Passing of a piece of American History

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Oerdin
I'd be happy with 80

I'll remind you of this when you're 79 364/365.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Mao
Really. That's interesting Troll. I'd always been under the impression that technically any NCO could be the first sergeant of a unit. A master sergeant or the like could be the first sergeant of a given unit, signified by a diamond between his stripes, right? Or, a staff sergeant or sergeant first class could even be a unit's first sergeant, couldn't he? I didn't know it was a grade in and of itself. Kinda like a captain or a major or whathaveyou could be CC of a company/battalion for his rank, but his grade would be different.

Also, a master sergeant is 6 stripes, right? I always thought there was also a senior master sergeant with seven stripes, and that the chiefs and sergeant majors would have eight stripes. Is this wrong?

Speaking of the U S Army ranking system only

an E-8 for a company would be the "First Sergeant"

an E-8 "Master Sergeant" would be like in charge of a motor pool

an E-6 or E-7 would be a Platoon Sgt

an E-4 or E-5 most likely a squad leader although could be slightly lower

stripes up top max 3 "rockers" down below max 3

as for in the middle when you start getting to Sgt Major or Command Sgt Major or CSA )Command Sgt Major of the Army thats a different set of balls alltogether

they have difference interior markings

Now to throw a curve ball

sometimes if a particular billet (position) cannot be filled due to lack of ranked personnell, they keep their currewnt rank and are given the title of "Acting" first sgt or "Acting" Platoon Sgt and so forth

hope this helps

Gramps

[Mao]

Hmmm...well my expertise is in Air Force grades/ranks, but they're pretty similar to the Army anyway. Except for the part where IIRC we still have a max of 8 stripes, rather than 6. Thanks for clearing up for my the 1st Sgt thing btw. Technically, though, if say a sergeant first class shows enough proficiency/responsibility/etc. to be first sergeant yet doesn't have enough time in grade to be promoted, couldn't he then be put to be the first sergeant? Rather than having that annoying "acting" prefix added to it? Not that it matters much I guess, just curious.

[Patroklos]

Yeah, but he didn't attain that rank until the 2nd WW, unless the article is worded poorly.

Twenty years to E-8 is actually not bad at all. Enlisted ranks are a little different than Officers. In the ratings you can advance very fast if they really need people in your rating, or if they don't you get advances very slowly.

I bet the advancement rates for everyone was very slow between the wars as well, so he was probobly well above the curve.