The Navy is scrapping its decision to eliminate dozens of enlisted sailors' job titles, including many ending in "man," after hitting an onslaught of opposition from the force.

The decision to drop long-held titles and instead refer to sailors by their rank was announced in September and signaled a sharp cultural shift for the Navy. Three months later, after hearing persistent complaints from sailors around the world, Navy leaders are going back to the drawing board.

Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, said in a memo that modernizing the job titles was designed to give sailors more flexibility in training and assignments. Navy leaders argue that switching to names that are more understandable to the civilian world would make it easier to get jobs once sailors left the service.