U.S. Military Rank Insignia (original) (raw)

Pay Grade

Army

Marine

Navy

Air Force

Coast Guard

At the E-8 level, the Army, Marines and Air Force have two positions at the same pay grade. Whether one is, for example, a senior master sergeant or a first sergeant in the Air Force depends on the person's job.

The same is true for the positions at the E-9 level. Marine Corps master gunnery sergeants and sergeants major receive the same pay but have different responsibilities. All told, E-8s and E-9s have 15 to 30 years on the job, and are commanders' senior advisers for enlisted matters.

A third E-9 element is the senior enlisted person of each service. The sergeant major of the Army, the sergeant major of the Marine Corps, the master chief petty officer of the Navy and the chief master sergeant of the Air Force are the spokespersons of the enlisted force at the highest levels of their services.

E-8

Master Sergeant (MSG)

First Sergeant (1SG)

Master Sergeant (MSgt)

First Sergeant

Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) **

Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt)

First Sergeant

Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) **

E-9

Sergeant Major (SGM)

Command Sergeant Major (CSM)

Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt)

Sergeant Major (SgtMaj)

Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO)** ***

Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer ** ***

Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt)

First Sergeant

Command Chief Master Sergeant

Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) ** ***

Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer ** ***

E-9 of

Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA)

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC)

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF)

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPOCG)

Army: * For rank and precedence within the Army, specialist ranks immediately below corporal. Among the services, however, rank and precedence are determined by pay grade.

Navy / Coast Guard: * A specialty mark in the center of a rating badge indicates the wearer's particular rating. ** Gold stripes indicate 12 or more years of good conduct. *** 1. Master chief petty officer of the Navy and fleet and force master chief petty officers. 2. Command master chief petty officers wear silver stars. 3. Master chief petty officers wear silver stars and silver specialty rating marks.

The U.S. Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and the Navy in times of war. Coast Guard rank insignia are the same as the Navy except for color and the seaman recruit rank, which has one stripe.