# § 301. Grades and ratings
**(a)** **In General.—** In the Coast Guard, there shall be—
**(1)** admirals (two);
**(2)** vice admirals;
**(3)** rear admirals;
**(4)** rear admirals (lower half);
**(5)** captains;
**(6)** commanders;
**(7)** lieutenant commanders;
**(8)** lieutenants;
**(9)** lieutenants (junior grade);
**(10)** ensigns;
**(11)** chief warrant officers;
**(12)** cadets;
**(13)** warrant officers; and
**(14)** enlisted members.
**(b)** **Enlisted Members.—** Enlisted members shall be distributed in ratings established by the Secretary.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 497, § 41; Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §§ 6, 53, 70A Stat. 620, 679; Pub. L. 86–474, § 1(1), May 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 144; Pub. L. 92–451, § 1(1), Oct. 2, 1972, 86 Stat. 755; Pub. L. 97–417, § 2(1), Jan. 4, 1983, 96 Stat. 2085; Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(B), (C), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865; Pub. L. 99–145, title V, § 514(a)(2), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 628; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 541(f)(4), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2766; Pub. L. 114–120, title II, § 201(a), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 33; renumbered § 301, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(b), (e)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1675, 1678.)
### Historical and Revision Notes
### 1949 Act
Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §§ 5, 9, 21 (, ; , ; , ; , ; , §§ 1, 2, ; , §§ 3, 9, 10, , 817).
The grades of vice admiral and rear admiral are added to make provision for the commissioned officer personnel structure of the service as provided for in this revision. The entire rating structure for enlisted men is left to the administrative discretion of the Secretary, as in the past, for reasons of flexibility.
The last two paragraphs of said section 5 are obsolete and have been omitted.
Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 41 | 14:41.34:135a(a) (less last sentence, as applicable to temporary appointments). | Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 1(41), 63 Stat. 497.May 29, 1954, ch. 249, § 3(a) (less 3d and last sentences, as applicable to temporary appointments), 68 Stat. 157. |
## Editorial Notes
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 301, , , related to permanent appointment of warrant officers, prior to repeal by , , . See section 571 et seq. of Title 10, Armed Forces.
### Amendments
2025—, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In the Coast Guard there shall be admirals (two); vice admirals; rear admirals; rear admirals (lower half); captains; commanders; lieutenant commanders; lieutenants; lieutenants (junior grade); ensigns; chief warrant officers; cadets; warrant officers; and enlisted members. Enlisted members shall be distributed in ratings established by the Secretary.”
, renumbered as this section, resulting in no change.
2018— renumbered as this section.
2016— substituted “admirals (two);” for “an admiral,”.
1994— substituted “chief warrant officers; cadets; warrant officers;” for “chief warrant officers, W–4; chief warrant officers, W–3; chief warrant officers, W–2; cadets; warrant officers, W–1;”.
1985— substituted “rear admirals (lower half)” for “commodores”.
1984— substituted “members” for “men” in two places.
1983— inserted “commodores;” after “rear admirals;”.
1972— substituted “vice admirals” for “a vice admiral”.
1960— inserted the grade of admiral.
1956—Act , repealed and reenacted section by general amendment thereby substituting “chief warrant officers, W–4; chief warrant officers, W–3; chief warrant officers, W–2” for “commissioned warrant officers”, and “warrant officers, W–1” for “warrant officers”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.
### Effective Date of 1972 Amendment
Amendment by effective , except that continuation boards may not be held until one year thereafter, see , set out as a note under .