A former United States Navy Petty Officer First Class who served for more than 20 years in the Navy has been sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison for orchestrating a conspiracy that stole more than $850,000 worth of military gear earmarked for fellow Navy members and then sold the goods to high bidders from more than fifty countries, including China and Russia, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Petty Officer First Class is an Enlisted rank.
NCOs are officers, just not commissioned officers.
Edit: I will concede that the title is misleading, though.
Yea, but we never refer to ourselves as officers. Just NCOs.
The DOJ release is correct, just not the headline.
The rate is equal to E-6 of E-9. Pretty standard level to reach depending on various factors, especially after 20 years enlisted.