4 as of Apr 04 2010. One just retired 2 weeks ago.
CUCM Carol Keehner
There is no kind of about it. Both the US Navy and Coast Guard use the Rank Master Chief Petty Officer for the highest enlisted rank. Only Warrant and Commissioned officers rank above Master Chiefs.
There are currently 16 Force Master Chief Petty Officers in the Navy. Below this answer is a link for further information on the subject.
No Master Chief is a male as his build and stature is thate of a man, unfortunately the genetic engineering applied to him means he probably can't do everything mancan, if you know what i mean...
as many as you can count
Petty Officers are often referred to as NCOs. Chief Petty Officers are usually referred to as Chief (or Senior Chief or Master Chief). The CPOs are sometimes referred to as 'goats' in deference to their age and experience.
Chief Master Sgt Grace Peterson
There are currently 16 Force Master Chief Petty Officers in the Navy. Below this answer is a link for further information on the subject.
Chief Master Sergeant Fred Archer
21
CUCM Carol Keehner
Individually, chiefs, executives, officers. Collectively, Chief Executive Officers
There has yet to be a female Sergeant Major of the Army.
There is no kind of about it. Both the US Navy and Coast Guard use the Rank Master Chief Petty Officer for the highest enlisted rank. Only Warrant and Commissioned officers rank above Master Chiefs.
The Master Chief is senior to a PO2, or to any other "enlisted" rating. In theory, all petty officers - even Master Chiefs - are junior to commissioned officers. In practice, a Master Chief is senior to an Ensign or a Lieutenant Junior Grade. And as a full Lieutenant in the USN, I didn't give "orders" to a Master Chief; I persuaded him that this was what he wanted to do. And in general, NOBODY gives orders to a Master Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy. For the most part, he can see what needs to be done, and the good ones have already done it. A Lieutenant Commander can give "priorities" to the Master Chief; which jobs need to be done FIRST.
There are currently 16 Force Master Chief Petty Officers in the Navy. Below this answer is a link for further information on the subject.
Sergeant -Majors, Master Sergeants, Flight Sergeants, Chief Petty Officers, Senior Technicians, Colour Sergeants, and possibly a few more. - After this were Warrant Officers.