A Petty Officer First Class is the third of the Navy's Petty Officer grades, and serves as a non-commissioned officer. A Petty Officer First Class serves both as a leader and as a technical expert, and all Petty Officers have a specified rating, or job. The exact title with which a petty officer is addressed depends on their specialty; a Petty Officer First Class serving as an Electronics Technician, for example, would have the full title of Electronics Technician First Class.
Petty Officer First Class is the 6th rank in the United States Navy with a grade of O-6, ranking above Petty Officer Second Class and directly below Chief Petty Officer.
The United States Navy occupational rating of data systems technician (abbreviated as DS) was a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted members who satisfactorily complete initial data systems technician "A" school training. The primary training location for the DS rating was Combat System Technical Schools Command (CSTSC) at Mare Island Vallejo, CA.
It was established in 1961 and merged into the electronics technician and fire controlman ratings on 1 October 1998.
DSs are electronics technicians who specialize in naval tactical data system computer systems including: digital computers, video processors, tape units, buffers, key sets, digital-display equipment, data-link terminal sets and related equipment. DSs also specialized in the maintenance of shipboard ADP systems and associated peripheral equipment including, but not limited to, card reader/punch/interpreter, magnetic tape and disk drives and various printers. They clean, maintain, lubricate, calibrate and adjust equipment. DSs run operational tests, diagnose problems, make routine repairs and evaluate newly installed parts and systems units. Merged into Electronics technician and Fire controlman on 1 October 1998.
Original Fabric Insignia patch with black backing and silver and red embroidery.
