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Junior enlisted ranks have the lowest rank under Enlisted Ranks. They are either under training or on their initial assignment. Soldiers under junior enlisted ranks are recruits, privates, and army specialists.
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No Insignia
Privates (PVT) or recruits are soldiers who have just joined the U.S. Army. They undergo Basic Combat Training that trains them to be full-fledged soldiers. They have no rank insignia at this level. The pay grade of PVT soldiers is E-1
Private Second Class personnel (PV2) are soldiers who completed basic training. They are the most junior members of the Army to have a rank insignia. The role of PV2s is to learn new knowledge and hone their skills from the boot camp. The pay grade for PV2 soldiers is E-2.
Private First Class (PFC) soldiers are either promoted enlisted personnel from PV2 or entered the Army with prior military experience. At this rank, PFCs move forward from being an apprentice to developing leadership skills of their own. The pay grade of PFCs is E-3.
Specialists (SPC) have the highest rank among junior enlisted ranks. They can lead enlisted soldiers, especially PV1. Aside from promotion, soldiers can rank as SPCs if they have a bachelor’s degree or have specialized military skills. The pay grade of SPCs is E-4.
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Non-commissioned officer ranks (NCOs) or junior NCOs are mid-level enlisted personnel tasked with the care, training, education, and readiness of soldiers in the U.S. Army. They lead other junior enlisted rank soldiers in the military rank structure.
Corporals (CPL) are responsible for the soldiers’ appearance, cleanliness, and individual training in the military occupation specialty (MOS). They are also referred to as junior non-commissioned officers. CPLs have the same pay grade as SPCs at E-4.
Sergeants (SGT) usually lead a team of four soldiers depending their command. They are often the lowest-level NCO leaders for junior enlisted ranks, leading them in individual training, personal appearance, cleanliness, and MOS competency. The pay grade for SGTs is E-5.
Staff Sergeants (SSG) usually lead a squad or section comprising 2-3 teams of 8-16 soldiers. Under their command is one or more sergeants, which help them train, develop, and enforce MOS skills to soldiers for unit mission operations. The pay grade of SSGs is E-6.
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Senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) hold the highest responsibilities among NCO ranks. Under this command is sergeant first class, master sergeant, first sergeant, sergeant major, command sergeant major, and Sergeant Major of the Army.
Sergeant First Class (SFC) soldiers are the first level of senior NCOs. They assist the platoon leader in training and caring for soldiers and staff sergeants. Being the second in command in a platoon, they can also be called a Platoon Sergeant. The pay grade of SFCs is E-7.
Master Sergeants (MSG) are the principal NCOs of a battalion, brigade, or higher level. They are subject matter experts and can hold other positions in the Army at the same time. MSGs and first sergeants may have similar pay grades at E-8 but not in authority or responsibilities.
First Sergeants (1SG) are the lifeblood of the Army, responsible for holding formations, instructing platoon sergeants, and assisting all enlisted members. The senior NCO rank assists in company-level command of 60-200 soldiers. As mentioned, the pay grade of 1Gs is E-8.
A senior enlisted advisor (SEA) in the United States Armed Forces is the most senior enlisted service member in a unit, and acts as an advisor to the commanding officer. Formally, E-9 billets for the senior enlisted advisor are established at service unit (e.g., battalion, wing, or higher), command, major command, force, or fleet levels to the SEAs/CSELs of DoD Agencies and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. SEAs are also known as command senior enlisted leaders (CSEL). Always a non-commissioned officer, the SEA is the main link between the commanding officer and the enlisted service members under his or her charge.
Sergeant Major (SGM) soldiers are subject matter experts who serve as policy development advisors. They have a wide sphere of influence, especially in battalion-level command of 300-1,000 soldiers. The pay grade SGMs is E-9—the highest among Enlisted Ranks.
A Command Sergeant Major is a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army at DoD paygrade.
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) members give professional recommendations, oversee policy and standards implementation, and train soldiers under enlisted ranks. They also assist in brigade-level commands of 1,500-3,200 soldiers. The pay grade of CSMs is E-9.
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