E-Grade Service Member Comparison
Service members in pay grades E-1 through E-3 are usually either in some kind of training status or on their initial assignment. The training includes the basic training phase where recruits are immersed in military culture and values and are taught the core skills required by their service component.
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Basic training is followed by a specialized or advanced training phase that provides recruits with a specific area of expertise or concentration. In the Army and Marines, this area is called a military occupational specialty; in the Navy it is known as a rate; and in the Air Force it is simply called an Air Force specialty.
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.
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MARINES |
AIR FORCE |
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The U.S. Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Transportation 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. |
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E1 | Private | Seaman Recruit (SR) | Private | Airman Basic | |||||
E2 |
Private E-2 |
Seaman Apprentice |
Private First Class |
Airman |
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E3 |
Private First Class |
Seaman |
Lance Corporal |
Airman First Class |
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E4 |
Corporal |
Specialist
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Petty Officer |
Corporal |
Senior Airman |
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Leadership responsibility significantly increases in the mid-level enlisted ranks. This responsibility is given formal recognition by use of the terms noncommissioned officer and petty officer. An Army sergeant, an Air Force staff sergeant, and a Marine corporal are considered NCO ranks. The Navy NCO equivalent, petty officer, is achieved at the rank of petty officer third class. |
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ARMY |
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MARINES |
AIR FORCE |
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E5 |
Sergeant |
Petty Officer |
Sergeant |
Staff Sergeant |
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E6 |
Staff Sergeant |
Petty Officer |
Staff Sergeant |
Technical Sergeant
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E7 |
Sergeant First Class |
Chief Petty Officer |
Gunnery Sergeant |
Master Sergeant |
First Sergeant |
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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. |
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ARMY |
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MARINES |
AIR FORCE |
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E8 |
Master |
First |
Senior Chief Petty Officer |
Master Sergeant |
First Sergeant |
Senior |
First Sergeant |
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E9 |
Sergeant Major |
Command |
Master Chief |
Fleet/Command |
Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) ![]() |
Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) ![]() |
Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) ![]() |
First Sergeant![]() |
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E9 |
Sergeant Major of the Army
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Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy |
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC)
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Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF)
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