Electronics technician | |
---|---|
Rating insignia
|
|
Issued by | United States Navy |
Type | Enlisted rating |
Abbreviation | ET |
Specialty | Technical |
The United States Navy job rating of Electronics Technician (abbreviated as ET) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted members who satisfactorily complete initial Electronics Technician "A" school training.
The Electronics Technician (abbreviated as ET) rating was originally established as Radio Technician (abbreviated as RT) in April 1942 during the height of World War II. The story of their training may be found at "Solving the Naval Radar Crisis" by Raymond C Watson, Jr. Trafford Publishing 2007 ISBN . The rating insignia adopted was that of the established Radioman (abbreviated as RM) rating, and remained until October 1945, when the rating name was changed to Electronic Technician's Mate (abbreviated as ETM). In 1948, the Navy changed the name of the rating to Electronics Technician, and a new rating insignia was created.
In 1971 the Radarman (abbreviated as RD) rating was disestablished. Former Radarmen, depending on their training, were placed in to the either the established Electronic Technician (ET) rating or either of the newly established Operations Specialist (abbreviated as OS) or Electronic Warfare Technician (abbreviated as EW) ratings.
On October 1, 1998 the Data Systems Technicians (abbreviated as DS) rating was disestablished. Former Data Systems Technicians were, depending on their training, placed in to either the Electronics Technician or Fire Controlman (abbreviated as FC) rating.
On November 3, 2015 a mostly administrative change was made to the general ET rating. Electronics Technicians who volunteered for submarine duty where redesignated as either Electronics Technician, Submarine, Communications (abbreviated as ETR) or Electronics Technician, Submarine, Navigation (abbreviated as ETV). Nuclear Power trained Electronics Technicians were redesignated as Electronics Technicians, Nuclear Power (abbreviated as ETN). Electronics Technicians serving in the service rating Electronics Technician (ET) remained designed as Electronics Technician (ET). Electronics Technician (ET) is sometimes abbreviated as ETSW when it is necessary to distinguish ET from ETR, ETV, and ETN. All three new ratings as well as the original Electronics Technician rating use the same Electronics Technician rating insignia.