Army enlisted structure question

[Fatguy_in_alittlecoat]

OK, so an E-8 1SG is the senior enlisted guy in a company. From what I understand, an E-6 SSG is a platoon sergeant, so where does the SFC E-7 fit in? I realize this is a weird question.

Didn't the 1SG used to be equal to a Tech Sgt in WW2? Yet there was still a Master Sgt above him...

[ghbisa]

A Staff Sergeant is usually a Squad Leader while a Sergeant First Class is a Platoon Sergeant.

In 1920 the hundreds of rank titles that the army was using were condensed into seven pay grades. the first grade (Master Sergeants) was mostly regimental ncos like a Sergeant Major or Quartermaster Sergeant. First Sergeants were placed in the second grade (Technical Sergeants). They were moved to the first grade in 1942.

[Fatguy_in_alittlecoat]

Thanks! Is the USMC different? I've read a few books (Jarhead and Spare Parts are two) which mention a SSG being a platoon sergeant, and a "company gunny sergeant" in addition to the first sergeant.

[ghbisa]

I did some digging, and there is a position in the marine corps called company gunny. I couldn’t find any information on marine platoon organization. Maybe somebody else can help.

[dcfowler1]

o Fire Team - Fire Team Leader is Corporal - no officer, usually a fire team leader, a rifleman, grenadier & SAW gunner.

* Squad - Squad Leader is Staff Sergeant - no officer, usually a squad leader and 2 fire teams.

** Section (Artillery only) - Section Leader also Staff Sergeant - no officer, usually section leader and 2 or more artillery crews.

*** Platoon - Platoon Leader is a 2d Lieutenant, assisted by a Platoon Sergeant (USA-Sergeant First Class; USMC-Gunnery Sergeant). usually Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Medic, RTO, 2 Gunners, 2 Assistant Gunners, and 3 or more squads.

I Company/Troop (Cavalry)/Battery (Artillery) - CO is a Captain, senior enlisted is a First Sergeant. HQ section plus 3 or more platoons.

II Battalion/Squadron (Cavalry) - CO is a Lieutenant Colonel, senior enlisted is a Command Sergeant Major (USMC-Sergeant Major). HQ section plus 3 or more companies/troops/batteries.

III Group/Regiment - CO is a Colonel, assisted by a CSM. Groups are flexible organizations with a HQ section plus a variety or companies and detachments; tactical regiments are essentially brigades.

X Brigade - CO is usually a Colonel (may be a Brigadier General), assisted by a CSM. HQ company plus 3 or more battalions or squadrons.

XX Division (UEx) - CO is a Major General, assisted by a CSM. Special Troops Battalion, plus 4+ manuever brigades, 1 aviation brigade and a fires brigade.

++ TOE Command - CO is a Major General, assisted by a CSM. Usually a functional HQ element with subordinate brigades (Corps Artillery, Theater Sustainment, etc).

XXX Army Corps (UEy) - CO is a Lieutenant General, assisted by a CSM. HQ and support units, plus 2 or more divisions.

XXXX Theater Army - CO is a Lieutenant General or General, assisted by a CSM. HQ an support units, plus 2 ore more Corps.

Dave

[Caim_Dubh]

Section Leaders also refer to Armor and some Cavalry units.

Typically in a platoon of four vehicles, one will have the Platoon Leader, one will have the platoon sergeant, and the other two will have a section leader apiece. Each section leader is nominally in charge of two vehicles along with their crews and dismount personnel if applicable.

[Blakwhit]

The Marine Corps still uses the rank of Corpral a great deal as opposed to the army. As I'm sure you know the diffrence between a Cpl. and a SPC. is that a Cpl. is a Junior NCO where as a SPC. isn't. In the Active duty Army Sgt. are often the fire team leaders because there are very few Cpl.'s in the Army any more and the rest has been exsplained before.

As for the Marine Corps they usally have
Cpl. Fireteam leader
Sgt. Squad leader (a marine squad has 13 rather than the Army 12)
SSgt. or GySgt. as Platoon Sgt. More often a SSgt.
2nd Lt. Platoon Commander (in the Marine Corps a Platoon is considered a command position)

The position of Company Gunny is another senior NCO in the company. A first Sgt. is the senior Enlisted advisor. once a Marine becomes a 1st Sgt. the revert to a 1st Sgt. MOS and the can be put in any unit because it is simply a leadership position not a technical position. The Company Gunny is normally the technical exspert of the company, they are the Senior NCO in the MOS the company is geared to.

in the Marines as well as the army after E-7 you choose wither a leadership or a specialty route, in the Marines if you are a 1st Sgt. or SgtMaj. you have left your MOS and are only in leadership positions. Where as if you choose to stay in your MOS and be a technical exspert you go on to MSgt. or Master Gunnery Sgt. . In the army it is very much the same but they only have the specialty rank of MSgt. if you choose to advance from there you must take a leadership position and move up to SgtMaj. Hope that answers your question.

Blake

[dtschopp]

OK, so an E-8 1SG is the senior enlisted guy in a company. From what I understand, an E-6 SSG is a platoon sergeant, so where does the SFC E-7 fit in? I realize this is a weird question.

Didn't the 1SG used to be equal to a Tech Sgt in WW2? Yet there was still a Master Sgt above him...

E-7 is a Sergeant First Class or Platoon Sergeant

E-6 is Staff Sergeant usally incharge of squad

During the early part of ww2 first sergeant was at pay grade of technical sergeant. first sregeant was the a militray occupation speciaity

[dcfowler]

The Army no longer lists PSG along with SFC at the E-7 grade (it may be since the late 70s/80s since it has last done so). PSG is a "job" that is usually held by an SFC, but is also sometimes held by an SSG.

Dave

[Caim_Dubh]

An extra note--in the US Army 1SG is an appointed position. A soldier is promoted to MSG, and assigned as a 1SG. If the soldier is moved out of the 1SG position, he reverts back to MSG. Sergeant Major is different.

A soldier is promoted to Sergeant Major, and then has to be additionally selected for promotion to Command Sergeant Major. Sometimes this is transparent and a guy will end up being selected for promotion to CSM before he is even promoted to SGM.

Unlike the USMC, the soldier does not choose MOS-track or Leadership-track. A soldier can affect to stay a MSG or SGM by basically saying they don't want to be promoted. Typically in order to make SGM, one has to serve time as a 1SG in addition to staff time as a MSG, so one can't truly opt out of the leadership track entirely.