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Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organisations around the world.

Military usage

In most non-naval military or paramilitary organizations, a Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranking above Privates and Corporals, and below Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers.

There are usually several ranks of Sergeant, each corresponding to greater experience and responsibility for the daily lives of the soldiers of larger units. Although even the highest sergeant is officially lower in rank than the lowest Lieutenant, an experienced Sergeant will have considerable personal power and know how to exercise it.

In many armies, the term "Sergeant" is sometimes actually applied to a soldier of higher or lower rank holding an appointment — for example a Corporal in the British Army holding the appointment of Lance-Sergeant, or a Warrant Officer in the Canadian Forces holding the appointment of Company Quartermaster Sergeant.

Police usage

The rank of Sergeant or its equivalent is common to the police of many countries. It is usually the highest rank which performs direct field supervision.

In the British police, Sergeant (officially Police Sergeant (PS)) is senior to Police Constable and junior to Inspector. British Police Sergeants are usually addressed by their subordinates as "Sergeant", "Sarge", "Skipper" or "Skip". Constables must have completed their two years' probation before taking their sergeant's exams; if they pass then they may apply for promotion. The Metropolitan Police also maintained a more senior rank, Station Sergeant (or First Class Detective Sergeant in the Criminal Investigation Department), from 1890 to 1973.

In most American police departments, Sergeant is the rank junior to Lieutenant. Many police forces also use the rank of Corporal.

In the Irish Garda Síochána, Sergeant is senior to Garda and junior to Inspector.

The New Zealand Police and Australian police services also have the rank of Senior Sergeant.

Australia

Sergeant (SGT) is a rank in both the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force. The ranks are equal to each other and the Royal Australian Navy rank of Petty Officer (PO).

However, the RAAF rank of Flight Sergeant (FSGT) outranks the Army rank of Staff Sergeant (SSGT). There is no Navy or RAAF equivalent of SSGT, however the Navy rank of Chief Petty Officer (CPO) and Army rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) are equivalent to a Flight Sergeant.

Canada

Sergeant (Sgt) (French: sergent) is an Army or Air Force non-commissioned member (NCM) rank of the Canadian Forces. Its Naval equivalent is Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2) (French: maître de 2e classe). It is senior to the appointment of Master Corporal (MCpl) and its equivalent naval appointment, Master Seaman (MS), and junior to Warrant Officer (WO) and its naval equivalent, Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1). Sgts and PO2s together make up the cadre of senior non-commissioned officers (Sr NCOs).

In army units, Sergeants usually serve as section commanders; they may often be called to fill positions normally held by Warrant Officers, such as Platoon Warrant, Troop Warrant, Quartermaster Sergeant, Chief Clerk, etc.

The rank insignia of a Sergeant is three gold chevrons, point down, surmounted by a gold maple leaf. It is worn on the upper sleeves of the Service Dress tunic; as miniature gold metal and rifle-green enamel badges on the collars of the Army dress shirt and Army outerwear jackets; in "old-gold" thread on postman-blue slip-ons on Air Force shirts, sweaters, and coats; and in tan (Army) or dark blue (Air Force) thread on CADPAT slip-ons on the Operational Dress uniform. Sergeants are generally initially addressed as "Sergeant Bloggins" and therafter as "Sergeant"; the colloquialism "Sarge" is used only in informal situations.

Colour Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is not a rank of Sergeant, but a Warrant Officer of a Foot Guards regiment — specifically, the Governor General's Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Likewise, a Sergeant-Major (including Regimental Sergeant-Major) is not a Sergeant rank, but an appointment held by a Master Warrant Officer or Chief Warrant Officer.

Sergeants generally mess and billet with Warrant Officers, Master Warrant Officers, and Chief Warrant Officers, and their naval counterparts, Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers. Their mess on military bases or installations is generally named the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess.

Historically, the rank of sergeant was severely downgraded after Unification of the three services in 1968. An Army Sergeant before unification was generally employed in supervisory positions, such as the second in command of a platoon sized unit (ie an infantry Platoon Sergeant, or Troop Sergeant in an armoured unit). After unification he was downgraded in status to section commander, a job previously held by Corporals.

Germany

In the German language, the rank of Sergeant is known as Feldwebel. The rank has existed since the 18th century, with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. One important difference between Sergeants and Feldwebeln exists: in a typical Bundeswehr company, only one Zug (platoon) is under the command of an officer, while the other Zugführer (platoon leader) positions are held by Feldwebel-ranked NCOs (typically Hauptfeldwebel and above).

In the modern Germany Army, Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel have a NATO rank code of OR-6, with Unteroffizier (historically considered generically equivalent to Corporal) and Stabsunteroffizier having a rank code of OR-5.

India and Pakistan

Army

In the British Indian Army, the equivalent rank to Sergeant was Daffadar in cavalry regiments and Havildar in other units. These ranks are still used in the Indian Army and Pakistan Army.

Police

In many metropolitan police forces in India e.g. Kolkata Police, a Sergeant is senior to an Assistant Sub-Inspector but junior to an Inspector.

Ireland

Sergeant (Sgt) (Sáirsint in Gaelic) is the second rank of non-commissioned officer within the Irish Army. The Naval equivalent is Petty Officer (PO).

The Army rank insignia consists of three winged chevrons (or "stripes"). The Service Dress Insignia consists of three wavy red chevrons 3½ inches wide bordered in yellow. The main infantry role of a Sergeant is as Second in Command of a platoon or commander of a Fire Support Section of a weapons platoon, such as an anti-tank or mortar platoon. Another role is that of Company Clerk and Instructor. There are higher ranks of Company Sergeant and Company Quartermaster Sergeant.

Sergeant is also the second rank of NCO in the Irish Air Corps. Before 1994, the Air Corps was considered part of the Army and wore Army uniforms with distinct Corps Badges, but the same rank insignia. With the introduction of a unique Air Corps blue uniform in 1994, the same rank markings in a white colour were worn, before the introduction of a new three-chevron with wing rank marking. There are higher ranks of Flight Sergeant and Flight Quartermaster Sergeant.

Poland

In the Polish Army rank insignia system there are two grades of sergeant: Sierżant (OR-6 in NATO code) and Starszy Sierżant (OR-7). The rank first appeared in Henryk Dąbrowski's Polish Legions in Italy in the late 18th century. Both ranks are used in the infantry, armoured forces, air force and cavalry. In the artillery the equivalent is Bombardier or Ogniomistrz (literally Firemaster). In the Polish Navy, the equivalent is Bosman (literally Boatswain).

Singapore

In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), there are five different grades of sergeant: 3rd Sergeant (3SG), 2nd Sergeant (2SG), 1st Sergeant (1SG), Staff Sergeant (SSG), and Master Sergeant (MSG). Sergeants as well as Warrant Officers are the non-commissioned officers in the SAF. Soldiers serving national service are promoted to 3SG after passing out of the School of Infantry Specialists (SISPEC)or other training institutes . They can then go on to become 2SGs or 1SGs. The senior NCO ranks, SSG and MSG, are usually only attained by regular soldiers and not conscripts.

Promotion from 3SG to SSG takes an average of 6 years, although there are many factors which may cause a soldier's promotion to cease. These factors include failure to pass an annual physical fitness proficiency test, poor performance in their appointments or getting charged for offences.

3SGs are usually section commanders/second-in-commands (equivalent to a British Lance-Corporal/Corporal, as well as other vocations like Company Quartermaster Sergeants (CQMS) as well as technicians. 2SGs usually serve as platoon sergeants (equivalent to a British Sergeant). 1SGs, SSGs, and MSGs usually serve as Company Sergeant Majors or administrative NCOs at company level or higher (equivalent to British Staff Sergeants and Warrant Officers).

In the Singapore Police Force, the rank of Sergeant lies between Corporal and Staff Sergeant.

United Kingdom

A Sergeant (Sgt) in the British Army wears three point-down chevrons on their sleeve and usually serves as a platoon or troop sergeant, or in a specialist position. Staff Sergeant is the next most senior rank, above which come Warrant Officers. The Household Cavalry use the rank of Corporal of Horse instead, the only regiments to preserve the old cavalry tradition of having corporals but not sergeants.

The official spelling was Serjeant (Sjt) until after the Second World War, although the modern spelling had already been in common use for many years.

The Royal Marines and Royal Anglian Regiment use the ranks of Sergeant and Colour Sergeant.

The Royal Air Force also has the rank of Sergeant, wearing the same three chevrons. The rank lies between Corporal and Flight Sergeant (or Chief Technician for technicians and musicians). Between 1950 and 1964 sergeants in technical trades were known as Senior Technicians and wore their chevrons point up. On 1 July 1946, aircrew sergeants were redesignated as Aircrew IV, III or II, replacing the chevrons with one, two or three six-pointed stars within a wreath and surmounted by an eagle. This was unpopular and in 1950 they returned to the old rank, but have worn an eagle above their chevrons ever since. Sergeants of the Royal Flying Corps wore a four-bladed propeller above their chevrons.

British sergeants are usually addressed as "Sergeant". The shortening "Sarge" is sometimes used by subordinates, although many sergeants object to this term. In the British Army and Royal Marines, however, the abbreviated "Sarn't" is commonly heard.

Sweden

Army

Sergeant (Sgt) is a rank awarded after 15 months of conscript training as squad leader (Swedish Cavalry). The rank corresponds to Corporal in the British Army.

Rank aboveFänrik
Rank belowFurir
Rank critera15 months of conscript training
Command KFORTeam Leader of 5-7 men

United States

Army

In the United States Army, although there are several ranks of sergeant, the lowest carries the title of Sergeant (SGT), colloquially referred to as buck sergeant when needed to distinguish it from the higher ranks. Sergeant is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just below Staff Sergeant, and is the second-lowest grade of non-commissioned officer.

Army NCOs of any rank between Sergeant and Master Sergeant may be addressed as "Sergeant," but First Sergeants and Sergeants Major only by their full rank. (Though not technically required, a Master Sergeant is still typically referred to by his or her full rank, as a show of respect.) Drill Sergeants are always addressed as "Drill Sergeant", regardless of rank.

Marine Corps

Similarly, the United States Marine Corps has several ranks which carry the title of Sergeant, the lowest of which is Sergeant (Sgt). Marine Sergeants are the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Corporal and below Staff Sergeant.

In the Marine Corps, enlisted ranks above Sergeant are referred to as Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (Staff NCOs or SNCOs). These ranks, Staff Sergeant through Sergeant Major, are always referred to by their full rank and never merely as "Sergeant". Gunnery Sergeants are commonly addressed as "Gunnery Sergeant" or simply "Gunny". A Marine Corps Sergeant is always addressed as "Sergeant" and never "Sarge" or any sort of nickname or abbreviation.

Air Force

The U.S. Air Force rank of Sergeant (E-4) was phased out in the 1990s. Previously, Senior Airmen were promoted to Sergeant and granted NCO status after 12 months time in grade; this lateral promotion is no longer conferred and Senior Airmen compete directly for promotion to Staff Sergeant. In today's Air Force, the term Sergeant refers to all Air Force NCOs up to and including Senior Master Sergeant.

Types of Sergeant

"Sergeant" is generally the lowest rank of Sergeant, with individual militaries choosing some additional words to signify higher ranking individuals. What terms are used, and what seniority they signify, is to a great extent dependant on the individual armed service. The term "sergeant" is also used in many appointment titles.

Ranks

Appointments

External links

See also

Military ranks | Military ranks of the Commonwealth | Military ranks of Australia | Military ranks of Canada | Military ranks of Ireland | Military ranks of Singapore | Military ranks of the United Kingdom | Military ranks of the United States Army | Military ranks of the United States Air Force | United States Marine Corps enlisted ranks | Police ranks

Sergent | Sergeant | Sargento | گروهبان | Sergent | Sergeant | 下士官 | Sersjant | Сержант | Kersantti | Sergeant | çavuş

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Sergeant".

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