What is the title of the Navy's top enlisted leader?

• A. Chief of Naval Operations
• B. Commandant of the Marine Corps
• C. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• D. Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is who holds the top enlisted leadership role in the Navy and how that position fits into the broader Navy leadership structure. The top enlisted leader in the Navy is the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, often abbreviated MCPON. This billet is the senior enlisted adviser to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations, representing enlisted sailors across the fleet and focusing on issues like readiness, quality of life, and standards.

This role is distinct from the Chief of Naval Operations, who is a commissioned officer and the highest-ranking officer in the Navy, and from the Marine Corps leaders—the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps—who oversee the Marine Corps rather than the Navy. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy is specifically the Navy’s senior enlisted leader, making the title the correct choice.