Sergeant Sergeant United Empire Loyalists Category="Military ranks"Category="Noncommissioned officers"Category="U.S. Marine Corps enlisted ranks"This article is about the rank of sergeant. For alternate meanings see Sergeant (disambiguation).

In most non-naval Military organizations, a sergeant is a Non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranking above privates and corporals, and below warrant officers and commissioned officers.

There are usually several ranks of sergeant, each corresponding to greater experience and responsibility for the daily lives of the soldiers of larger units. Although even the highest sergeant is officially lower in rank than the lowest Lieutenant, an experienced sergeant will have considerable personal power and know how to exercise it.

Police

The rank of sergeant or its equivalent is common to the Police of many countries. In the British police, Sergeant is senior to Police Constable and junior to Inspector. In most American police departments, Sergeant is the rank junior to Lieutenant. Many police forces also use the rank of Corporal. Police sergeant is usually the highest rank which performs direct field supervision. The New Zealand Police, and Australian police services, also have the rank of Senior Sergeant.

United States military

[image] In the United States Army, although there are several ranks of sergeant, the lowest carries the title of Sergeant, referred to as buck sergeant when needed to distinguish it from the higher ranks. Army NCOs of any rank between Sergeant and Master Sergeant may be referred to as "Sergeant", however.

Sergeant is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above Corporal and below Staff Sergeant, and is the second-lowest grade of Non-commissioned officer.

[image] Similarly, the United States Marine Corps has several ranks which carry the title of sergeant, the lowest of which is Sergeant. U.S.M.C. Sergeants are the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Corporal and below Staff Sergeant.

In the Marine Corps, enlisted ranks above Sergeant are referred to as Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (Staff NCOs or SNCOs). These ranks, Staff Sergeant through Sergeant Major, are always referred to by their full rank and never merely as "Sergeant" although Gunnery Sergeants are commonly addressed as "Gunney Sergeant" or simply "Gunney".

The U.S. Air Force rank of Sergeant (E-4) was phased out in the 1990s. Previously, Senior Airmen were promoted to Sergeant and granted NCO status after 12 months time in grade; this lateral promotion is no longer conferred and Senior Airmen compete directly for promotion to Staff Sergeant. In today's Air Force, the term Sergeant refers to all Air Force NCOs up to and including Senior Master Sergeant.

[image] U.S. military enlisted ranks
 E-1E-2E-3E-4E-5E-6E-7E-8E-9
Air Force:ABAmnA1CSrASSgtTSgtMSgtSMSgtCMSgt - CCM - CMSAF
Army:PV1PV2PFCSPC - CPLSGTSSGSFCMSG - 1SGSGM - CSM - SMA
Marine Corps:PvtPFCLCplCplSgtSSgtGySgtMSgt - 1st SgtMGySgt - SgtMaj - SMOMC
Navy:SRSASNPO3PO2PO1CPOSCPOMCPO - CMCPO - MCPON

British Armed forces

[image] The Sergeants (Sgt) of the British Army wear three point-down chevrons on their sleeves and usually serve as Platoon or Troop sergeants, or in specialist positions. Staff Sergeant is the next most senior rank, above which come Warrant Officers. The Household Cavalry use the rank of Corporal of Horse instead, the only regiments to preserve the old Cavalry tradition of having corporals but not sergeants. The official spelling was Serjeant (Sjt) until after the Second World War, although the modern spelling had already been in common use for many years.

The Royal Marines use the ranks of Sergeant and Colour Sergeant.

[image] The Royal Air Force also has the rank of Sergeant, wearing the same three chevrons. The rank lies between Corporal and Flight Sergeant (or Chief Technician for technicians and musicians). Between 1950 and 1964 sergeants in technical trades were known as Senior Technicians and wore their chevrons point up. On 1 July 1946, aircrew sergeants were redesignated as Aircrew IV, III or II, replacing the chevrons with one, two or three six-pointed stars within a wreath and surmounted by an eagle. [image] This was unpopular and in 1950 they returned to the old rank, but have worn an eagle above their chevrons ever since. Sergeants of the Royal Flying Corps wore a four-bladed propeller above their chevrons.

In the British Indian Army, the equivalent rank was Daffadar in cavalry regiments and Havildar in other units.

Canadian Forces

[image] In the Canadian Forces, a Sergeant (Sgt) wears a maple leaf above three point-down chevrons. The rank is used in both the Army and Air Force. In the army they usually serve as a section commander. Warrant Officer is the next most senior rank.

The Navy equivalent is Petty Officer 2nd Class.

German Armed Forces

[image] In the German language, the rank of Sergeant is known as Feldwebel. The rank has existed since the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. One important difference between Sergeants and Feldwebeln exists: in a typical Bundeswehr company, only one Zug (equivalent to a Platoon) is under the command of an officer, while the other Zugführer (platoon leader) positions are held by Feldwebel-ranked NCOs (typically Hauptfeldwebel and above).

In the modern Germany Army, Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel have a NATO rank code of OR-6, with Unteroffizier and Stabsunteroffizier having a rank code of OR-5.

Polish Army

[image] In the Polish Army rank insignia system there are two grades of sergeant: Sierżant (OR-6 in NATO code) and Starszy Sierżant (OR-7). The rank first appeared in Henryk Dąbrowski's Polish Legions in Italy in the late 18th century. Both ranks are used in the infantry, armoured forces, air force and cavalry. In the Polish Navy, the equivalent is Bosman (literally Boatswain), and in the artillery it is Bombardier or Ogniomistrz (literally Firemaster).

Singapore Armed Forces

[image] [image] [image] In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), there are five different grades of sergeant: 3rd Sergeant (3SG), 2nd Sergeant (2SG), 1st Sergeant (1SG), Staff Sergeant (SSG), and Master Sergeant (MSG). Sergeants as well as Warrant Officers are the non-commissioned officers in the SAF. Soldiers serving National service are promoted to 3SG after passing out of the School of Infantry Specialists (SISPEC)or other training institutes . They can then go on to become 2SGs or 1SGs. The senior NCO ranks, SSG and MSG, are usually only attained by regular soldiers and not conscripts.

Promotion from 3SG to SSG takes an average of 6 years, although there are many factors which may cause a soldier's promotion to cease. These factors include failure to pass an annual physical fitness proficiency test, poor performance in their appointments or getting charged for offences.

3SGs are usually section commanders/second-in-commands (equivalent to a British Lance-Corporal/Corporal, as well as other vocations like Company Quartermaster Sergeants (CQMS) as well as technicians. 2SGs usually serve as platoon sergeants (equivalent to a British Sergeant). 1SGs, SSGs, and MSGs usually serve as Company Sergeant Majors or administrative NCOs at company level or higher (equivalent to British Staff Sergeants and Warrant Officers).

In the Singapore Police Force, the rank of Sergeant lies between Corporal and Staff Sergeant.

Types of Sergeant

Various other ranks of Sergeant, listed very approximately from lowest to highest, as used by various armed forces.

External links

See also