Master-at-arms

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A Master-at-Arms (MAA) is a rating responsible for discipline aboard a naval ship.

Royal Navy

The term has been used in the Royal Navy since the time of King Charles I. Originally the Master-at-Arms was a petty officer who looked after personal arms such as swords and firearms, ensuring they were kept in good order and their ammunition was prepared and ready for use in combat. He also instructed other members of the crew in the use of arms. He later also became responsible for discipline. The Ship's Corporals assisted the Master-at-Arms with his duties.

In the modern Royal Navy the MAA is both the ship's police chief and the senior rating, comparable in many respects to the Regimental Sergeant Major in the Army and the Station Warrant Officer in the Royal Air Force. A warrant officer or chief petty officer, the MAA is addressed as "Master"; even if the rating in question is a woman, she is still addressed as "Master" and known as the Master-at-Arms. The MAA is assisted by regulators of the Royal Navy Regulating Branch, of which he is himself a member. He is nicknamed the "jaunty", a corruption of the French gendarme, or the "joss/jossman". The non-substantive (trade) badge of an MAA is a crown within a wreath.

Royal Navy MAAs are infamous among young ratings for wreaking verbal havoc on the inattentive recruit who fails to notice their trade badge and addresses them as "Chief" or "Sir" (based on their substantive rank), which is all too common for new entrants to the Navy.

British Army

In the British Army, the Master at Arms is a Commissioned officer of the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC) and is responsible for overseeing the fitness training in a large Regiment, Battalion, or Unit, i.e. a training unit.

United States Navy

In the United States Navy, a Master-at-Arms (MA) is the rating concerned with law enforcement. They serve as a military police force onboard naval installations, both Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside Continental United States (OCONUS), ships and naval air squadrons. MAs report to the executive officer, help maintain discipline, and assist in security matters. The MA rating is also supplemented by DoD personnel, contractors and Sailors with the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code 9545 qualification. These Sailors with the NEC 9545 have training in law enforcement. The number of NEC 9545 billets, by percentage, is decreasing. The current active duty number of MAs consists of approximately 10,000 Sailors. The expansion from 3,500 personnel in the year 2000 to the current manning level is due to the expanding role of the Master-at-Arms in Antiterrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) duties rather than traditional law enforcement. Some Law Enforcement duties may include Military Working Dog (MWD) handlers (NEC 2005/2006), Criminal Investigators (NEC 2002), Patrolmen, Gate Sentries, Physical Security Specialist, small arms instructor (SAMI) (NEC 0812), AT/FP Training Supervisor, and at some bases Harbor Patrol. In support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), today's MA force is being forward deployed to many places around the world including Iraq, Afghanistan and east African countries. MAs may be assigned to a Mobile Security Detachment (MSD) or Squadron, Riverine Squadrons (RIVRON), Maritime Civil Affairs Group (MCAG), Naval Coastal Warfare, or a special forces unit where they will conduct AT/FP and expeditionary missions. These missions typically include; Protective Service Specialist (NEC 2009), Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) Teams, embark aboard a naval ship with minimal self-defense capability, fortifying landside locations, and securing foreign ports for use by U.S. warships. Most MAs who perform these type of AT/FP related duties now report through the newly formed Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) chain of command. In civilian life, Master-at-Arms would be detectives and policemen.

Master-at-arms

Royal Navy

British Army

United States Navy

See also