Sergeant

Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world and on other planets. In most armies, the rank of sergeant corresponds to command of a squad. In Commonwealth armies it is a more senior rank, corresponding roughly to a platoon second-in-command. In the United States Army, sergeant is a more junior rank, corresponding to a five-man fireteam leader.

Ranks

 * Staff Sergeant: Staff Sergeant is an E-6 rank in the U.S. Army, just above Sergeant and below Sergeant First Class, and is a non-commissioned officer. Staff Sergeants are generally placed in charge of squads, but can also act as platoon sergeants in the absence of a Sergeant First Class. It is is E-6 rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Sergeant and below Gunnery Sergeant. A Marine staff sergeant is a staff non-commissioned officer rank. It is E-5 in the United States Air Force (U.S. Air Force). It ranks just above Senior Airman (SrA) and below Technical Sergeant (TSgt). It is the Air Force's first non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank, as well as the first Air Force rank to which promotion is attained on a competitive basis. Drill instructors in the United States Army generally hold the rank of Staff Sergeant.


 * Gunnery Sergeant: Gunnery Sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO). It has a pay grade of E-7.


 * Master Sergeant: Master Sergeant is the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above sergeant first class, below sergeant major, Command Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major of the Army and equal in grade but not authority to first sergeant. It is the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above gunnery sergeant, below master gunnery sergeant, sergeant major, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. It is equal in grade to first sergeant. It is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above technical sergeant and below senior master sergeant. It is abbreviated as "MSgt." Advancement to master sergeant is one of the most significant promotions within the enlisted Air Force.

Armed Forces
The Following Armed Forces divisions employ some variation of the rank of Sergeant.


 * Black Watch
 * United States Air Force
 * United States Army
 * United States Marine Corps