Welcome

Created and featured on the NAVCOPS Network in 1998, our time capsule is once again available to you. We hope this article will help you understand the MA rate better and promote greater understanding of the rich history it holds.


I would like to thank the following people for their help with their project when it was started in 1998:

  • MA1 Debbie Wright (NPS Monterey Bay)
  • MACM AL Dunn (Ret.)
  • To those who are still helping out on this project, And MAs everywhere for creating history!

This is an ONGOING project.  If you have information, research, stories, etc. that you would like to add...please contact me!   There is no way any one person can know everything about the history of the Master at Arms!


The British Royal Navy (The Tradition Begins)

The term 'Master-at-arms' traces it roots to 16th Century England during the reign of Charles I.  In the Royal British Navy, they were in charge of the swords, muskets, gunpowder and other weapons.  They were also charged with training the crew in hand to hand combat if the ship was ever boarded.  The Master-At-Arms in the Royal Navy also had other names such as 'Sheriffs of the Sea' (since the Sheriff was already the law enforcement officer of the King, the Sheriff of the sea [ship] was that of the captain.)


Colonal Times and the American Navy

It didn't take long for the 'rebel' colonies of America to accept and take on the tradition of the Master-At-Arms. 

Although the American Navy was virtually non-existent at the time, by the time the Navy Rules and Regulations were written for 1775, the term Master-At-Arms was brought up two separate times.  The MAA was considered a trusted part of the ships crew after the officers.


Civil War

The Civil War created the official rate of Master-At-Arms, however it was only collateral duty up until 1973 when it officially became a rating.  The role of the Master-At-Arms during wartime became increasingly important as the Navy assisted the conventional Army in it's operations, the Navy became a prime target.  Chief Master-At-Arms also came into service along with official petty officer ranks during this time.


World War I (WWI)

During WWI, the Navy was becoming what it is today...a major force with thousands of sailors.  The role of the MAA was becoming more important to maintain good order and discipline and maintain security on the ships.

The rating symbol at the time was that of a five point star, later it would become the shield and star.  The tradition of keeping the original star from this era into the new symbol is a matter of tradition.


World War II (WWII)

What the MAs had to deal with were life and death issues...a simple slip of the tounge or a letter to home that told of ships movements could easily seal the fate of the ship and it's crew.  Such slogans as "Loose Lips Sink Ships" were not created just for war posters...they spoke of reality.

During WWII, Naval uniforms also evolved to basically what we have today and marked yet another standard MAs had to enforce.

It was not until WWII, however, that MAs had their hands full not only dealing with new sailors by the bus full but an enemy that could be right on their own ship.

Without knowing it, WWII marked the time when OPSEC and INFOSEC really made a significant debut and MAs were right there to help enforce it.


Cold War

As the new war progressed and all military forces swelled, the MA became a key figure like it has never been before.  MAs were slowly becoming trained professionals to deal with a more complex Navy were UCMJ issues, nuclear weapons, spies, terrorists and other threats were a reality.

By 1973, the Navy made the Master-At-Arms rate official and marked the beginning of the highly trained professionals we have in today's fleet.


1973, the Year of the MA, One Sailors Story

A while ago I asked the membership if anyone was around when the rate became official in 1973, here is the only response I got from Al Dunn.  My thanks go out to Al for helping us preserve a time in history few ever knew about.  There is also a little history past that about Al and his Navy and Post-Navy career I thought I'd add to see where one of the 'originals' went.  If you were ever curious about what it was like back then, here is a trip back in time to when bell bottoms were requested by sailors.

"Al Dunn here.  Alan wanted some history from some of the first rated MAA's. So here goes.

I changed from AO-1 to MA-1 in Aug. 1973. At the time I was the NCOIC of the Provost Marshal Investigation Unit of the Ryukuan Armed Forces Police in Okinawa.

We had members from all the services, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and one lonely Coast Guardsman.  Our mission was to provide on site investigation of criminal incidents that occurred in the off base areas of the island. The "BIG TIME " agencies, Army CID. NIS. And OSI didn't want to get involved in off base stuff. I never did figure out why. But they let us run Amuck.  We played decoy in the role of a Robbery detail.  In six months we apprehended 217 on-view robbery suspects. We successfully courts marshaled 216 for robbery and one for Agg. Assault. All the Army MP,s got a Army Commendation Medal. The rest of us got a Joint Service Commendation Medals.  I got a Navy Marine Corp medal when an airplane almost crashed on my head.  The robbery rate went from 25-30 per month to about 2 a month. I think we did good.

The unit was made a part of a Bureau of Narcotics and dangerous Drugs (BNDD) Drug task force.  We got to go to Narcotic Investigation training, lots of buy money and we had the best informants in town.  We did get shot at occasionally but, no one ever got hit.

We also did AWOL apprehensions, Most of the AWOLS were drug (heroin) addicts, they made great informants.  We also had an Intelligence function keeping watch on  the anti war faction, and a couple of other things that if I told you about I would not only have to kill you,  but I would have to kill myself as well.

In Aug. 1974, I went to MAA training at Lackland AFB. in Texas.  MACM Charlie Johnston was the Class leader.  He went to the Subic Bay as the Brig warden. I am trying to find a class roster.  I went to the inactive ships facility at Mare Island.  When I met the skipper his first words were " What the hell an I going to to with a MAA?" Being quick on my feet, I asked to be sent TAD to Mare Island Police.  So I spent 1974 to 1976 as a Command Investigator.  I also joined the Vallejo Police Dept as a Reserve Officer. I got to make a lot of great contacts, that later led to a new career.  I made Chief on 16 Dec.1974.  In Sept. of 1976, I went to the San Francisco Armed Forces Police As the Training Chief.

In March of 1977 I went to the USS Wichita [AOR-1] as the CMAA. I got my degree in Criminal Justice while on board.  The Capt. and XO. of the ship. Capt. Dan Pederson and CDR. Roger Bates were far and away the best officers I ever worked for.  They were committed to having the Petty Officers in the crew be responsible for the well being of their men. I had a great time.  I made MACS on July 16, 1977. When my replacement came on board. I BSed my way into going to the Police Academy at Los Madinoes college for 13 weeks, (no cost TAD.)  I'm not saying the only slightly out of focus pictures of a highly placed senior Naval Officer engaging an unnatural act with a non mammalian species  had anything to do with it, BUT>>>   that is a story for another time.

I graduated from the academy with a Basic certificate in law Enforcement from the Calif. Commission For Peace Officer Standards and Training.  The Ship was in the yards.  I had my twenty in and had a job offer fron the Millbrea Police Dept. at about twice the money, So I put in my papers.  I retired in Oct.  1979, I spent two years with Millbrea as a patrol officer and field training officer. In 1980, I went to the Vallejo Police Dept, where I spent the next 15 years, I was on the SWAT team, hostage negotiator and Field Training Officer. I ended up as the Arson/Bomb Investigator. I got hit by a car at an accident scene in 1995. I screwed up my back. Not being able to jump tall buildings in a single bound, I was forced to take a disability retirement.  I keep current as the Chairman of the Napa / Solano County Fire Investigation Unit .
Al Dunn...30."


USS Cole and September 11th, 2001

USS Cole Attack

The Aegis-class destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67) was attacked by a small explosive laden boat on 12 October 2000 while anchored in the port of Aden, Yemen (then a haven for Al-Qaeda terrorists).   On that day, 17 sailors lost their lives and the Navy received their first taste of how determined terrorists had become.

World Trade Center Attack

However the MA rating was not to take a dramatic change until the World Trade Towers were attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists who used two of three hijacked airplanes.  It became clear that the role of the Master-At-Arms needed to change dramatically to protect the fleet from terrorists using unconvential tactics.

Dramatic Change in Responsibilites and Size

To defend the fleet and America, the MA took the most dramatic change since it's inception...a true force-protection/anti-terrorism role.  As Chief of Naval Personnel Vice-Admiral Gerald Hoewing said:

"To date, the major area of change in active/reserve force mix has been with Anti-terrorism/Force Protection personnel. To complement the 1,888 active members being converted into Master At Arms (MA) ratings (with a future goal of growing the MA force to approximately 9,000), the Reserve force is growing an additional 3,085 MA’s in order to meet the requirements of higher threat conditions. Additionally, newly established Active Component Security Force assets are being created to provide a unit/point defense capability to the Fleet, a mission previously filled by Naval Reserve NCW forces. Integration of the Active Mobile Security force with existing Naval Reserve Coastal Warfare forces is underway."

The MA rating even gained a new NEC, MA-2009 Protective Service Specialist, which stated it's duties as "Performs, plan, coordinates, and executes protective service missions for personnel in high-risk billets who are potential targets of terrorism.  Responsible for protective service tactics, anti-ambush operations, countersurveillance operations, evasive driving techniques, and physical security."


MASN Rating Is Introduced

With the exploding MA rating, set to exceed over 4,000 MA's since it's small, pre-9/11 levels, the Fleet decided to allow the first ever MA3 promotional exam and introduced the "MASN" rating in 2003/2004.  This would help the force expand from 1,850 MA's to a planned level of 4,862.


Today, and the Future

In the 1990s Master-At-Arms receive training that rivals and surpasses most police departments.  In the 2000's we saw the rate expand from a small, generalized force to one that grew in the thousands and gain new specialized NECs and skills.

MA's not only learn basic law enforcement but learn how to deal with terrorists and other topics that make them what they always have been through time...the guardian of the Navy, Command, Ship and Crew...the enforcer of the laws of the sea...and the direct representative of the Captain.

As we progress into the future there is alot of scuttlebutt about the future of the MA rate and Naval Security...some great and some not so great.

But if time can be the crystal ball for the future, we will not see the end of the Master-At-Arms tradition...for as long as the United States Navy is around, the Master-At-Arms will be there to protect it's core values.