In the Coast Guard, a single gold propeller, oriented with one blade pointing upward, instantly identifies the wearer as a Naval Engineering Chief Warrant Officer. The specialty mark was originally assigned to Warrant Officers serving as Machinists in 1916; a modified version was used for the enlisted rating of Motor Machinist’s Mate up until 1948, then this version (but not in gold) was used for Machinist’s Mate until the creation of the Machinery Technician rating in 1974.
Chief Warrant Officer sleeve ornamentation is slightly busy on the Coast Guard’s Service Dress Blue coat, featuring rank stripe, gold Coast Guard shield, and the appropriate specialty mark. Our sleeve device for Naval Engineering CWOs helps streamline ornamentation placement by combining the USCG shield and Naval Engineering propeller devices, embroidered in gold thread, on a single swatch of blue serge fabric.
Just horizontally center the insignias on the device on the outside of the sleeve with the bottom of the fabric parallel to the CWO rank stripe, then position the bottom of the shield a quarter-inch from the top of the stripe. (Note: Warrant Officers wear the gold Coast Guard shield without their specialty marks on the sleeves of the Formal Dress Blue and Dinner Dress Blue Jacket uniforms.)
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