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US Navy to reverse controversial decision to eliminate Sailors’ ratings

Posted at 9:58 PM, Dec 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-20 22:20:50-05

NORFOLK, Va. – In September the US Navy announced they were ending the historic use of rating titles for Sailors.

Sailors were to be addressed by rank instead of rating, causing some backlash over the decision.

The Navy previously said the change was the first step to providing Sailors with the opportunity to move back and forth between occupations.

The initial decision to do away with titles like Corpsman was the work of  Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to also promote gender neutrality across the Navy and the Marine Corps.

In September Mabus signed off on removing the word ‘man’ from nearly two dozen job titles.

On Tuesday Adm. John Richardson tweeted the Navy will announce Wednesday that it will restore job titles across the fleet.