Changes

==Personnel==

==Personnel==

===Officers===

===Officers===

Officers receive their commissions upon completion of a bachelors degree in a major accepted by the Navy, from training and education via Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps on many college campuses, and the United States Naval Academy.  Those personnel who already have a bachelors degree and wish to join go through Officer Candidate School for twelve weeks in Pensacola, Florida.  Enlisted personnel who wish to gain a commission have several programs to choose from, such as the Seaman-to-Admiral Program.   

Officers receive their commissions upon completion of a bachelor's degree in a major accepted by the Navy, from training and education via Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps on many college campuses, and the United States Naval Academy.  Those personnel who already have a bachelor's degree and wish to join go through Officer Candidate School for twelve weeks in Pensacola, Florida.  Enlisted personnel who wish to gain a commission have several programs to choose from, such as the Seaman-to-Admiral Program.   

Line officers are identified by a star on their uniform sleeve and shoulder board.  These officers serve within the warfighting element, and command ships and submarines, fly aircraft, and operate within special warfare units.  Other (restricted) line officers concentrate in fields not related to combat, such as engineering and maintenance.   

Line officers are identified by a star on their uniform sleeve and shoulder board.  These officers serve within the warfighting element, and command ships and submarines, fly aircraft, and operate within special warfare units.  Other (restricted) line officers concentrate in fields not related to combat, such as engineering and maintenance.   

Staff officers are commissioned officers within a specialist field not related to combat, such as law and medicine. They are identified by the appropriate symbol (in place of the line officer's star) on their uniform sleeve and shoulder board.  In certain fields, such as the Chaplain Corps, a candidate must have earned a masters degree prior to commissioning.

Staff officers are commissioned officers within a specialist field not related to combat, such as law and medicine. They are identified by the appropriate symbol (in place of the line officer's star) on their uniform sleeve and shoulder board.  In certain fields, such as the Chaplain Corps, a candidate must have earned a master's degree prior to commissioning.

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''Fleet admiral'' is a five-star rank, equivalent to a five-star general in the Army or Air Force, and considered equivalent to the rank of ''field marshal'' in many European countries.

''Fleet admiral'' is a five-star rank, equivalent to a five-star general in the Army or Air Force, and considered equivalent to the rank of ''field marshal'' in many European countries.

The title of ''commodore'' is, by tradition, held by a senior captain who is in command of a squadron of Naval vessels.  For a short period in the early 1980s, the rank of O-7 was called ''commodore admiral'', before the title was reverted back to the senior captains, and the grade of O-7 changed to ''rear admiral (lower half)''.

The title of ''commodore'' is, by tradition, held by a senior captain who is in command of a squadron of Naval vessels.  For a short period in the early 1980s, the rank of O-7 was called ''commodore admiral'', before the title was reverted to the senior captains, and the grade of O-7 changed to ''rear admiral (lower half)''.

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