Many years ago, the enlisted ratings were broken into General Service ratings and special service ratings, usually indicated by a third letter. Electronics Technician ET , vs Electronics Technician Commuunications ETN.

Have been able to locate that the PS rating was at one time, the ESG, or emergency service rating "G". Firefighter was ESF, Explosives Loader Inspector ESY.

Specific to the reserve was the 1960 special service rating of Boatswains Mate ( XXXXXXX xxxxxxxx ) BMB. Anyone want to take a little stab at it ??

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SeaBee?

BM Basic (level)?

This one, just got it confirmed. The Reservist Magazine has been posting their back issues since 1953, and this one just popped on the screen. I remember seeing it in my old Coast Guardsmans Manual, and remember these guys at boot camp ( Cape May).

The Boatswains Mate(B)BMB was the original rating designation for the short lived Coastal Forceman (CF) rating. I have an illustration of that specialty mark, but have to wait for the publication of an updated book on Navy rating badges. I promised that author I'd hold off 'till his book was out.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/faqs/Coastal_Forces_Rating.html

MM,

Thanks. I remember reading about the CF program and all the training they did. Good history lesson for the PS side.

I still have my PS rating badge from boot camp 1982. It was a diamond with a "G" in the center.

Senior Chief, any recollection as to the time frame when the present specialty mark came into existance ??

Thanx for that 1982 further date.

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quote:

Originally posted by 2308398:
I still have my PS rating badge from boot camp 1982. It was a diamond with a "G" in the center.

I went in in '85...shield w/ PS...so maybe it changed sometime from 82 to 85?

I could probably narrow it down by looking at my old uniforms. Unfortunately, I can't do that until I return home next summer (title 10).

A little bit more on the Port Securityman rating, from old issues of the "Reservist" magazine. Spring of 1961 mentions 323 members passing the servicewide for advancement to Port Securityman 3rd class. There is also a mention of new CG Institute courses for Port Securityman Third (PS3) and Dangerous Cargoman (DM3).

Looks like that is the establishmen of the named Port Securityman rating. It has gone from the :
Specialist PS of WW II, to the

Emergency Service Rating "G"Port Security, to the

Port Securityman (PS)

The PS rating is now known as Port Security Specialist, and has been since 1999. Follow the link:
http://www.uscg.mil/directives/ci/1000-1999/CI_1223_1.pdf

The change in the PS rating badge occured circa 1985 - 86 in the "Yost Guard" days. The Fire Fighter (FI) rating badge changed at the same time. From F in a diamond to a maltese cross (traditional fire fighters symbol). The Firefighter rating was renamed Fire and Safety Technician (FS) in the mid 1990's, and eventually merged in with the PS and MST ratings.

I recall the IV rating badge also changing about the same time in the 1980's.

I think there were a bunch of the "diamond G" rating badges in Navy blue and white floating around in the 1960's and 1970's and that's what was used rather than designing or buying new PS rating badges.

To wrap up the BM(B) and the Coastal Forceman.
One last bit of trivia about that small period of time in the USCGR. The CG Historians site has a good write up by a PSC who was in the program. Have not viewed it personally, but, on good authority, there was a specialty mark approved in CG addendum to the USN uniform regs about 1965 for the CF rating. Have never seen one and just recently learned of it, but here is an illustration.


So the Boatswains Mate (BMB) went from a special service rating to a general service rating Coastal Forceman (CF)

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Some blue suiter must have had an apoplectic fit when they saw THAT emblem....thanks for sharing!