When petty officers first acquired their rate insignia, the sleeve device showing an eagle perched on an anchor could be worn on which arms?

When petty officers first acquired their rate insignia, the sleeve device showing an eagle perched on an anchor could be worn on which arms?

• A. Left arm
• B. Right arm
• C. Either left or right arm
• D. On both arms

Answer: (C)

Placement of the petty officer rate insignia on sleeves was flexible when sailors first earned their badge. The eagle perched on an anchor could be worn on either arm, since there wasn’t yet a fixed standard dictating a single sleeve side for this insignia. This allowed display on the left or the right sleeve depending on practice at the time. Wearing it on both arms isn’t how a single rate badge was used, and a fixed one-sided rule would not reflect this early, more flexible approach.

Placement of the petty officer rate insignia on sleeves was flexible when sailors first earned their badge. The eagle perched on an anchor could be worn on either arm, since there wasn’t yet a fixed standard dictating a single sleeve side for this insignia. This allowed display on the left or the right sleeve depending on practice at the time. Wearing it on both arms isn’t how a single rate badge was used, and a fixed one-sided rule would not reflect this early, more flexible approach.