 December 23rd will mark the 180th anniversary of the Navy's enlisted insignia. Before 1833, there was no physical way to tell the difference between officers and non-officers aboard ships. Petty Officer used to be a title, not a rank, and they were handpicked by a ship's captain when he needed a job completed. In 1841, Petty Officers began wearing an eagle perched on an anchor on their sleeve. All Petty Officers wore the same insignia until writing badges were created in 1866. First, second, and third-class Petty Officer ranks were formed in 1885. Today, enlisted sailors wear writing badges on their left sleeve to show their rank and job field, and there are 56 ratings in the Navy. For more information, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website. For the Defense Media Activity, I'm Petty Officer Jonathan Pankoff.