the rating evolved alongside the U.S. Navy's transition from sail to steam, then steam to gas-turbine and electric-drive propulsion, and continues to adapt to today's distributed maritime operations and integrated combat systems.
Today the Seaman (SN) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern SNs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.
The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring SNs remain central to the warfighting mission.
TRAINING PIPELINE
- 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeksNaval Station Great Lakes, ILInitial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors.
- 2. Seaman PipelineOn-the-job training; A-school after rating designationSeaman Apprenticeship Training, Naval Station Great Lakes IL (no formal A-school until rating designation)Apprentice/striker training in the general accession pipeline before sub-rating designation.
TYPICAL CAREER PATH
- E-1/E-3SeamanEntry tier; seaman accession track in the general community.
- E-4Designated Petty Officer (sub-rating)Designation into a target rating with full A-/C-school qualification.
- E-7+Chief Petty Officer (sub-rating)Senior enlisted leader of the designated rating in the command.
TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS
- U.S. Navy ships (deck and operations departments)
- Naval shore facilities
EXAMPLE NECs
- No NECs assigned at apprentice paygrades; NECs accrue after rating designation
- U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB Varies by target rating
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Pass the Navy physical and medical screening
- U.S. Navy ships (deck and operations departments)
- Naval shore facilities