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 , the rank of Staff Sergeant is slowly 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 , usually for those who hold the quartermaster ' s role . A staff sergeant ranks above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer Class 2 . But the rank of Staff Sergeant is still being used by the Australian Army Cadets 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 embroided fig leaf , a well - known Jewish biblical motif , in the center of the rank insignia . Staff sergeants get a symbolic pay raise . For further information you may refer to Israel Defense Forces ranks . Singapore . A Staff Sergeant ( SSG ) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above First Sergeant ( 1SG ) and below Master Sergeant ( MSG ) . 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 Company Sergeant Major if they are due for promotion to Master Sergeant . In this capacity , they are expected to be addressed as " Encik " ( Malay for " Mister " ) by holders of lesser rank . Technically speaking , this is incorrect . The term " Encik " is a defunct form of address for Warrant Officers , who are now addressed as " sir " . Sergeant Majors of all ranks ( corporal to staff sergeant ) were addressed as " Encik " only by way of courtesy title . In fact , it is customary for all staff sergeants and master sergeants to be addressed by junior enlisted men as " Encik " even if they do not hold sergeant major appointments . The rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down , with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle . Reference : Singapore Armed Forces Ranks In the Singapore Police Force , staff sergeants rank between Sergeant and Senior Staff Sergeant . 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 regiment s 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 . 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 sergeants in the absence of a Sergeant First Class . In support units , Staff Sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions due to the number of slots available for SSG in these units . Staff Sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or Company Operations Noncommissioned 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 . Staff Sergeant ( SSgt ) is E - 6 rank in the U . S . Marine Corps , just above Sergeant and below Gunnery Sergeant . A Marine staff sergeant is a staff non - commissioned officer rank . This grade is normally achieved after 10 to 13 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 . He may also be tasked as a company gunnery sergeant , or a platoon commander if required . He is the senior tactical advisor to a platoon commander by virtue of time in service , previous deployments , and experience and is responsible for the proficiency , training and administrative issue of his Marines . He is always to be referred to by his complete rank ( i . e . " Staff Sergeant Jones " or simply " Staff Sergeant , " with the abbreviation " SSgt " ) . It is also an insult to address a U . S . Marine by his pay grade such as " E - 6 " , as such reference places emphasis on the paygrade instead of the title of the leadership position he or she has earned . 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 . Staff Sergeant ( SSgt ) is E - 5 in the U . S . Air Force , 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 . Senior airmen are considered for promotion if they attain that rank on or before February 1 of that testing year . This is so that they will have a minimum of 6 months time - in - grade before the first promotion date of that testing year , however in a normal career progression one achieves this grade after 5 to 7 years in service . Staff sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first - line supervisors within a workcenter . After being selected for promotion senior airmen must attend Airman Leadership School , which teaches them basic leadership and how to write performance reports . The term of address is Staff Sergeant or Sergeant .