Sergeant (

abbreviated An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ''short'') is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method. It may consist of a group of letters or words taken from the full version of the word or phrase; for example, the word ''abbrevia ...

to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a

rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * ...

in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly ...

and other units that draw their heritage from the British

light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

. Its origin is the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, 'one who serves', through the French term . The term ''sergeant'' refers to a non-commissioned officer placed above the rank of a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...

, and a

police officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...

immediately below a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in the US, and below an

inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

in the UK. In most armies, the rank of sergeant corresponds to command of a

squad In military terminology, a squad is among the smallest of military organizations and is led by a non-commissioned officer. NATO and US doctrine define a squad as an organization "larger than a team, but smaller than a section." while US Army do ...

(or

section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

). In Commonwealth armies, it is a more senior rank, corresponding roughly to a

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...

second-in-command. In the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

, sergeant is a more junior rank corresponding to a squad- (12 person) or platoon- (36 person) leader. More senior non-commissioned ranks are often variations on sergeant, for example

staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

, gunnery sergeant, master sergeant, first sergeant, and

sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...

. In many nations and services, the rank insignia for a sergeant often features three chevrons.

History

In medieval European usage, a sergeant was simply any attendant or officer with a protective duty. Any medieval knight or military order of knighthood might have "sergeants-at-arms", meaning servants able to fight if needed. The etymology of the term is from

Anglo-French Anglo-French (or sometimes Franco-British) may refer to: *France–United Kingdom relations *Anglo-Norman language or its decendants, varieties of French used in medieval England *Anglo-Français and Français (hound), an ancient type of hunting d ...

, "servant, valet, court official, soldier", from

Middle Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying deg ...

"servant, vassal, soldier". Later, a "soldier sergeant" was a man of what would now be thought of as the "middle class", fulfilling a slightly junior role to the knight in the medieval hierarchy. Sergeants could fight either as heavy cavalry, light cavalry, or as trained professional infantry; either spearmen or crossbowmen. Most notable medieval mercenaries fell into the "sergeant" class, such as

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

crossbowmen and spearmen, who were seen as reliable quality troops. The sergeant class was deemed to be 'worth half of a knight' in military value. A specific kind of military sergeant was the

serjeant-at-arms A serjeant-at-arms, or sergeant-at-arms, is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word "serjeant" is derived from the Latin ''serviens'', which means "servant". Historically, s ...

, one of a body of armed men retained by English lords and monarchs. The title is now given to an officer in modern legislative bodies who is charged with keeping order during meetings and, if necessary, forcibly removing disruptive members. The term had also civilian applications quite distinct and different from the military sergeant, though sharing the etymological origin – for example the

serjeant-at-law A Serjeant-at-Law (SL), commonly known simply as a Serjeant, was a member of an order of barristers at the English and Irish Bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law (''servientes ad legem''), or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writ ...

, historically an important and prestigious order of English lawyers.

Types of sergeant

"Sergeant" is generally the lowest rank of sergeant, with individual military entities choosing some additional words to signify higher-ranking individuals. What terms are used, and what seniority they signify, is to a great extent dependent on the individual armed service. The term "sergeant" is also used in many appointment titles.

Ranks

Chief sergeant Chief sergeant is a rank used in uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. NATO code While the rank of chief sergeant is used in a number of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country. Insignia of ...

* Chief master sergeant *

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (acronym: CMSAF) is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. The holder of this rank and position of office represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force, ...

* Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force * Colour sergeant * Command sergeant major * Company sergeant * First sergeant * Second sergeant * Third sergeant * Flight sergeant * Gunnery sergeant * Master gunnery sergeant * Master sergeant * Senior master sergeant *

Junior sergeant A junior sergeant is a military rank used in the armed forces of many countries. It is usually placed below sergeant. Russia Junior sergeant (russian: Младший сержант, Mladshy serzhant) is the designation to the lowest rank in the ...

* Senior sergeant *

Senior staff sergeant Senior staff sergeant (abbreviation: SSS or SSSGT) is a non-commissioned rank in the Singapore Police Force and St. John Brigade Singapore. Organisations St. John Brigade Singapore The rank of Senior staff sergeant (SSSGT) was implemented i ...

* Sergeant first class *

Sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...

Sergeant Major of the Army The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is servi ...

* Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps *

Staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

* Station sergeant *

Technical sergeant Technical sergeant is the name of two current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States Armed Forces, as well as in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. Outside the United States, it is used only by the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and the ...

Appointments

* Academy sergeant major *

Band sergeant major Band sergeant major (BSM)Note that in the British Army, the plural is "band sergeant majors" and not "band sergeants major". The earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in ''The Times'' is in 1822. The last of the (very occasional) usages of "serge ...

Company quartermaster sergeant Company quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment. Canada A company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS) in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as the depu ...

* Company sergeant major *

Drill sergeant A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors. Australia A ...

* Drum major * First sergeant *

Garrison sergeant major A garrison sergeant major (GSM) in the British Army is the senior warrant officer of a garrison and holds the rank of warrant officer class 1. The GSM London District, always a guardsman, holds one of the four most senior WO1 appointments in t ...

Master tailor A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

Petty officer A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be super ...

* Pioneer sergeant *

Pipe major The pipe major is the leading musician of a pipe band, whether military or civilian. Like the appointment of drum major, the position is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term sergeant piper was used ...

Platoon sergeant In many militaries, a platoon sergeant is the senior enlisted member of a platoon, who advises and supports the platoon's commanding officer in leading the unit. Singapore In the Singapore Armed Forces, a platoon sergeant serves as the bridge ...

* Platoon sergeant major *

Provost sergeant A Provost Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer associated with military police. United Kingdom and Commonwealth realm In the British Army and land forces of the Commonwealth, a Provost Sergeant (sometimes abbreviated to Provo Sgt) is the non- ...

* Quartermaster sergeant instructor *

Recruiting sergeant A recruiting sergeant is a British or American soldier of the rank of sergeant who is tasked to enlist recruits. The term originated in the British army of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The playwright George Farquhar served as an inf ...

Regimental quartermaster sergeant Regimental quartermaster sergeant (RQMS) is a military rank in some militaries, and an appointment in others. Irish Defence Forces Battalion quartermaster sergeant (BQMS, ''ceathrúsháirsint cathláin'' in Irish) is a rank in the Irish Army an ...

Regimental sergeant major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australia ...

Sergeant Airborne Sergeant (abbreviation, abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a Military rank, rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is use ...

* Sergeant major instructor *

Sergeant pilot A sergeant pilot was a non-commissioned officer who had undergone flight training and was a qualified pilot in the air forces of several Commonwealth countries before, during and after World War II. It was also a term used in the United States A ...

Serjeant-at-arms A serjeant-at-arms, or sergeant-at-arms, is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word "serjeant" is derived from the Latin ''serviens'', which means "servant". Historically, s ...

* Squadron quartermaster sergeant * Squadron sergeant major *

Staff sergeant major Staff sergeant majorNote that in the British Army, the plural is "staff sergeant majors" and not "staff sergeants major". The earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in ''The Times'' is in 1822. The last of the (very occasional) usages of "sergeant ...

Troop sergeant major A troop sergeant major (TSM)Note that in the British Army, the plural is "troop sergeant majors" and not "troop sergeants major". The earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in ''The Times'' is in 1822. The last of the (very occasional) usages of "s ...

Current adaptations

In most non-naval

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

paramilitary A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...

organizations, the various grades of sergeant are non-commissioned officers (NCOs) ranking above privates and

s, and below

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mos ...

s and

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

s. The responsibilities of a sergeant differ from army to army. There are usually several ranks of sergeant, each corresponding to greater experience and responsibility for the daily lives of the soldiers of larger units. In police forces, sergeants are usually team leaders in charge of an entire team of constables to senior constables at large stations, to being in charge of sectors involving several police stations. In country areas, sergeants are often in charge of an entire station and its

constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...

. Senior sergeants are usually in specialist areas and are in charge of sergeants and thus act as middle management.

Australia

Sergeant (Sgt) is a rank in both the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...

and the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

. The ranks are equivalent to each other and the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

rank of

petty officer A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be super ...

. Although the rank insignia of the RAAF rank of flight sergeant (Flt Sgt) and the Australian Army rank of

(SSgt) are identical, flight sergeant in fact outranks the rank of staff sergeant in the classification of rank equivalencies. The Australian Army rank of staff sergeant is now redundant and is no longer awarded, due to being outside the rank equivalencies and the next promotional rank is warrant officer class two. Chief petty officers and flight sergeants are not required to call a warrant officer class two "sir" in accordance with Australian Defence Force Regulations 1952 (Regulation 8). The rank of sergeant exists in all Australian police forces and is of higher ranking than a constable or senior constable, but lower than an

. The sergeant structure varies among state police forces, generally two sergeant ranks are commonly classed as non-commissioned officers: * Sergeant (Sgt) (three chevrons); and * Senior sergeant (Sen Sgt) (three chevrons, crown surmounted by a laurel leaf)

South Australia Police South Australia Police (SAPOL) is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. SAPOL is an independent statutory agency of the Government of South Australia directed by the Commissioner of Police, who reports to the Minister for ...

has the additional rank of

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

sergeant (two chevrons below an inverted arrow head) which is an authorization for a temporarily higher rank. A brevet sergeant is less senior than a sergeant. New South Wales Police Force has the additional rank of incremental sergeant (three chevrons and a crown). This is an incremental progression, following an appointment as a sergeant for seven years. An incremental sergeant rank is less senior than a senior sergeant but is more senior than a sergeant. Upon appointment as a sergeant or senior sergeant, the sergeant is given: * A warrant of appointment under the commissioner's hand and seal. * A navy blue backing (which replaces a light blue backing to the officer's police badge) * A navy blue nameplate (which replaces a light blue nameplate) * A silver chinstrap positioned above his peaked cap on his headdress, replacing a black chinstrap. Within the

New South Wales Police Force The New South Wales Police Force (NSW Police Force; previously the New South Wales Police Service and New South Wales Police) is the primary law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Divided into Police Area Commands (P ...

, a sergeant is a team leader or supervisory rank, whilst the rank of senior sergeant is a middle management rank with coordination responsibilities over human and physical resources. All three sergeant ranks are informally referred to as "sergeant", or "sarge". However, at the New South Wales Police Academy, recruits must address all ranks of sergeants as "sergeant", and senior sergeants as "senior sergeant".

Bangladesh

Army Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer rank in the

Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and def ...

, falling between master sergeant and

.
Airforce Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer rank in the

Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of B ...

, falling between

and

.
Police Sergeant is a subordinate officer rank in the

Bangladesh Police The Bangladesh Police ( bn, বাংলাদেশ পুলিশ) of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a law enforcement agency, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It plays a crucial role in maintaining peace, and enforcemen ...

, falling between assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and sub-inspector (SI).

Canada

Army and Air Force

Sergeant (Sgt) (french: sergent or ) is an

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

non-commissioned officer rank of the

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

. Its naval equivalent is

petty officer 2nd class Petty may refer to: People * Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist * Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player * Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host * Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Amer ...

(french: maître de 2e classe). It is senior to the appointment of master corporal and its equivalent naval appointment,

master seaman Master sailor, formerly Master seaman,Government of Canada. D Cdts. National Defence. "''Cadet Instructor Cadre - Basic Officer Qualification Course - Programmed Instructional Package''". 2006. Chapter 2, Annex A, "''Abbreviations for Titles and ...

, and junior to

and its naval equivalent, petty officer 1st class. Sergeants and petty officers 2nd class are the only

senior non-commissioned officers A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

in the Canadian Armed Forces, as WOs, MWOs and CWOs are warrant officers, not senior NCOs in accordance with the Queens Regulations and Orders. Volume 1, Article 102 "Definitions". In army units, sergeants usually serve as

commanders; they may often be called to fill positions normally held by

s, such as

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...

warrant,

company quartermaster sergeant Company quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment. Canada A company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS) in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as the depu ...

, chief clerk, etc. The rank insignia of a sergeant is a three-bar chevron, worn point down, surmounted by a maple leaf. Embroidered rank badges are worn in "CF gold" thread on rifle green Melton, stitched to the upper sleeves of the service dress jacket; as miniature gold metal and rifle-green enamel badges on the collars of the army dress shirt and army outerwear jackets; in "old-gold" thread on air force blue slip-ins on air force shirts, sweaters, and coats; and in a tan thread on

CADPAT Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPAT; french: links=no, dessin de camouflage canadien, DcamC) is the computer-generated digital camouflage pattern developed for use by the Canadian Armed Forces. Four operational variations of CADPAT have been use ...

slip-ins (army) or dark blue thread on olive-drab slip-ins (air force) on the operational dress uniform. Colour sergeant in the Canadian Armed Forces is not a rank of sergeant, but a warrant officer in one of the two Foot Guards regiments (the

Governor General's Foot Guards The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is the senior reserve infantry regiment in the Canadian Army. Located in Ottawa at the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry unit, and the members are part-time soldiers. ...

and the

Canadian Grenadier Guards , colors = , march = Quick: "The British Grenadiers""Slow: "Grenadiers Slow March""Slow: "Scipio" , mascot = , identification_symbol = White (left side of bearski ...

). Likewise, a

sergeant-major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the ...

(including

regimental sergeant-major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australia ...

) is not a sergeant rank, but an appointment held by a master warrant officer or

chief warrant officer Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Pakistan Air Force, the Israel Defense Forces, the South African National Defence Force, the Lebanese Armed Forces and, since 2012, th ...

. Sergeants generally mess and billet with warrant officers, master warrant officers, and chief warrant officers, and their naval counterparts,

chief petty officer A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards. Canada "Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxi ...

s and

s. Their mess on military bases or installations is generally named the warrant officers' and sergeants' mess. Historically, the rank of sergeant was severely downgraded after unification of the three services in 1968. An army sergeant before unification was generally employed in supervisory positions, such as the second in command of a platoon-sized unit (i.e. an infantry platoon sergeant, or troop sergeant in an armoured unit). After unification, sergeants were downgraded in status to section commander, a job previously held by

s, and the former "platoon/troop sergeants" were replaced by "platoon/troop warrant officers".

Police

Police forces across Canada also use the rank of sergeant and staff sergeant for senior non-commissioned officers above the rank of constable or corporal. Except in the

province of Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirteen p ...

and in the

Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...

, the insignia for a police sergeant is three chevrons, worn point down. Staff sergeants rank above sergeants and are responsible for a unit or team within a station or division. The insignia for a staff sergeant is three chevrons, worn point down surmounted by a royal crown. In the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the insignia for a sergeant is three chevrons, worn point down surmounted by a royal crown (which is the insignia of a staff sergeant in other Canadian police forces). The insignia of a staff sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is four chevrons worn point up.

Denmark

In the

Danish Defence Danish Defence ( da, Forsvaret, fo, Danska verjan, kl, Illersuisut) is the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark charged with the defence of Denmark and its constituent, self-governing nations Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The De ...

, sergeants are typically squad (6-12 soldiers) or section commanders. The sergeants in the Danish forces also act as drill sergeants and platoon instructors, training both new soldiers in basic training, as well as professional soldiers. Sergeants with 1–2 years in the rank, who are in basic training units, are often second-in-command of the platoon. In professional units, the role of second-in-command in the platoon is sometimes given to a very experienced sergeant, but in most cases will be a Senior sergeant ( da, Oversergent), the rank above sergeant. Sergeants in the Danish military are instructors in military drill, weapons, field-craft, small unit tactics, and physical training.

Finland

Army

(

Finnish language Finnish ( endonym: or ) is a Uralic language of the Finnic branch, spoken by the majority of the population in Finland and by ethnic Finns outside of Finland. Finnish is one of the two official languages of Finland (the other being Swedish ...

abrv. kers.) or ''Sergeant'' (

swedish language Swedish ( ) is a North Germanic language spoken predominantly in Sweden and in parts of Finland. It has at least 10 million native speakers, the fourth most spoken Germanic language and the first among any other of its type in the Nordic countr ...

abrv. Serg) is in

Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defence Forces ( fi, Puolustusvoimat, sv, Försvarsmakten) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime the Finnish Border Guard (whic ...

the second and highest non-commissioned officer rank that a conscript who has completed the junior NCO course ( in Finnish) can reach before entering the reserve. The lowest and most common non-commissioned officer rank is (lit. "lower sergeant"); see

. Only a few non-commissioned officers in each conscript company reach the higher rank of full three-chevron . There's no difference between the 4-month squad leader training and service time of and ; all start their squad leader tour with the lower rank and the optional promotion is based on the superior's assessment of individual performance and intended duties in the wartime organization; special roles such as that of platoon sergeant or company first sergeant are typically reserved for and upwards. A corporal can also obtain the rank of sergeant (and possibly above, the next rank being four-chevron , which is comparable to staff sergeant) by taking some military refresher courses while in reserve, or by enlisting to (short-term) professional service in the military.

France

Army

French sergeant ranks are used by the air force, engineers, infantry, Foreign Legion, , communications, administrative service, and . Other branches of the army and use the equivalent ranks of ("marshal of lodgings" in English) instead of sergeant ranks. There were three sergeant ranks in France, although the most junior, contract sergeant, has been superseded by student sub-officer now that conscription has been suspended. When the army contained a large proportion of conscripts, contract sergeant was very common as a rank for conscripts considered to have leadership potential. In general the term was used for both contract sergeant and career sergeant. Contract sergeant was classified as the lowest sub-officer rank, the rank below being chief corporal. * Student sub-officer, (formerly "contract sergeant", ): One chevron, gold or silver.
"Contract sergeant" was a rank used for junior sergeants, either conscripts or reservists. The rank insignia is used nowadays for students. After a certain amount of time, a student sub-officer is entitled to be addressed "sergeant". * Sergeant, (formerly "career sergeant", ): Two chevrons.
Normal sergeant rank, though normally directly recruited from civilian life into the sub-officer ranks, so the rank implies less experience and higher academic requirements than for a commonwealth sergeant. As a typical rank for the command of a squad (typically eight soldiers), a tank, or a gun, this rank is roughly equivalent to a commonwealth corporal, a US Army staff sergeant, or a US Marine Corps sergeant. * Principal sergeant, : Three chevrons.
With long service, a sergeant's promotion to chief sergeant is automatic. Typically being a platoon second-in-command, the holder of this rank is therefore equivalent to a commonwealth sergeant or a US " sergeant first class". The next rank up is adjutant.

Germany

Army/Air Force

In modern-day usage within the German the rank of sergeant is known as , historically it was the German army rank of corporal. The rank has existed since the 18th century, with usage as a title dating back to the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. The ranks of the (NCOs) are divided into two categories, the making up the cadre of junior non-commissioned officers and the making up the cadre of senior non-commissioned officers. The duties of a sergeant can vary greatly with its rank: In a typical

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

, the (OR-5) are only leading one (

) whereas the position of (

platoon leader {{unreferenced, date=February 2013 A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth militaries and the United States Marine Corps, US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This pers ...

) are held by a higher ranked NCOs (typically OR-7) with according training. The platoon's "second in command", is usually held by a "Feldwebel / Oberfeldwebel" (OR-6). The German Army rank order is: OR-5, OR-5, OR-5, OR-6, OR-6, OR-6, OR-7, OR-7, OR-8 and OR-9.

Navy

is a naval rank of the German navy equivalent to the army rank of . A is considered the equivalent of a junior petty officer in the navies of many other nations. The term is derived from the low German (comrade). Via the Dutch language, the word became a nautical term and described the assistant to a deck officer. Since the second half of the 17th century were the lowest class of non-commissioned officers aboard a warship. The German Navy rank order is: OR-5, OR-5, OR-5, OR-6, OR-6, OR-6, OR-7, OR-7, OR-8 and OR-9.

Hong Kong

Army and air force

During British rule, the rank of sergeant was held by members of the

RAF The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

( flight sergeant or sergeant (air crew)) or

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

serving in

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

. The rank was held by local enlisted men with the

Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) ()), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong. Its powers and duties were mandated by the Royal Hong Kong R ...

and Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) Regimental Police.

Police

Hong Kong Police Force The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) is the primary law enforcement, investigative agency, and largest Hong Kong Disciplined Services, disciplined service under the Security Bureau (Hong Kong), Security Bureau of Hong Kong. The Royal Hong Kong Po ...

sergeants are in charge of a section or command a vehicle on patrol. Their rank is symbolized by three chevrons and worn on their arm and/or lapel. The rank is also used by the

Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force provides additional manpower to the Hong Kong Police Force, especially during emergencies and other incidents. The HKAPF's mandate is governed by the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force Ordinance. History Th ...

(station sergeant (auxiliary) and sergeant (auxiliary)). There also sergeants in the Hong Kong Police Force Pipe Band, who carry their rank from their regular policing duties.

Others

Two other non-military organizations use the ranks of sergeant: *

Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps The Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps () is a voluntary uniformed group (although employees working at headquarters are paid) subsidised by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong government and is registered under the Societies Ordinance as a non-pr ...

** Sergeant instructor ** Cadet sergeant *

Hong Kong Adventure Corps The Hong Kong Adventure Corps is a voluntary uniformed group subsidised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was created in 1995 with ties to the British Army's Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force. Like the Hong ...

** Staff sergeant ** Sergeant ** Cadet staff sergeant ** Cadet sergeant

Indonesia

In the Indonesian

and maritime security agency, the rank "sergeant" is known as . There are four levels, which are: sergeant (), staff sergeant (), master sergeant (), and sergeant major ().

India and Pakistan

Police

In many metropolitan police forces in both India and Pakistan, a sergeant (called armed sub-inspectors in some states) is equivalent to a police sub-inspector. They are subordinate to police inspectors in rank but are senior to assistant sub-inspectors, head constables, ''naiks'' (corporals) and police constables in Indian police forces. In British-India days, the practice began of transferring British Army NCOs to Indian constabularies to teach them foot and rifle drill and weapons handling (called "musketry") and to maintain disciplinary standards. This is the historical origin of the rank of sergeant in the forces of today's Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata (their equivalents in state forces are called armed sub-inspectors). Sergeants have always served in the non-investigative branches of the 'protective police' .g., armed and mounted branches; port, river, and traffic police, reserve forces, etc.and one per police station. Their use is focused more upon security and public order situations than investigating routine domestic, commercial, and street crime which is the purview of the investigative branches of the 'detective police' where their counterparts are called sub-inspectors. Head constables (not to be confused with sergeants) wear three chevrons (rank insignia) point-down on their sleeve or three bars on their epaulettes.

Army

In the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

, the equivalent rank to sergeant was ''

daffadar Daffadar ( Hindustani: दफ़ादार (Devanagari) ; ( Nastaliq)) is the equivalent rank to sergeant in the Indian and Pakistani cavalry, as it was formerly in the British Indian Army. The rank below is lance daffadar. The equivalent i ...

'' in cavalry regiments and ''

havaldar Havildar or havaldar (Hindustani language, Hindustani: or (Devanagari), (Perso-Arabic script, Perso-Arabic)) is a rank in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese armies, equivalent to sergeant. It is not used in cavalry units, where the equivalent ...

'' in other units. These ranks are still used in the armies of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Air Force

In the

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

and the

Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...

, the rank of sergeant is above a

and below of junior warrant officer. The rank insignia is a three-pointed-down chevron. The rank of flight sergeant is now obsolete with the renomination given as

junior warrant officer Junior or Juniors may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959 * ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009 * ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010 * ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019 Films * ''Junior'' (1994 ...

. The rank of a sergeant is designated as a

senior non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

Ireland

Army

Sergeant (Sgt) ( in

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

) is the second rank of non-commissioned officer within the

Irish Army The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. The A ...

. The

naval A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

equivalent is

. The army rank insignia consists of three winged chevrons (or "stripes"). The service dress insignia consists of three wavy red chevrons 9 cm wide bordered in yellow. The main infantry role of a sergeant is as second-in-command of a

or commander of a fire support section of a weapons platoon, such as an anti-tank or mortar platoon. Another role is that of company clerk and instructor. There are higher ranks of company sergeant and company quartermaster sergeant. Artillery sergeants are usually assigned as detachment and section commanders, as well as in administrative roles. The difference in roles of sergeant and corporal in the artillery corps is not as clearly defined as in the infantry corps. Sergeant is also the second rank of non-commissioned officer in the

Irish Air Corps "Watchful and Loyal" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = ''see list of wars'' , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , fl ...

. Before 1994, the Air Corps was considered part of the army and wore army uniforms with distinct corps badges, but the same rank insignia. With the introduction of a unique Air Corps blue uniform in 1994, the same rank markings in a white colour were worn, before the introduction of a new three-chevron with wing rank marking. There are higher ranks of flight sergeant and flight quartermaster sergeant.

Police

Sergeant is the second rank in the , above and below inspector. Sergeants appointed as detectives use the rank title detective sergeant (DS). They do not outrank regular sergeants, the 'detective' prefix indicates that they are permanently allocated to detective duties.

Israel

Defense forces

In the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, soldiers are promoted from corporal to sergeant after approximately 18 months of service (16 for combatants), if they performed their duties appropriately during this time, and did not have disciplinary problems. Soldiers who take a commander's course may become sergeants earlier. Sergeants get a symbolic pay raise of 1.80

NIS Nis, Niš, NiS or NIS may refer to: Places * Niš, a city in Serbia * Nis, Iran, a village * Ness, Lewis ( gd, Nis, links=no), a village in the Outer Hebrides islands Businesses and organizations * Naftna Industrija Srbije, Petroleum Industry o ...

. The Hebrew name for the rank is originated as an acronym for ("supernumerary lieutenant") (inspired by the abbreviation "NCO"). Nowadays is no longer treated as an acronym or an abbreviation .

Police

In the Israeli Police, sergeant is the third rank, coming after

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

and

. Officers are promoted to this rank after a year as a corporal, or after 20 months of service in total. Excelling officers may be promoted to this rank (or any other rank) in up to 6 months instead of a year.

Italy

Army

In the

Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...

, the rank of , ("sergeant") is the first rank of the warrant officers sergeant role, equivalent to NATO OR-5 grade. The two next senior ranks are (literally "major sergeant") and (literally "chief major sergeant"). For paratroopers, the ranks of and are bordered in blue.

Mexico

Army

In the Mexican Army, the corporal is junior to (second sergeant) and (first sergeant).

Netherlands

:See ''

Military ranks of the Dutch armed forces The Military ranks of the Netherlands armed forces are the military insignia used by the armed forces of the Netherlands. Royal Netherlands Army Current ranks ;Officer ranks ;Enlisted ranks The Dutch titles for privates are: Timeline of rank ...

'' The

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...

Royal Netherlands Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...

and

Royal Netherlands Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force'' , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

all use the rank of sergeant. Within the cavalry, artillery and in the

Royal Marechaussee The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee ( nl, Koninklijke Marechaussee, abbreviated to KMar) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, performing military and civilian police duties. It is also one of the two national pol ...

a sergeant is called a "" Within the air force and navy a sergeant is identified by three chevrons. In the army, a sergeant has one gold chevron (or silver if a in the cavalry or the Royal Marechaussee or a sergeant in the Military Administration).

New Zealand

Only the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

and

New Zealand Army , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...

use sergeant as a rank, identifiable by the three chevrons. The

Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...

has the equivalent rank of

. Promotion to sergeant in the

New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, prom ...

is usually around nine to ten years service and commands considerable responsibility and an increase in pay.

Philippines

The rank of sergeant ( es, sargento; tl, sarhento) existed and was used by the

Philippine Revolutionary Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army, later renamed Philippine Republican Army (Philippine Spanish, Spanish: ''Ejército Revolucionario Filipino''; Tagalog language, Tagalog: ''Panghimagsikang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''), was the official arme ...

during the Philippine Revolution and

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...

. The badge of rank was two chevrons sewn onto the

Rayadillo Rayadillo was a blue-and-white striped cotton or flannel material used to make the military uniforms worn by Spanish colonial soldiers from the mid 19th century until the early 20th century. It was commonly worn by soldiers posted in overseas Sp ...

sleeve. The ranks of sergeant, staff sergeant, master sergeant, and chief master sergeant are today used in the

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) ( Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...

Philippine Marine Corps The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) ( fil, Hukbong Kawal Pandagat ng Pilipinas) is the marine corps of the Philippines, a naval infantry force under the command of the Philippine Navy. The PMC conducts amphibious, expeditionary, and special op ...

and Philippine Air Force. Rank insignia is very similar to that used in the United States. First chief master sergeant is an appointment rather than a rank and is somewhat equivalent to a sergeant major in the United States. The rank stands below

and above

Poland

Army

In the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stre ...

rank insignia system there are two grades of sergeant: (OR-6 in NATO code) and (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. In the cavalry the equivalent is (literally wachtmeister). In the artillery the equivalent is (literally

firemaster Chief fire officer (CFO), formerly often just chief officer, is the highest rank in the Fire services in the United Kingdom, fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom. There are currently 50 chief fire officers serving in the United Kingdom i ...

). In the Polish Navy, the equivalent is (literally

boatswain A boatswain ( , ), bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun, also known as a deck boss, or a qualified member of the deck department, is the most senior rate of the deck department and is responsible for the components of a ship's hull. The boatswain supervi ...

Russia

Armed Forces

Within the

Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (, ), commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military forces of Russia. In terms of active-duty personnel, they are the world's fifth-largest military force, with at least two m ...

, there are three ranks which are explicitly sergeant ranks:

junior sergeant A junior sergeant is a military rank used in the armed forces of many countries. It is usually placed below sergeant. Russia Junior sergeant (russian: Младший сержант, Mladshy serzhant) is the designation to the lowest rank in the ...

(, ), sergeant (, ) and senior sergeant (, ). There is also a rank called "" (), which is often translated as "master sergeant". These ranks are inherited from the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

. In the Soviet army, most sergeants (with the exception of the aforementioned ) were not career non-commissioned officers but specially trained conscripts; the rank of was reserved for career non-commissioned officers. In the modern Russian army, there are attempts to change this system and make most or all sergeants career non-commissioned officers; they are met with limited success.

Police

Unlike most police forces of the world, in the

Russian police The Police of Russia () is the national law-enforcement agency in Russia, operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs from . It was established by decree from Peter the Great and in 2011, replacing the Militsiya, the former police service. ...

sergeant is a starting, entry-level rank. Ranks of "policeman" or "senior policeman" are not used in Russia (the rank of "

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

of police" technically exists but is rare, and most recruits become sergeants right away). It is divided into three grades the same way as the army sergeant rank.

Singapore

Singapore Armed Forces

In the

Singapore Armed Forces The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...

(SAF), there are five different grades of sergeant: third sergeant (3SG), second sergeant (2SG), first sergeant (1SG),

(SSG), and master sergeant (MSG). Sergeants are considered specialists in the SAF. They are equivalent to the non-commissioned officers of other militaries. Soldiers must complete their specialist course at the

Specialist Cadet School The Specialist Cadet School (SCS) is the military training centre for the Singapore Armed Forces' specialists, the equivalent of non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in other countries' armed forces. Made up of twelve companies divided into three ...

, formerly known as the School of Infantry Specialists (SISPEC) or other training institutes before being promoted to third sergeant. While active duty national servicemen may be promoted to second sergeant, most personnel holding ranks above that are career soldiers. Promotion from third sergeant to staff sergeant takes an average of 6 years, although there are many factors that may cause a soldier's promotion to cease. These factors include failure to pass an annual physical fitness proficiency test, poor performance, or being charged for offences. Third sergeants are usually

commanders. They may also hold certain logistics or administrative posts such as

. Second sergeants usually serve as

platoon sergeant In many militaries, a platoon sergeant is the senior enlisted member of a platoon, who advises and supports the platoon's commanding officer in leading the unit. Singapore In the Singapore Armed Forces, a platoon sergeant serves as the bridge ...

s. First sergeants, staff sergeants and master sergeants usually serve as company sergeant majors or administrative specialists at

level or higher.

Home Team

In the

Singapore Police Force The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; human, wea ...

Singapore Civil Defence Force The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is an uniformed organisation in Singapore under the Ministry of Home Affairs that provides emergency services such as firefighting, technical rescue, and emergency medical services, and coordinates nati ...

Singapore Prison Service The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) is a government agency of the Government of Singapore under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It runs 14 prisons and drug rehabilitation centres in Singapore. Its responsibilities encompass the s ...

and

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is a law-enforcement command within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the border control agency responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in Singapore. IC ...

, the rank of sergeant lies between corporal and staff sergeant. Unlike most police forces in the world, the rank of sergeant has been changed since the late 1990s to an entry-level rank for Diploma/GCE "A" Level holders rather than a supervisory one.

Uniformed Youth Organisations

In the

National Cadet Corps National Cadet Corps may refer to: *Bangladesh National Cadet Corps * National Cadet Corps (Ghana) *National Cadet Corps (India) * National Cadet Corps (Pakistan) *National Cadet Corps (Singapore) *National Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka) The Nation ...

(NCC), the rank of third sergeant is below second sergeant, and above corporal. In the

National Police Cadet Corps The National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) is one of the national uniformed group for youths between age 13 to 17 in Singapore. The organisation is supported by the Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational governme ...

(NPCC) and the

National Civil Defence Cadet Corps The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognised member of the National Uniformed Group. The creation of this Uniformed Group was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in ...

(NCDCC), the rank of sergeant is below staff sergeant, and above corporal. The rank of third sergeant and sergeant is held by cadets who have been appointed as non-commissioned officers by their units and thus have the power to command a squad. NPCC and NCDCC sergeants wear a rank insignia of three pointed-down chevrons, with the letters 'NPCC' and 'NCDCC' located below the insignia, so as to differentiate NPCC and NCDCC

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

s from

and

personnel respectively. NCC third sergeants, second sergeants and first sergeants wear a rank insignia of three pointed-down chevrons, three pointed-down chevrons with one pointed-up chevron and three pointed-down chevrons with two pointed up-chevrons respectively, all with the letters 'NCC' located below the insignia, so as to differentiate NCC cadets from

personnel. In the St John Brigade (SJB), the rank of sergeant is above corporal and below staff sergeant. It is usually held by a non-commissioned officer.

Sri Lanka

Army

Sergeant is used as a rank in the

Sri Lanka Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

. It is senior to corporal and junior to staff sergeant. It is denoted by three chevrons.

Air Force

Sergeant is also used as a rank in the Sri Lanka Air Force. It is senior to corporal and junior to flight sergeant. It is denoted by three chevrons.

Police

The rank of sergeant exists in the

Sri Lanka Police Service (The one who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma itself) , mission = , formedyear = , preceding1 = Ceylon Police Force (1866–1972) , dissolved = , superseding = , employees = ...

. It is senior to constable but junior to

sub-inspector Sub-inspector (SI), or sub-inspector of police, is a rank used extensively in South Asia: in the police forces of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British col ...

. * Police sergeant class 1 (PS) * Police sergeant class 2 (PS)

South Korea

South Korean armed forces share the same rank system to each other's (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine). So here we only note the army. In the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, the term 'sergeant' is often matched to the rank of ( ko, 병장; ''lit.'' "chief soldier"). As suggested in the Korean name, is not a non-commissioned officer rank like in the U.S. Army; instead, it is the highest enlisted rank below non-commissioned officers. The rank insignia for is four horizontal bars, which also indicates that the rank is not an NCO rank, but a senior

rank. As of 2018, if a

conscripted Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day und ...

soldier doesn't opt for further service in the Armed Forces and has no reason for disqualification, his last rank before the discharge is . In case of the Army, may be given the responsibility of a 7–8 men squad if not ( ko, 하사) (a rank right above , equivalent to

of U.S. Army and the lowest NCO rank) is appointed in that position, but still not treated as an NCO in any occasion. The ranks above are the true non-commissioned officer ranks: ( ko, 하사), ( ko, 중사), ( ko, 상사), and ( ko, 원사). They are usually matched and translated into the U.S. Army's ranks from staff sergeant (E–6) to sergeant major (E–9), but that doesn't mean that those ranks are true equivalents in the roles and how they are treated in the Armed Forces. Most notably, if a person decides to start his/her military career as a non-commissioned officer, (staff sergeant) is the first rank given, and it's also the last rank before the discharge if he or she opts for discharge after finishing the mandatory service years, or fails to qualify for 'long-term service.' Instead of the horizontal bars of non-NCO enlisted ranks, they use chevrons as their rank insignia.

Spain

In the

Spanish military The Spanish Armed Forces are in charge of guaranteeing the sovereignty and independence of the Kingdom of Spain, defending its territorial integrity and the constitutional order, according to the functions entrusted to them by the Constitution o ...

the enlisted ranks of and the more senior are junior to the and senior to the ranks of (corporal).

Taiwan

Sergeant () of the Taiwanese military ranks above staff sergeant and below master sergeant third class, making it different from the armed forces of other countries where sergeant ranks lower than staff sergeant. The rank of sergeant exists in the

and the

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

, and is equivalent to the petty officer first class in the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

Sweden

Army

In Sweden, is the most junior specialist officers rank above (a squad leader at skill level C (advanced)) and below . The Swedish rank system comprises two different types of officers, "specialist officers" (in other countries categorized as NCO:s) and "tactical officers". Though marked as OR 6 to OR 9, the Swedish rank system is that of a parallel system, and both officer categories mentioned above are recognized as officers according to the stipulations of commission, given by Swedish parliament. The rank of (OR 7) is superior to that of a second lieutenant (OF1). An individual officer can transition during a career between serving as a tactical officer or specialist officer, depending on what kind of role the officer are serving in and if one meets the qualifications to transfer. Specialist Officers ranking from OR7 to OR9 can be found in the same tactical and strategical levels as tactical officers, for example in staff positions on brigade and higher tactical levels, as advanced and skilled specialist or staff section commanders. The creation of the specialist officers corps in 2008, meant that many former officers from OR 1b to OR 3 where commissioned to the ranks of OR 7 - OR 9. From 1983 to 2008 there was only one professional officers corps within the Swedish armed forces (OF 1 to OF 9). All OR-ranks where hold by conscripts. Historically, the role of the specialist officer, until 1972 categorised as "underofficer" in Sweden is reminiscent of that of a senior non-commissioned officer in Germany (), hence there was a third stipulated "corps" of junior commanding ranks, that of the , in direct translation "sub commanders" or "junior leader ranks", comprising the equivalents to the ranks of corporal (OR 4), (OR5) and (OR5b). This former "corps" (until 1983) was much like that of the senior ranks within the different German-speaking armed forces. These ranks are today held by long serving and skilled professional or reservist soldiers, but are distinctly not specialist officers ranks. In order to be appointed sergeant (until 2019 "first sergeant") in today's Swedish armed forces, it is required that the candidate have completed specialist officer training (1.5years).

United Kingdom

Royal Marines and British Army

A sergeant in the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

and

wears three-point-down

chevron Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * '' Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock ...

s on their sleeve and usually serves as a

sergeant, or in a specialist position.

(in technical units) or colour sergeant (in the

and the

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

), is the next most senior rank, above which come warrant officers. The

Household Cavalry The Household Cavalry (HCav) is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). These regiments are divided between the Household Cavalry Regiment sta ...

use the rank of corporal of horse instead, the only regiments to preserve the old

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

tradition of having corporals but not sergeants. A

lance-sergeant Lance sergeant (LSgt or L/Sgt) is an appointment in the armies of the Commonwealth and formerly also a rank in the United States Army. Commonwealth Lance-sergeant in the armies of the Commonwealth was an appointment given to a corporal so they c ...

(LSgt) was formerly a corporal acting in the capacity of a sergeant. The appointment now survives only in the Foot Guards and

Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...

, where it is awarded to all

s. A lance-sergeant wears three chevrons and belongs to the sergeants' mess, however, functionally he remains a corporal rather than an acting sergeant (e.g., he will typically command a

). In the Household Cavalry, the equivalent appointment is lance-corporal of horse. A sergeant in infantry regiments usually holds the appointment of "

" and is second in command of a

. In the Royal Marines a sergeant is sometimes the commander of a platoon-sized Close Combat Rifle Troop.

Royal Air Force

The

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

also has the rank of sergeant, wearing the same three chevrons. The rank lies between corporal and flight sergeant (or

chief technician Chief technician (Chf Tech or formerly C/T) is a senior non-commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force which is only held by aviators in technical trades and by musicians. It is between sergeant and flight sergeant and, like the latter has a N ...

for technicians and musicians). Between 1950 and 1964 in technical trades there was a rank of senior technician which was the equivalent of a sergeant. Senior technicians wore their chevrons point up. On 1 July 1946,

aircrew Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions ...

sergeants were re-designated 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. 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 "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

wore a four-bladed propeller above their chevrons. The spelling "serjeant" was never used in the Royal Air Force.

Police

Within the British police, sergeant is the first supervisory

. Sergeant is senior to the rank of

, and junior to

. The rank is mostly operational, meaning that sergeants are directly concerned with day-to-day policing. Uniformed sergeants are often responsible for supervising a shift of constables and allocating duties to them. Prisoner-handling stations will also have one or more separate custody sergeants who are responsible for authorising and supervising the detention of arrested persons in accordance with the

Police and Criminal Evidence Act The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) (1984 c. 60) is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, and provided codes of practice for the exercise ...

, along with the daily management and effective running of the custody suite. Detective sergeants are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts; only the prefix '

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

' identifies them as having completed at least one of the various detective training courses authorising them to conduct and/or manage investigations into serious and/or complex crime. In British police services, not all officers deployed in plain clothes are detectives, and not all detectives are deployed within the

CID CID may refer to: Film * ''C.I.D.'' (1955 film), an Indian Malayalam film * ''C.I.D.'' (1956 film), an Indian Hindi film * ''C. I. D.'' (1965 film), an Indian Telugu film * ''C.I.D.'' (1990 film), an Indian Hindi film Television * ''CID'' ( ...

. Thus, it is not unusual for detectives to supervise uniformed officers and vice versa. Uniformed sergeants'

epaulettes Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales'' ...

feature three down-pointed

chevrons Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * '' Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock l ...

, above or below a

personal identification number A personal identification number (PIN), or sometimes redundantly a PIN number or PIN code, is a numeric (sometimes alpha-numeric) passcode used in the process of authenticating a user accessing a system. The PIN has been the key to facilitat ...

. Sergeants (and constables) in service with the

Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...

, responsible for

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...

, have a "shoulder number", analogous to the

collar number A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, force identification number (FIN) or occasionally as force number (although this can also refer to the ID number of a force itself), identifies constable, police officers, police community suppor ...

of regional forces, which is distinct from the warrant number on their warrant card. This is simply a management device to help order what is by far the largest police service in the UK. In the case of the

Police Service of Northern Ireland The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ga, Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ') is the police, police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabu ...

, sergeants' chevrons point upwards. This is derived from the practices of the

Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ga, Constáblacht Ríoga na hÉireann; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the country was part of the United Kingdom. A separate ...

, who were a mounted police force and followed a tradition of upward-pointing ranks. Until the abolition of first-class detective sergeants in 1973, Metropolitan Police detective sergeants when initially promoted were officially known as second-class detective sergeants. Unlike the military and allowing for regional variations, addressing a police sergeant as "sarge" is commonplace. Additionally, in some forces (especially the Metropolitan Police) sergeants are referred to as "skippers" and again allowing for regional variations, context and expectations it is not necessarily wrong for a constable to address their sergeant as "skip" or "skipper".

United States

History

The rank of sergeant was inherited from its use in the

and its

colonial America The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the Revolutionary War. In the ...

regulars and

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

of the several colonies. The sergeant has historically been the senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank immediately subordinate to an officer and superior to corporal. Commonly, in the British Army and American colonial forces there was one sergeant for each officer with the sergeants serving as the senior NCO of a section/squad (the two terms were often used interchangeably), or platoon/company (the platoon, in the British Army and its colonial America single-platoon system simply being the company formed for battle, much as the battalion was the regiment deployed in battle formation). In British Army and its colonial America forces, infantry companies usually had three officers and three sergeants, with the sergeants' primary role in combat being to protect the officers. In battle formation, the company was marched into formation as a single platoon of three ranks consisting of the "rank and file" (i.e., the corporals and privates), also referred to as the "bayonet strength", in order to present volley fire by rank or massed bayonets for assault or defense. Therefore, the sergeants played little direct leadership role in combat as the massed company/platoon was under the direct control of the officers. Beginning in 1775, the

Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of Kingdom of Great Britain, British Colony, colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Fo ...

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

began to organize under the Continental European (i.e., Prussian-French) model, which in addition to organizing infantry companies into two platoons and forming each platoon into two ranks by section/squad, vice the three ranks of the British model, gave a more direct leadership role to sergeants by assigning two sergeants to each platoon as section/squad leaders. Sergeants began to transition from serving as battlefield "body-guards" of aristocratic officers into being combat leaders integral to the tactical situation. In 1781, a fifth sergeant was authorized in each company to serve as company first sergeant, although a separate grade of rank was not established until 1831. However, from 1775, each regiment/battalion (these two terms were also used interchangeable during this time period as mentioned above) was authorized a sergeant major and a quartermaster sergeant. The rank was used by both the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

and the Confederate army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The same rank insignia was used similarly by both armies. Both varied the color of the stripes by assigning red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, blue for infantry and later in the war, green for sharpshooters. Some militia units varied these colors even further and had other colors including black and red with gold piping for various units. The rank was just below first sergeant and just above corporal. They usually commanded a section of twenty men with two corporals under him. As the war progressed these men were often in command of platoons and even companies as the units were depleted of officers during combat. While the number of sergeants (including the first sergeant) authorized in an infantry company fluctuated from three to five during various periods of history, by the United States Civil War it was relatively fixed at four sergeants, a first sergeant, and a company quartermaster sergeant (added in 1861). In 1898 the infantry company was expanded to three platoons, increasing the number of sergeants in each company to six, along with a first sergeant and a company quartermaster sergeant. In 1905, the company quartermaster sergeant was renamed as company supply sergeant and a mess sergeant was added to the company. In 1917, the Army reorganized under the "square division" plan. The size of units from company up increased significantly and there were now four rifle platoons and 12 sergeants per company, along with three "staff" NCOs (first sergeant, supply sergeant, and mess sergeant). While there were still two sergeants assigned as section leaders in each platoon, a new position of "assistant to platoon commander" was filled by the senior ranking sergeant of the three assigned to assist the lieutenant in leading the unit. The 1939 "triangular division" reorganization eliminated sections in rifle platoons. In 1940, rifle squad leaders, who had been corporals, became sergeants (with two staff sergeants – one as a platoon leader and the other as a platoon guide in the platoon headquarters; the lieutenant was still titled platoon commander), with three squads/sergeants per rifle platoon. In 1942, sergeants became assistant squad leaders, with staff sergeants as squad leaders (and a technical sergeant and a staff sergeant, as platoon leader and platoon guide, respectively, in the platoon headquarters). In 1943 ''platoon leaders'' (technical sergeants) were re-designated as ''platoon sergeants'', while ''platoon commanders'' (officers – usually second or first lieutenants) became ''platoon leaders'', with only company and higher-level commanding officers known as a "commander". (Of note, while the U.S. Marine Corps followed the Army's lead in re-designating the senior NCO in a platoon from "assistant to platoon commander" to platoon leader and then as the platoon sergeant, the Marine Corps continues to style an officer commanding a platoon as "platoon commander".) In 1948, squad leaders again became sergeants (with corporals as assistant squad leaders) and finally, in 1958, sergeants became fire-team leaders under a staff sergeant as squad leader.

Army

In the

, although there are several ranks of sergeant, the lowest carries the title of sergeant. Sergeant is the enlisted rank in the U.S. Army above specialist and

and below

, and is the second-lowest grade of non-commissioned officer. The rank was often nicknamed "buck sergeant" to distinguish it from other senior grades of sergeants. Sergeants in the

, for example, lead

fire team A fireteam or fire team is a small military sub-subunit of infantry designed to optimize "bounding overwatch" and "fire and movement" tactical doctrine in combat. Depending on mission requirements, a typical fireteam consists of four or fewe ...

s of four men. There are two fire teams in a nine-man rifle

, which is led by a

. Sergeants are normally section and team leaders and are a critical link in the NCO channel. These non-commissioned officers live and work with their soldiers every day and are responsible for their health, welfare and safety. These section and team leaders ensure that their soldiers meet standards in personal appearance and teach them to maintain and account for their individual and unit equipment and property. The NCO enforces standards and develops and trains soldiers daily in their military occupational specialty and unit mission.

s are typically addressed as "drill sergeant" regardless of rank, though use of this term depends on post policy. When serving a tour as drill sergeant this is indicated by the traditional

campaign hat A campaign hat, sometimes called campaign cover, is a broad-brimmed felt or straw hat, with a high crown, pinched symmetrically at the four corners. The campaign hat is occasionally referred to as a Stetson, derived from its origin in the company ...

. In late 1971, Headquarters, Continental Army Command (CONARC) received approval from the Chief of Staff of the Army for permission to include women in the Drill Sergeant Program. In February 1972, six Woman Army Corps (WAC) noncommissioned officers from Fort McClellan, Alabama, were enrolled in the Drill Sergeant Program, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.ArmyStudyGuide.com, n.d. Upon graduation, the women were authorized to wear the female drill sergeant campaign hat. Today, women drill sergeants are also referred to as "drill sergeant", regardless of their rank. Both men and women drill sergeants will always wear the drill sergeant badge indicating they completed the required training program at an authorized drill sergeant academy. The army drill sergeant badge appears on the right breast pocket.

Marine Corps

The

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

has several ranks that include the title of "sergeant", the lowest of which is sergeant (E-5). Marine sergeants are the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, ranking above

and below

, and are often referred to as the backbone of the Marine Corps.

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

sergeants typically serve as

squad leader ''Squad Leader'' is a tactical level board war game originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by John Hill and simulates on infantry combat in Europe during World War II. One of the most complex war games of its time, ''Squa ...

s in either a rifle or weapons

or as the

platoon guide A platoon guide is a position, but not a rank, in the United States Army and Marine Corps. The guide sets the direction and cadence of the march. In an infantry platoon the platoon guide is a non commissioned officer (by Table of Organization Oa ...

(i.e., assistant platoon sergeant) in a rifle platoon. Once a Marine attains the rank of sergeant, promotions no longer derive from a composite and cutting score-based system; instead, they receive a

Fitness Report {{unreferenced, date=November 2011 A Fitness Report (FITREP) is an evaluation form used by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Navy officers are given Fitness Reports, while Navy chief petty officers (E-7 to E-9) are given "Chi ...

, or FITREP (i.e., a formal written evaluation, grading attributes from appearance and bearing to leadership and technical proficiency). In the Marine Corps, enlisted ranks above sergeant are referred to as staff non-commissioned officers, or SNCOs. These ranks, staff sergeant through

, are always referred to by their full rank and never merely as "sergeant". Staff sergeant is usually the lowest enlisted rank that reports directly to an officer. In the infantry this would typically be as a rifle

or as a section leader in a weapons platoon (i.e., machine guns, mortars, anti-tank/assault weapons). Infantry gunnery sergeants usually serve as platoon sergeants for weapons platoons before moving up to a company gunnery sergeant billet. This position is filled by an experienced gunnery sergeant who is typically in charge of coordinating operations,

logistics Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

, and individual

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

for a company-sized group of Marines (approximately 180 personnel). Owing to their involvement in the management of unit supply/re-supply the "Company Gunny" is colloquially known to be in charge of the "3 Bs": beans, bullets, and band-aids. Gunnery sergeants are commonly addressed as "gunny", but never officially. Use of this informality by subordinates is permitted solely at the rank holder's discretion. Infantry master sergeants typically serve as the operations chief of a weapons company (in lieu of the Company Gunnery Sergeant located in the rifle companies) or as the assistant operations chief in the

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

of an infantry Regiment#United States Marine Corps, regiment. Master sergeants are addressed as either "master sergeant" or "top" at the preference of the incumbent and dependent upon the commonly accepted practice within the United States military occupation code#Marine Corps, MOS community. For example, in Intelligence (the 02 MOS field), use of "Top" is common; in the Infantry (the 03 MOS field) its use is nearly unheard of and aggressively discouraged. First sergeant#United States Marine Corps, First sergeants serve as the senior enlisted advisor (SEA) to a Company (military unit)#Marine Corps, company or Artillery battery#United States Marine Corps, battery Commanding officer#Marine Corps, commander and are always addressed by their full rank title as "first sergeant". However, it is common for first sergeants to be referred to as "first shirt" by those under their command. Unlike "gunny" and even "top", a first sergeant is never addressed as "first shirt" directly. Infantry master gunnery sergeants serve as the operations chief in the headquarters of an infantry Battalion#United States Marine Corps, battalion or higher level organization (viz., Marine Expeditionary Unit, list of United States Marine Corps regiments, regiment, Marine Expeditionary Brigade, List of United States Marine Corps divisions, division, Marine Expeditionary Force) and follow the same verbal address protocol as master sergeants but are commonly referred to as "master guns", or "master gunny". Sergeants major serve as the SEA to a battalion or United States Marine Corps Aviation#Squadrons, squadron, or higher level, commander, and are always addressed by their full rank title as "sergeant major". The history of the rank of sergeant in the USMC roughly parallels that of the US Army until 1942. From 1775 until WWII the Marine Corps used essentially the same rank and organizational structure as its common British and colonial forbearers with the Army, as well as the later Continental and U.S. Armies. In 1942, as the Army modified its triangular-division infantry organization to best fight in the European/North African/Middle Eastern theatre, the Marine Corps began modifying the triangular-division plan to best employ its amphibious-warfare doctrine in the Pacific Theatre. This meant that for the Corps, squad leaders would remain as sergeants and the rifle squad would be sub-divided into three 4-man fire teams, each led by a corporal.

Air Force

The U.S. Air Force title "sergeant" (E-4, equivalent to an Army or Marine corporal and Navy/Coast Guard petty officer third class), commonly and informally referred to as "buck sergeant", was used beginning in October 1967 in the hope that the prestige of being an Non-commissioned officer, NCO would increase the re-enlistment rate. The title was phased out again in the 1990s. From 1952 through October 1967, E4s were titled "Airman First Class" (A/1c) and there was no rank titled "sergeant", though A/1cs were often called "sarge" or "sergeant" informally. During the period when the E4 title was "sergeant", Senior Airman, senior airmen, earlier known as airmen second class (A/2c, pay grade E3), were promoted to sergeant and granted non-commissioned officer status after 12 months time in grade; this lateral promotion is no longer conferred and senior airmen compete directly for promotion to staff sergeant. The current title for airmen at the E4 grade is "senior airman". From 1976 – 1995, senior airman rank insignia had a subdued central star (light blue vice silver for sergeant and above), as did airman first class (E3) and airman (E2). Airman Basic, E1, has no rank insignia. In today's Air Force, the term sergeant refers to all Air Force non-commissioned officers up to the rank of senior master sergeant (E-8). An Airman who has achieved the rank of senior master sergeant (E-8) may also be referred to as "senior". An airman who has achieved the rank of chief master sergeant (E-9) is referred to as "chief". Those in the grade of staff sergeant (E-5) and technical sergeant (E-6) are referred to as non-commissioned officers, while those in the grade of master sergeant (E-7) through chief master sergeant (E-9) are referred to as senior non-commissioned officers.

Space Force

On February 1, 2021, the United States Space Force established the rank of sergeant for the paygrade E-5, replacing the rank of

used in the Air Force. This aligned the Space Force's E-5 grade with the Army and Marine Corps, in which sergeants hold the grade of E-5 and staff sergeants hold the grade of E-6. In the Air Force, staff sergeants hold the grade of E-5 and the prior rank of sergeant was a non-commissioned officer in the grade of E-4, equivalent to the U.S. Army's corporal. Sergeants rank above specialist (rank)#United States Space Force, specialist 4 but below technical sergeant#United States Space Force, technical sergeant.

NATO code

While the rank is used in a number of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country.

Gallery

File:03.AlgA-SGT.svg,
)
(Algerian Land Forces) File:British Army OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Antigua and Barbuda Regiment) File:Ejercito Argentino - Sargento.svg,
(Argentine Army) File:BDF OR-6 (2021).svg, Sergeant
(Barbados Regiment) File:British Army OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Belize Defence Force) File:Benin Army OR-5.svg,
(Benin Armed Forces, Benin Army) File:Botswana-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Botswana Ground Force) File:03. Burkina Faso Army - SGT.svg,
(Burkina Faso Armed Forces, Burkina Faso Ground Forces) File:blank.svg,
)
(Burundi Army) File:Cameroon-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Cameroon Armed Forces, Cameroon Ground Forces) File:Canadian Army OR-6.svg, Sergeant
)
(Canadian Army) File:Cape_Verde-army-OR-5b.svg,
(Cape Verdean Armed Forces, Cape Verdean National Guard) File:04.CAGF-SGT.svg,
(Central African Armed Forces, Central African Ground Forces) File:Chad-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Chadian Ground Forces) File:Comoros-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Comorian Army) File:03.DRC-SGT.svg,
(Land Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Land Forces of the DR Congo) File:04-ROCongo Army-SGT.svg,
(Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo, Congolese Ground Forces) File:Djibouti-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Djiboutian Army) File:SargentoE.N.svg,
(Dominican Army) File:El-Salvador-Army-OR-6.svg,
(Salvadoran Army) File:04. EGLF-SGT.svg,
(Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea, Army of Equatorial Guinea) File:04.GLF-SGT.svg,
(Gabonese Army) File:03.Gambian Army-SGT.svg, Sergeant
(Gambian National Army) File:Ghana-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Ghana Army) File:blank.svg,
(Republic of Guinea Armed Forces, Guinea Ground Forces) File:Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant insignia.svg, Sergeant
(Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Army) File:Ivory_Coast-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Armed Forces of the Republic of Ivory Coast, Ivory Coast Ground Forces) File:Jamaica-Army-OR-6.png, Sergeant
(Jamaica Defence Force, Jamaican Army) File:Kenya-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Kenya Army) File:Zimbabwe-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Lesotho Army) File:Army-USA-OR-05.svg, Sergeant
(Armed Forces of Liberia, Liberian Ground Forces) File:04.Madagascar Air Force-SGT.svg,
(Madagascar People's Armed Forces, Madagascar Ground Forces) File:blank.svg, Sergeant
(Malawi Army) File:04.Mali Army-SGT.svg,
(Malian Army) File:05-Moroccan Army-SGT.svg,
(Royal Moroccan Army) File:03-Namibia Army-SGT.svg, Sergeant
(Namibian Army) File:blank.svg,
(Niger Army) File:Sajenti (Tanzania Army OR-06).png, Sergeant
(Nigerian Army) File:SKN Regiment OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, SKN Regiment) File:Senegal-Army-OR-5.svg,
(Senegalese Army) File:Seychelles Army OR-06 (2018).svg, Sergeant
(Seychelles People's Defence Force, Seychelles Infantry Unit) File:Zimbabwe-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Sierra Leone Army) File:SAA-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(South African Army) File:Nl-landmacht-sergeant-wachtmeester.svg,
(Suriname National Army, Suriname Army) File:blank.svg, Sergeant
(Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, Eswatini Army) File:03-Tanzania Army-SGT.svg, Sergeant
)
(Tanzania People's Defence Force, Tanzanian Army) File:blank.svg,
(Togolese Armed Forces, Togolese Army) File:TaT-Army-OR-06.png, Sergeant
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment) File:Grade Marine tunisienne E4.png,
)
(Tunisian Army) File:Uganda-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Uganda People's Defence Force, Ugandan Land Forces) File:Army-USA-OR-05 (Army greens).svg, Sergeant
(

) File:Uruguay-Army-OR-6.svg,
(National Army of Uruguay) File:Zimbabwe-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Zambian Army) File:Zimbabwe-Army-OR-6.svg, Sergeant
(Zimbabwe National Army)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT: Enlisted ranks of the United States Air Force Enlisted ranks of the United States Space Force Military ranks of Australia Military ranks of Canada Military ranks of Ireland Military ranks of Singapore Military ranks of the Commonwealth Military ranks of the Francophonie Military ranks of the British Army Military ranks of the United States Army Military ranks Police ranks in the United Kingdom Police ranks of Sri Lanka Police ranks Military ranks of the United States Marine Corps United States military enlisted ranks Military ranks of the Royal Air Force Military ranks of the Royal Marines

History

Types of sergeant

Ranks

Appointments

Current adaptations

Australia

Bangladesh

Canada

Army and Air Force

Police

Denmark

Finland

Army

France

Army

Germany

Army/Air Force

Navy

Hong Kong

Army and air force

Police

Others

Indonesia

India and Pakistan

Police

Army

Air Force

Ireland

Army

Police

Israel

Defense forces

Police

Italy

Army

Mexico

Army

Netherlands

New Zealand

Philippines

Poland

Army

Russia

Armed Forces

Police

Singapore

Singapore Armed Forces

Home Team

Uniformed Youth Organisations

Sri Lanka

Army

Air Force

Police

South Korea

Spain

Taiwan

Sweden

Army

United Kingdom

Royal Marines and British Army

Royal Air Force

Police

United States

History

Army

Marine Corps

Air Force

Space Force

NATO code

Gallery

See also

References

External links