Current corps The office of Purveyor of Public Supplies, which would eventually evolve into the modern
Supply Corps, was the first staff corps established, in 1795. The insignia of an oak leaf and acorn was adopted in 1830 to signify members of all staff corps then in existence, which included doctors and pursers. The Medical Corps originally additionally used a
rod of Asclepius, while the Pay Corps (renamed the Supply Corps in 1919) used a
cornucopia. The
Medical Corps was formally founded in 1871, and after several design changes, in 1894 symbols resembling the modern insignia were adopted. The
Civil Engineer Corps came into existence and was conferred relative rank in 1881, despite the fact that civil engineers had been employed by the Navy at least since 1827. The insignia of two crossed silver sprigs was adopted in 1905. In 1918, the uniforms for all staff corps became identical to those of line officers, except for the distinguishing staff corps insignia. This was in response to complaints of inequality from staff corps officers. Prior to this, staff corps were distinguished by colored bands between the rank stripes, with a different color for each corps. As of January 2015, the chiefs of five of the eight staff corps were women, including the Medical and Nurse Corps. The chiefs of the Civil Engineer, Chaplain, and Judge Advocate General's Corps were the first women to hold those posts.
Former corps The Engineer Corps was established in 1842, and they were conferred relative rank in 1859. From 1861 their insignia was four silver oak leaves in the form of a cross. The corps was disestablished in 1899 when its officers became line officers. The Corps of Professors of Mathematics was established in 1848, consisting of schoolmasters responsible for instructing midshipman at the
Naval Academy,
Naval Observatory, and aboard ships. They were conferred relative rank in 1863, and in 1866 their insignia was defined as a silver live oak leaf and an acorn. In 1916 it was provided that no further appointments would be made to the Corps of Professors of Mathematics, but that existing members would retain their appointment until all such members had died, resigned, or been dismissed. ==List of current staff corps==