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Memory Alpha
Starfleet SCPO insignia
File:Mov scpo.png
2280s
File:Tng chief.png
2350s (all chiefs)
File:Ds9 scpo.png
2370s

Senior chief petty officer (SCPO) is an enlisted naval rate, a type of military rank used by the service organizations of different cultures. As a traditional naval grade, SCPO is senior to a chief petty officer, and is almost the highest enlisted grade in organizations like Starfleet and the US Navy, falling subordinate to any commissioned officer. In comparison to infantry ranking systems, this rank is approximately equivalent to the first sergeant grade.

This rank is considered to have the responsibility of a "noncommissioned officer." Personnel of this grade can be addressed simply as chief (or more properly, "senior chief"), and sometimes by their job title, such as "senior chief specialist." (DS9: "Shadowplay")

O'Brien was referred to usually as "chief" or "chief petty officer." Since he was referred to as chief petty officer in TNG Season 4 and again in DS9 Season 3 and beyond, it must be assumed that the DS9 Season 2 reference in "Shadowplay" to him being a "senior chief specialist" must mean that in Starfleet, just as the term "petty officer" can sometimes be used interchangably with "specialist," so too can "chief petty officer" be used interchagably with "chief specialist"

When there are individual grades of chief petty officers, SCPO is subordinate to master chief petty officer (MCPO).

See also

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