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U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia

Pay grade	Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major of the Army
E-9
E-8	Master Sergeant First Sergeant
E-7	Sergeant First Class
E-6	Staff Sergeant
E-5	Sergeant
E-4	Specialist Corporal
E-3	Private First Class
E-2	Private
E-1	no insignia worn Private

This chart represents the U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia with seniority increasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade. All ranks of Corporal or Sergeant and higher are considered non-commissioned officers (NCOs).

Other U.S. armed forces insignia

Army enlisted Army officer Navy enlisted Navy officer Air Force enlisted Air Force officer Marine Corps enlisted Marine Corps officer

The rank of Specialist is a soldier of paygrade E-4 who has not yet attained non-commissioned officer status. It is common that a solider may never be a Corporal and will move directly from Specialist to Sergeant, attaining NCO status immediately.

In each command of company sized units and smaller, there is assigned a senior enlisted who is monitor and advocate of the enlisted personnel to the commanding officer. This position, usually Master Sergeant (E-8) or higher rank, carries the title of First Sergeant. In units larger than a company, a Command Sergeant Major serves this same function.