Command at Sea insignia



The Command at Sea insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy, designating senior officers below that of a flag rank, specifically, Captain and below, who are in command of, or have previously commanded, either a ship, submarine, an operational/deployable fleet air unit in naval aviation, or a special warfare (SEAL) unit. It is worn centered over the right pocket while the wearer is holding an active command at sea billet as an incumbent, and is worn centered on the upper portion of the left pocket flap, under the warfare insignia and ribbons, after completion of the command tour. A similar badge that is worn in the same manner as the Command at Sea pin is the Command Ashore insignia.

Symbology
The six stars on the Command at Sea insignia represent the first six ships of the United States Navy: USS United States (1797), USS Constellation (1797), USS Constitution, USS President (1800), USS Congress (1799), and USS Chesapeake (1799).

U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard uses an equivalent insignia to the U.S. Navy's Command at Sea pin, called the Command Afloat Badge. The Command Afloat insignia is a gold and silver metal device with a miniature Coast Guard officer cap device superimposed on a ribbon of gold with thirteen stars to represent the thirteen original American colonies. The Command Afloat insignia is worn in the same manner as the Command Ashore insignia and is considered superior to the Officer-in-Charge Afloat insignia.

NOAA Commissioned Corps
The NOAA Commissioned Corps Command at Sea badge is a gold-colored pin consisting of a triangle superimposed on anchor flukes and an unfurled commissioning pennant showing six triangles. The NOAA Command-at-Sea insignia is authorized for incumbents serving under orders designating them in command of Class 1 through Class 5 NOAA commissioned vessels. A NOAA Corps officer who previously successfully held command (but is not currently in command) of a NOAA commissioned vessel for at least six months during which the vessel was engaged for at least four months in operations at sea, is authorized to wear the Command-at-Sea insignia.