Final answer:
The U.S. Congress authorized the promotion to Chief Petty Officer in the Coast Guard in 1920, aligning the Coast Guard's rank structure with other military branches and showing appreciation for enlisted leadership roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United States Congress first authorized the promotion to Chief Petty Officer for the Coast Guard in the year 1920. This authority was conferred as part of an effort to standardize the structure and ranks within the U.S. Coast Guard, which was becoming increasingly important following the First World War and as part of post-war military restructuring.
Before this authorization, there were ranks and rates, but the specific rank of Chief Petty Officer as it is recognized today did not exist. With this change, the Coast Guard was more closely aligned with other branches of the U.S. military in terms of its hierarchy and command structure.
The year 1920 also saw other significant legislative activities related to the military and national security, as it was a period of reorganization and formalization of various services post-World War I. However, the specific legislation that authorized the Chief Petty Officer rank within the Coast Guard represented an appreciation for the leadership roles of enlisted personnel and established a more professional and standardized non-commissioned officer cadre.