Hull maintenance technician

Hull maintenance technician (abbreviated as HT) is a United States Navy occupational rating.

Hull maintenance technicians plan, supervise, and perform tasks necessary for fabrication, installation and repair of all types of shipboard structures, plumbing, sheet metal fabrication, carpentry and piping systems; organize, supervise, and train personnel in maintenance and hull and mechanical repair; supervise and perform tasks in procurement and issuance of supplies and repair parts; instruct personnel and enforce safety and security precautions; prepare records and reports.

An HT stationed on a tender or other auxiliary vessel or shore duty station, may perform far more tasks than listed here. HTs fabricate and repair all types of equipment and items. This expertise may include metal of all thicknesses with hand tools, welders and very large cutting, forming and shaping equipment. Having had other ratings such as molder, patternmaker, carpenter, pipefitter and others absorbed into the rating, HTs may be tasked with working with all types of materials. HT was and is a "jack of all trades".

HT was further enhanced with DC (damage controlman-note the axe crossed with the hammer) quite some time ago and then had this designation made independent again much later on. HT also included chemical, biological, radiological warfare defense and the overall operation and maintenance of marine sanitation devices. In keeping with those DC responsibilities HTs were and still are firemen, which is their designation when they are "striking for a rating" from E-1 through E-3. HTs still take an active role in firefighting and may indeed be the "scene leader" in control of a firefighting team. Hull technicians are also known as "ship doctors".

HT is a source rating utilized by US Navy special operations, for example, Seals, SWCC, or 2nd class diver.