Navy enlisted personnel in the E3 rate are addressed by either the generic name of “Seaman [last name], by the general job classification in which they have been placed—Seaman, Airman, Constructionman, Fireman, or Hospitalman—followed by last name, or by a rating designation and job classification, such as “Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Smith.”
The only uniform on which E3 Sailors wear pin-on metal grade insignia is the Service Uniform; other uniforms display their rank on the sleeve, and they are not allowed to wear headgear devices with the Garrison Cap (the is the female Combination Cap for E1 – E6, which features an insignia similar to this but with the block lettes “USN” above the eagle). A black version of the insignia is available for Sailors who have earned one of the Fleet Marine Force warfare qualifications; it is worn on Marine Corps’ utility uniforms, including the Combat Utility Uniform.
Smaller than similar insignia worn on epaulets and caps, the E3 collar grade device is worn on both collar points of the Service Uniform’s khaki shirt or overblouse. It is vertically oriented so that an imaginary line bisecting the collar would pass through the vertical axis, and is placed on the collar so that the front and back edges of the collar are one-inch from the insignia’s midpoint.