Staff Sergeant

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Staff Sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.

Contents 1 Australia 2 Israel 3 Singapore 4 United Kingdom 5 United States 6 External links 7 See also

[edit] Australia

In the Australian Army, the rank of Staff Sergeant is slowly being phased out. It was usually held by the Company Quartermaster Sergeant or the holders of other administrative roles. Staff Sergeants are always addressed as " Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", never as "Sergeant" as it degrades their rank. "Chief" is another nickname, usually for those who hold the Quartermaster's role. A Staff Sergeant ranks above a Sergeant and below a Warrant Officer Class 2.

[edit] Israel

In the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers are promoted from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant (Samál rishón) after approximately 32 months of service, if they performed their duties appropriately during this time. Soldiers who take a commander's course may become Staff Sergeants earlier. Staff Sergeants get a symbolic pay raise of 4.60 NIS.

[edit] Singapore

A Staff Sergeant (SSG) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above First Sergeant (1SG) and below Master Sergeant (MSG). It is the second most senior Specialist rank. Staff Sergeants are addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", but never "Sergeant".

Staff Sergeants may be appointed Company Sergeant Major if they are due for promotion to Master Sergeant. In this capacity, they may be addressed as "Encik" (Malay for "Mister") by the officers and specialists in the company. The permission to do so by junior enlisted men, however, should not be taken for granted.

The rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down, with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle.

Singapore Armed Forces Specialist ranks

Rank	Third Sergeant	Second Sergeant	First Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Master Sergeant
Abbreviation	3SG	2SG	1SG	SSG	MSG
More details at Specialist

In the Singapore Police Force, Staff Sergeants rank between Sergeants and Senior Staff Sergeants.

[edit] United Kingdom

In the British Army, Staff Sergeant (SSgt or S/Sgt) ranks above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer Class 2. The rank is given a NATO code of OR-7. The insignia is the monarch's crown above three downward pointing chevrons.

Staff Sergeants can also hold other appointments, such as Company Quartermaster Sergeant, and are usually known by that appointment if held.

The equivalent rank in infantry regiments is Colour Sergeant, and holders are known by that title no matter what their appointment.

In the Household Cavalry the equivalent rank is Staff Corporal.

British Staff Sergeants are never referred to or addressed as "Sergeant", which would be reducing their rank, but are referred to and addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff" ("Staff Jones", for instance) or by their appointment or its abbreviation. Quartermaster Sergeants are often addressed as "Q". In most cavalry regiments, Staff Sergeants are addressed as "Sergeant Major", which is assumed to derive from the original rank of Troop Sergeant Major.

Flight Sergeant and Chief Technician are the Royal Air Force equivalents. Chief Petty Officer is the equivalent in the Royal Navy and Colour Sergeant in the Royal Marines.

British Ratings and Other Ranks
	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5/OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
Royal Navy:		ORD - AB		LH	PO	CPO	WO2	WO1
Royal Marines:		MNE	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	CSgt	WO2	WO1
Army:	Pte	Pte	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt / CSgt	WO2	WO1
Royal Air Force:	AC	LAC - SAC - Jnr Tech		Cpl	Sgt	Chf Tech - FS		WO / MAcr

[edit] United States

Staff Sergeant (SSG) is 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. The NATO code is OR-6.

Staff Sergeant (SSgt) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Sergeant and below Gunnery Sergeant. A Marine Staff Sergeant differs from the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force in that it is a staff non-commissioned officer rank.

Staff Sergeant (SSgt) is E-5 in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Airman and below Technical Sergeant. It is the Air Force's first non-commissioned officer rank as well as the first Air Force rank to which promotion is on a competitive basis. Senior Airmen are considered for promotion if they attain that rank on or before March 31st of that testing year. This is so that they will have a minimum of 6 months time-in-rank before the first promotion date of that testing year, however normal career progression finds most people achiveing this grade in 5 to 7 years. Staff Sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first-line supervisors within a workcenter. After being selected for promotion Senior Airmen must attend Airman Leadership School, which teaches them basic leadership and how to write performance reports.

U.S. military enlisted ranks
	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
Air Force:	AB	Amn	A1C	SrA	SSgt	TSgt	MSgt	SMSgt	CMSgt - CCM - CMSAF
Army:	PV1	PV2	PFC	SPC - CPL	SGT	SSG	SFC	MSG - 1SG	SGM - CSM - SMA
Marine Corps:	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	MSgt - 1stSgt	MGySgt - SgtMaj - SgtMajMarCor
Navy:	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO - CMCPO - MCPON
Coast Guard:	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO - CMCPO - MCPOCG

[edit] External links

• United States Army Staff Sergeant duties
• U.S. Army Enlisted Rank Insignia - Criteria, Background, and Images

[edit] See also

• Police rank
• Comparative military ranks
• U.S. Air Force enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia