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NavyService SupportRank #78 of 101 by 4-year cost
BM

Boatswain's Mate

15-week pipeline · Recruit Training + A-School · NAVSTA Newport, RI
Training Pipeline
$24K
15 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$63K
E-4, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$6K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$302K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$24K8%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$254K84%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$24K8%
Training: 8% · MILPERS: 84% · Equipment: 8%= $302K
By the Numbers

BMs are the backbone of shipboard deck operations. Their skills — line handling, small boat operations, anchoring, damage control — are the foundation of sea service. No ship sails safely without them.

Training Pipeline
Duration
15 weeks
Type
Recruit Training + A-School
Location
NAVSTA Newport, RI
Pipeline Cost
$24K

Boatswain's Mates are the oldest rating in the U.S. Navy, dating to 1797. They maintain the deck equipment, small boats, and seamanship traditions of the fleet — and are typically the most experienced sailors in any deck department.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Assigned Equipment
  • ·Small Craft (RHIB $200K)
  • ·Deck Equipment
  • ·Damage Control Tools
  • ·Seamanship Equipment
Annual Equipment Burden
$6K/yr
RHIB share + deck and seamanship equipment amortized
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-4, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$63K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$63K/yr
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~3,500
Avg Career Length6 years
Annual Training Bill$84.0M
Total Force 4yr Cost$1.1B
Other Navy Profiles

Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.