Staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non - commissioned officer used in several countries . The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company . Australia . In the Australian Army , and Cadets the rank of staff sergeant is being phased out . It was usually held by the company quartermaster sergeant or the holders of other administrative roles . Staff sergeants are always addressed as " Staff Sergeant " or " Staff " , never as " Sergeant " as it degrades their rank . " Chief " is another nickname though this is only used for the company chief clerk ( in some instances the chief clerk role can be filled by another non - commissioned rank ( but not warrant officer ) and still be referred to as " Chief " ) . A staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . Israel . In the Israel Defense Forces , soldiers are promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant ( " samál rishón " ) after 28 months of service for combat soldiers , and 32 months of service for non - combat soldiers , if they performed their duties appropriately during this time . Soldiers who take a commander ' s course may become staff sergeants earlier ( usually after 24 months of service , or one year from becoming a commander ) . The rank insignia is composed of three clear - blue stripes ( as is the rank of sergeant ) with an embroidered fig leaf , a well - known Jewish biblical motif , in the center of the rank insignia . Staff sergeants get a symbolic pay raise . Singapore . A staff sergeant ( SSG ) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above first sergeant and below master sergeant . It is the second most senior specialist rank . Staff sergeants are addressed as " Staff Sergeant " or " Staff " , but never " Sergeant " . Staff sergeants may be appointed as company sergeant major if they are due for promotion to master sergeant . They are hence addressed as " Sergeant - Major " , although in the past they were referred to as " Encik " , which is now used to address only warrant officers . The rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down , with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle . United Kingdom . In the British Army , staff sergeant ( SSgt or formerly S / Sgt ) ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . The rank is given a NATO code of OR - 7 . The insignia is the monarch ' s crown above three downward pointing chevrons . Staff sergeants can also hold other appointments , such as company quartermaster sergeant , and are usually known by that appointment if held . The equivalent rank in infantry regiments is colour sergeant , and holders are known by that title no matter what their appointment . In the Household Cavalry the equivalent rank is staff corporal . British staff sergeants are never referred to or addressed as " Sergeant " , which would be reducing their rank , but are referred to and addressed as " Staff Sergeant " or " Staff " ( " Staff Jones " , for instance ) or by their appointment or its abbreviation . Quartermaster sergeants are often addressed as " Q " . In most cavalry regiments , staff sergeants are addressed as " Sergeant Major " , which is assumed to derive from the original rank of troop sergeant major . Flight sergeant and chief technician are the Royal Air Force equivalents . Chief petty officer is the equivalent in the Royal Navy and colour sergeant in the Royal Marines . United States of America . U . S . Army . Staff sergeant ( SSG ) is E - 6 rank in the U . S . Army , just above sergeant and below sergeant first class , and is a non - commissioned officer . Staff sergeants are generally placed in charge of squad s , but can also act as platoon sergeant s in the absence of a sergeant first class . In support units , staff sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions because of the number of slots available for them in these units . Staff sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or company operations non - commissioned officer in charge at the company level , but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit . Staff sergeants are referred to as " Sergeant " except for in certain training environments and schools . The NATO code is OR - 6 . The rank of staff sergeant in the U . S . Army ( along with technical sergeant ( renamed sergeant first class in 1948 ) and master sergeant ) was created by Congress after the First World War . U . S . Marine Corps . Staff sergeant ( SSgt ) is E - 6 rank in the U . S . Marine Corps ( USMC ) , just above sergeant and below gunnery sergeant . A Marine staff sergeant is a staff non - commissioned officer rank . Staff NCOs are career Marines serving in grades E - 6 through E - 9 . Together they are responsible to the commanding officer for the welfare , morale , discipline , and efficiency of Marines in their charge . This grade is normally achieved after 7 to 10 years in service . The NATO code is OR - 6 . In the combat arms units , a staff sergeant usually is billeted as a platoon sergeant for 30 + Marines . Staff Sergeants also serve as section leaders in crew - served weapons platoons ( e . g . , mortars , machine guns , anti - tank missiles ) and in tank / armored vehicle platoons under a Gunnery Sergeant serving as platoon sergeant . They may also be tasked as a company gunnery sergeant , or a platoon commander if required . They are the senior tactical advisor to a platoon commander by virtue of time in service , previous deployments , and experience and are responsible for the proficiency , training and administrative issue of his or her Marines . They are referred to by their complete rank ( i . e . " Staff Sergeant Jones " or simply " Staff Sergeant , " with the abbreviation " SSgt " ) . The rank of staff sergeant in the USMC was created in 1923 to coincide with the U . S . Army ' s ranks . Until the end of WW2 , the insignia of platoon sergeant was three chevrons and a rocker , with staff sergeant having a horizontal stripe instead of a rocker below the chevrons . After the separate rank of platoon sergeant was eliminated , the staff sergeant rank switched over to the rocker insignia and staff sergeants held the platoon sergeant ' s billet . U . S . Air Force . Staff sergeant ( SSgt ) is E - 5 in the U . S . Air Force . It ranks just above senior airman and below technical sergeant . It is the Air Force ' s first non - commissioned officer rank , as well as the first Air Force rank to which promotion is attained on a competitive basis . Sergeants , also known in Air Force jargon as " buck sergeant " ' , no longer exist , they were eliminated after many years of sharing the same grade with that of senior airman rank ( E - 4 ) . Staff sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first - line supervisors within a ' workcenter ' . After being selected for promotion , senior airman must attend Airman Leadership School , which teaches them basic leadership skills and how to write performance reports to become staff sergeant . The term of address is " Staff Sergeant " or " Sergeant " . Cadet staff sergeant . The rank of cadet staff sergeant ( CSSG or C / SSgt ) is used by many cadet organisations around the world , including the Army Cadet Force and the Army Section of the Combined Cadet Force in the United Kingdom and the Army , Marine Corps and Air Force Junior Reserve Officers ' Training Corps and the Civil Air Patrol in the United States .