United States Army Enlisted Ranks

The **United States Army (USA)** has twelve different enlisted ranks.Enlisted service personnel perform jobs specific to their own occupational specialty, as opposed to the more generalized command responsibilities of commissioned officers. Enlisted Officers can apply to become Commissioned Officers, dependent on their function, performance and leadership ability this may be granted to them or not on a case by case basis.

## All Ranks

### Private

A Private is the lowest rank in the United States Army. They have just begun Basic Combat Training, known colloquially as Basic, and have no responsibility other than to train and learn how to follow orders and execute their assigned soldier duties.

Privates holding the rank of E-1 have no insignia according their rank. They receive this rank upon enlistment in the Army and report to basic training.Their pay grade is E-1.

### Private Second Class

This rank, known and often described as "PV2", is also officially the rank of private. It is one step above the initial rank of private. Soldiers holding this rank have the insignia of one chevron to differentiate them from newly enlisted privates.

Privates holding the rank of E-2 are the most basic soldiers in the active Army. There are in charge of only themselves and their job is to execute an assigned duty to the best of their ability as well as to follow all the commands of those appointed over them.Promotion to this rank is supposed to come automatically after accruing enough experience and time in service, those that are found lacking are intensely mentored, for failure is not an option. Their pay grade is E-2.

### Private First Class

A Private First Class is the highest-ranking level of private in the Army. They are recognized as masters of individual responsibility, and they carry out all tasks and orders assigned to them to the best of their ability.

An individual can enter basic training or join the military with prior military experience and begin at the rank of Private First Class. Privates First Class are the workforce of the US Army, comprising the most populous rank across the organization.

During their time in grade, Privates First Class master all individual duties and responsibilities, preparing them to move on the next rank and start receiving leadership and supervisory duties responsibilities over other soldiers. Promotion to this rank itself is supposed to come automatically after a few years of service, it is extremely uncommon for someone to be stuck as a life-long first classer. Their pay grade is E-3.

### Specialist

A soldier in the Army holding the rank of Specialist holds the first rank with leadership responsibilities. Unofficially known as a team leader, Specialists manage a small number of other soldiers of lower rank, privates of all class.

Officially, the job of a specialist is to ensure soldiers under their charge are experts in the their individual responsibilities and duties. Specialists themselves are recognized experts in the specialized knowledge of individual soldiers in all capacities; it is from this qualification that the name and title of specialists arises.

Specialist is a common rank in the Army, achieved after a minimum of two years of service and after consistently demonstrated good performance of individual duties and responsibilities. PFCs may be waived into the rank of specialist after 18 months' time in service and six months' time in grade. It is granted far more often than corporal (E-4), which is now reserved for personnel who have either passed the Basic Leader Course or have been assigned low-level supervisory duties (with two or more soldiers under direct command). Promotion to this rank generally comes within three years to 72 % of PFC's. Their pay grade is E-4.

### Corporal

Soldiers bearing the rank of Corporal occupy the first rank of the levels of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO's) in the Army. NCO's are responsible the training, performance, appearance, and well being of soldiers.

Corporals occupy the position of team leaders. Although this job is often given to Specialists, since the rank of Specialist is given out much more often than Corporal, it is officially the responsibility of Corporals, since the job of leading soldiers is reserved for NCO's.

Corporals are in charge of a team of soldiers, ranging from two to five personnel, and they are directly responsible for every aspect of the military lives of their soldiers. In addition, they are expected to take care of their soldiers outside of work, ensuring their personal lives are in order and providing them all the help and resources needed when problems arise. 28 % of PFC's are immediately promoted to this rank after two or three years as PFC'S while roughly 80 % of Specialists are expected to be promoted to this rank within two to four years. Their pay grade is E-4.

### Sergeant

A Sergeant is a soldier in the United States Army. Soldiers holding the rank of Sergeant serve as squad leaders, groups of eight to fourteen soldiers.

Occasionally, Sergeants are given command of teams, one unit size smaller than squads, when there exists an excess of non-commissioned officers (NCO's) in rank of Sergeant or above.

That said, according the US Army's Modification Table of Organization and Equipment (MTO&E), Sergeants are supposed to serve as team leaders, while the next highest rank, that of Staff Sergeant, is supposed to serve as squad leaders.

However, given the number of sergeants serving the in the Army and the rate at which promotion works, it has become accepted practice for a Sergeant to serve as a squad leader more often than a team leader.

Sergeants are responsible for the daily caretaking, training, equipping, physical appearance and fitness, and well-being of the soldiers assigned under them. They also stand responsible for the personal lives of their soldiers and charged with making sure they are in order or helping them to become so when problems are identified. Progression to this rank which can happen with in two to five years is an expected goal for most Corporals even though promotion only happens to 74 % of them. Their pay grade is E-5.

### Staff Sergeant

A Staff Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the United States Army usually placed in command of a squad of 9-10 soldiers.

In rare situations, a Staff Sergeant may be placed in command of a larger unit such as a platoon comprising of two to four squads containing anywhere from 16 to 50 soldiers.

In a leadership position, Staff Sergeants will regularly have one or more Sergeants serving under them, and will be responsible for reviewing the performance of their subordinates with periodic Noncommissioned Officer Evaluation Reports.

As an experienced NCO, Staff Sergeants are expected to mentor and effectively lead the soldiers and newly promoted NCOs under them. Alongside field NCOs, soldiers may also be promoted to Staff Sergeant in order to serve in headquarters support positions - these positions are generally referred to as "Staff NCOs". Promotion to this rank either happens by direct recommendation of their superiors to their Sergeant Major or by direct appointment of a Command Sergeant Major.Their pay grade is E-6.

### Sergeant First Class

Sergeant First Class (SFC) is the seventh enlisted rank (E-7) in the U.S. Army, ranking above staff sergeant (E-6) and below master sergeant and first sergeant (E-8), and is the first non-commissioned officer rank designated as a senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO).

A sergeant first class is typically assigned as a platoon sergeant at the company level or battalion operations non-commissioned officer in charge at the battalion level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. In a combat arms role, a sergeant first class is typically in charge of from 18 soldiers and four tanks in an armor platoon to 40 soldiers in a rifle platoon. A sergeant first class' primary responsibilities are tactical logistics, tactical casualty evacuations, and serving as the senior tactical adviser to the platoon leader. Sergeant first class replaced the rank of technical sergeant in 1948. (However, the U.S. Air Force, which separated from the Army in 1947, retained the rank of technical sergeant and the U.S. Marine Corps had the rank of technical sergeant until 1959).

A sergeant first class is addressed as "sergeant" except in certain situations, such as field artillery units, in which a sergeant first class serving as platoon sergeant is commonly referred to as "Smoke".

Sergeant first class is the first enlisted rank in the U.S. Army to be selected by the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee. As such, it is considerably more difficult to achieve than the previous ranks. For the committee independently reviews promotional candidates and then by a majority vote approves the promotion.

A soldier achieving this rank gains not only prestige, but several benefits due to the position. For example, a sergeant first class cannot be demoted by standard non-judicial punishment. To demote a senior non-commissioned officer requires a court martial, or congressional approval, and normally occurs only for offenses that carry heavy punishments. Their pay grade is E-7.

### Master Sergeant

Master Sergeant (MSG) is the eighth enlisted grade (E-8), ranking above sergeant first class and below sergeant major, command sergeant major, Sergeant Major of the Army and equal in grade but not authority to a first sergeant. It is abbreviated as MSG and indicated by three chevrons above three inverted arcs, commonly referred to as "rockers".

A master sergeant is typically assigned as a brigade-level section noncommissioned officer in charge and serves as the subject matter expert in his or her field, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. The equivalent-grade first sergeant is the senior noncommissioned officer of a company, battery, or troop.

When holding the position of first sergeant, while uncommon, the master sergeant is referred to as "first sergeant"; however, when not in the position of first sergeant, master sergeants are addressed as "sergeant". This is the standard address for all pay grades E-5 through E-8. Use of the term "top" or "master sergeant" is not a requirement, but is considered courteous and remains to be at the discretion of the one addressing the master sergeant.

In 1920 the Army combined several regimental level "staff" NCO ranks, including four grades of sergeant major, three grades of quartermaster sergeant, regimental supply sergeant, senior ordnance sergeant, senior band sergeant, four grades of senior master sergeant, and seven additional master-level technical and specialist ranks into the new master sergeant rank. Master sergeant then became the senior enlisted rank, ranking above technical sergeant and first sergeant (a positional rank/title for the senior technical sergeant in a company/battery/troop), while "sergeant major" became a "courtesy title" for the senior master sergeant in a battalion/squadron or higher headquarters.

In 1942, the rank of first sergeant was elevated one grade and was then considered as a junior version of master sergeant, because while first sergeants served as senior NCOs at the company/battery/troop level, master sergeants held positions as the senior NCO in their MOS at battalion/squadron and higher level headquarters. In 1958, both first sergeant and master sergeant were elevated one grade to the new E-8 pay grade, while the rank of sergeant major was restored as the senior enlisted rank at the new pay grade of E-9.

Promotion to this rank happens by the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee after they receive a request for advancement letter from a Sergeant First Class direct superiors. The Committee then deliberates about the merits of the subject of the letter and after reaching a favourable conclusion they ask for permission from the Sergeant Major of the Army to award the subject the rank of Master Sergeant. Though this is mostly a formality.

A Master Sergeant cannot be demoted by standard non-judicial punishment. To demote a senior non-commissioned officer requires a court martial, or congressional approval, and normally occurs only for offenses that carry heavy punishments. Their pay grade is E-8.

### First Sergeant

A First Sergeant is a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the United States Army. As with Master Sergeants, since they serve in the same grade of E-8, soldiers serving at this level usually have a minimum of 15 years of experience in the Army and often many more years of service by the time they attain this rank.

Soldiers holding this rank serve as the senior NCO in a company-sized unit, around 150 soldiers.

They are recognized as the most tactically and technically competent as well as experienced NCO's in companies.

Standing as the final NCO authority at the company level, the are the ultimate enforcers of standards and discipline as well as the final authority on all aspects of soldiering, including but not limited to tactics, techniques, procedures, and living as a member of the United States Army.

Soldiers serving underneath them revere First Sergeants and even officers who work with them at the company level recognize them as the experts and often the final authority on Army matters, despite officers technically holding a higher rank.

Promotion to this rank happens by the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee after they receive a request for advancement letter from the Command Sergeant Major, they then review the candidate and make their own case for advancement for the subject which they send on to the Sergeant Major of the Army. After the candidate gains their approval final say lays with the candidates future peers who must say either aye or nay to the candidates promotion. Nay votes are heavily scrutinized. As a SNCO they can only be demoted for serious offenses through court martial, or congressional approval. Their pay grade is E-8.

### Sergeant Major

Sergeants Major are non-commissioned officers (NCO's) in the United States Army. They are the highest-ranking enlisted soldiers in the military.

Soldiers holding the rank of Sergeant Major serve at the battalion level or higher in staff positions, helping to plan, resource, and conduct unit missions as well as providing valuable insight and advice, based on careers' worth of experience and expertise, into how such operations could be better conducted in the future.

Sergeants Major have a minimum of eighteen years of experience in the Army and often much more than that upon receiving their rank. Their expertise and competence, both technically and tactically, is matched only by other Sergeants Major.

Although they do not directly hold leadership positions, for such jobs are held by Command Sergeants Majors who are soldiers of the same rank but with different responsibilities. They still have charge over all those appointed underneath them in staff positions and those making leadership decisions still often turn them to for advice and help.

Promotion to this rank happens by the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee after the Sergeant Major of the Army themselves has put your name forward for promotion. The Committee then deliberates and after gaining their approval a Brigadier General of the Army must okay it. As a SNCO they can only be demoted for serious offenses through court martial, or congressional approval. Their pay grade is E-9.

### Command Sergeant Major

Command Sergeants Major are non-commissioned officers (NCO's) in the United States Army. As with Sergeants Major, they are the highest-ranking enlisted soldiers in the military, as they share the same grade but have different duties and responsibilities.

Command Sergeants Major hold leadership positions at the battalion level all the way thru the levels of units (battalion, brigade, division, corps, combatant command, forces, command) up to the entire Army, which position is held by the Sergeant Major of the Army.

In the units in which they serve, they are senior-most NCO and the final authority on standards and discipline as well as the all aspects of military life that soldiers experience.

Command Sergeants Major serve alongside the commanders of units at the battalion level and above, providing these officers invaluable insight and advice as they make decisions on how to train and prepare their units to accomplish their assigned missions.
Command Sergeants Major represent the epitome of success as an enlisted soldier in the United States Army. Despite their increased responsibility and prestige they are not officially recognized as having their own independent rank.

Promotion to this rank happens by the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee after the Sergeant Major of the Army themselves has put your name forward for promotion. The Committee then deliberates and after gaining their approval a Major General of the Army must okay it. As a SNCO they can only be demoted for serious offenses through court martial, or congressional approval. Their pay grade is E-9.

### Sergeant Major of the Army

The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is the highest ranking enlisted solider in the entire United States Army, held by one enlisted soldier at a time.

It is the most prestigious and honorable of all enlisted ranks, titles, and positions.

The SMA serves at the right hand of the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA), the highest ranking and senior most general officer in the Army. He serves as both as an advisor to the CSA as well as the final authority on standards and discipline for all soldiers in the Army, enlisted and officer.

Additionally, he serves to address at the highest level any and all issues for the members of the Army's enlisted.

The exact duties and responsibilities of the SMA are the purview of the CSA, but these aforementioned ones have become standard for all SMA's. Beyond these, they execute orders and tasks assigned them by their respective CSA's.

Finally, they serve to try and keep the senior officers in the Army, specifically the CSA, aware of how policies and actions at the Army level affect soldiers down at the active unit level. They are directly appointed by an army Lieutenant General after he gains permission for the appointment from an army four-star General. Their pay grade is E-9.

## Insignia Gallery

All Enlisted Ranks with the ArmySecond Enlisted Ranks Insignia within the ArmyFirst Enlisted Ranks Insignia withing the Army
## Notes

* Generally a quarter of those that serve on the Army Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee originally come from the enlisted ranks.
* Due to the size of the Army in comparison to the Marine Corps its Promotion Committee is six times as numerous.