Staff sergeant

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

The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.

Australia
In the Australian Army, and Cadets the rank of staff sergeant is 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 though this is only used for the company chief clerk (in some instances the chief clerk role can be filled by another non-commissioned rank (but not warrant officer) and still be referred to as "Chief"). A staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2.

Israel

 * For further information, you may refer to Israel Defense Forces ranks.

In the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers are promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant (samál rishón) after 28 months of service for combat soldiers, and 32 months of service for non-combat soldiers, if they performed their duties appropriately during this time. Soldiers who take a commander's course may become staff sergeants earlier (usually after 24 months of service, or one year from becoming a commander). The rank insignia is composed of three clear-blue stripes (as is the rank of sergeant) with an embroidered fig leaf, a well-known Jewish biblical motif, in the center of the rank insignia. Staff sergeants get a symbolic pay raise.

Singapore
A staff sergeant (SSG) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above first sergeant and below master sergeant. 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 as company sergeant major if they are due for promotion to master sergeant. They are hence addressed as "Sergeant-Major", although in the past they were referred to as "Encik", which is now used to address only warrant officers.

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

United Kingdom
In the British Army, staff sergeant (SSgt or formerly 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.

United States of America




Staff sergeant insignia

U.S. Army



Staff sergeant insignia

U.S. Marine Corps



Staff sergeant insignia

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army
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. In support units, staff sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions because of the number of slots available for them in these units. Staff sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or company operations non-commissioned officer in charge at the company level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. Staff sergeants are referred to as "Sergeant" except for in certain training environments and schools. The NATO code is OR-6.

The rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army (along with technical sergeant (renamed sergeant first class in 1948) and master sergeant) was created by Congress after the First World War.

U.S. Marine Corps
Staff sergeant (SSgt) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), just above sergeant and below gunnery sergeant. A Marine staff sergeant is a staff non-commissioned officer rank. Staff NCOs are career Marines serving in grades E-6 through E-9. Together they are responsible to the commanding officer for the welfare, morale, discipline, and efficiency of Marines in their charge. This grade is normally achieved after 7 to 10 years in service. The NATO code is OR-6. In the combat arms units, a staff sergeant usually is billeted as a platoon sergeant for 30+ Marines. Staff Sergeants also serve as section leaders in crew-served weapons platoons (e.g., mortars, machine guns, anti-tank missiles) and in tank/armored vehicle platoons under a Gunnery Sergeant serving as platoon sergeant. They may also be tasked as a company gunnery sergeant, or a platoon commander if required. They are the senior tactical advisor to a platoon commander by virtue of time in service, previous deployments, and experience and are responsible for the proficiency, training and administrative issue of his or her Marines. They are referred to by their complete rank (i.e. "Staff Sergeant Jones" or simply "Staff Sergeant," with the abbreviation "SSgt").

The rank of staff sergeant in the USMC was created in 1923 to coincide with the U.S. Army's ranks. Until the end of WW2, the insignia of platoon sergeant was three chevrons and a rocker, with staff sergeant having a horizontal stripe instead of a rocker below the chevrons. After the separate rank of platoon sergeant was eliminated, the staff sergeant rank switched over to the rocker insignia and staff sergeants held the platoon sergeant's billet.

U.S. Air Force
Staff sergeant (SSgt) is E-5 in the U.S. Air Force. It ranks 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 attained on a competitive basis. Sergeants, also known in Air Force jargon as "buck sergeant"', no longer exist, they were eliminated after many years of sharing the same grade with that of senior airman rank (E-4). Staff sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first-line supervisors within a 'workcenter'. After being selected for promotion, senior airman must attend Airman Leadership School, which teaches them basic leadership skills and how to write performance reports to become staff sergeant. The term of address is "Staff Sergeant" or "Sergeant".

Cadet staff sergeant
The rank of cadet staff sergeant (CSSG or C/SSgt) is used by many cadet organisations around the world, including the Army Cadet Force and the Army Section of the Combined Cadet Force in the United Kingdom and the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and the Civil Air Patrol in the United States.