How long staff sergeant

Staff sergeant promotion rate nears 49 percent Selection rates have recovered since the drawdown five years ago. By Stephen Losey. More In Your Air Force. America and its foes remain in the way of a landmine-free future: report The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has been issuing the report annually since Aircraft maintenance squadron commander at Nellis ousted Maj.

The specialist's job is focused on technical expertise, and they normally have less personnel leadership responsibilities than corporals.

They often are promoted to the E-4 pay grade due to enlisting. Those enlisting with a four-year college degree or who have certain specialized civilian skills or training can enter BCT as a dpecialist.

Along with the rank of sergeant, the corporal is the only rank that never has disappeared from the NCO Corps. The rank of corporal always has been placed at the base of the NCO ranks.

For the most part, corporals have served as the smallest unit leaders in the Army: principally, leaders of teams.

Like the grade of sergeant, corporals are responsible for individual training, personal appearance and cleanliness of their soldiers. Moving up the Army ranks: Normally, unit commanders may advance PFCs to corporal once they have met the following qualifications:.

Sergeants SGT operate in an environment where the sparks fly -- where the axe meets the stone. Although not the lowest level of rank where command is exercised, this level is the first at which enlisted soldiers are referred to as sergeant, and of all the grades of the NCO, this one, very possibly, has the greatest impact on the lower ranking-soldiers. Privates, who are the basic manpower strength and grade of the Army, generally have sergeants as their first NCO leader.

It is the grade sergeant that the privates will look to for example. Like the next grade, the staff sergeant, the sergeant is responsible for the individual training, personal appearance and the cleanliness of their soldiers. The authority of the sergeant is equal to that of any other grade or rank of the NCO.

Professionally competent leaders inherently command respect for their authority, and the sergeant must be unquestionably competent in order to carry out the mission correctly, accomplish each task and care for assigned soldiers. The rank of sergeant is not a position for learning how to become a leader; no apprenticeship here. While certainly the new sergeant will be developing new skills, strengthening old ones and generally getting better, he is a sergeant and is therefore no less a professional than those grades of rank to follow.

Moving up the Army ranks: Unlike the promotion processes for privates, specialists and corporals, promotions to sergeant SGT and staff sergeant SSG is based on an Army-wide competition. The competition is based on a point system that grants points for firing range scores, performance evaluations, physical fitness, education level, awards and promotion board ranking.

The staff sergeant rank closely parallels that of the sergeant in duties and responsibilities. In fact, the basic duties and responsibility of all the NCO ranks never change, but there are significant differences between this step in the NCO structure and the preceding one.

The major difference between the staff sergeant and the sergeant is not, as often mistakenly believed, authority but rather sphere of influence.

The staff sergeant is in daily contact with large numbers of soldiers and generally has more equipment and other property to maintain. The SSG often has one or more sergeants who work under their direct leadership.

The SSG is responsible for the continued successful development of sergeants as well as the soldiers in their section, squad or team. Moving up the Army ranks: SSG candidates must meet the following basic eligibility criteria to compete:. Although the Army does not make the official distinction in the rank structure, enlisted ranks of sergeant first class and above E-7 to E-9 generally are referred to as Senior NCOs, and they carry increasing levels of responsibility and demand greater levels of respect and deference.

A platoon usually has two to four squads with 16 to 44 soldiers. An SFC is responsible for training and overseeing soldiers and staff sergeants in their crews, squads or small units. SFCs generally have 15 to 18 years of military experience. Promotion is based on the competitive point system. However, they must have at least six years TIS to be eligible to compete for promotion to master sergeant or first sergeant.

Although not assigned with the same amount of leadership responsibility as sergeants first class, master sergeants still effectively lead soldiers directly under their charge. However, they must have at least eight years TIS to be eligible for promotion to first sergeant. At the company level, they assist officers overseeing 60 to soldiers. A first sergeant trains enlisted soldiers, instructs other sergeants and serves as an adviser to the commander. However, they must have at least eight years TIS to be eligible for promotion to sergeant major.

A sergeant major SGM is a subject matter expert in their technical field and a primary adviser regarding policy development, analytical review and regulatory guidance. They serve as the senior enlisted adviser to a primary staff officer at the battalion level to 1, soldiers or higher.

A command sergeant major CSM is the training professional who oversees training within a unit. As a senior NCO, they are responsible for assisting officers at the brigade level 1, to 3, soldiers or higher. Duties include advising the commander and staff while maintaining policies and standards and overseeing the training and conduct of enlisted personnel. A CSM is expected to function completely without supervision. This is the highest rank that can be held by more than one person at a time.

There is only one sergeant major of the U. Army SMA at a time. This rank is held by the most senior member of the enlisted ranks based on experience, leadership and communication skills. The SMA is appointed to serve as a spokesman to address the issues of enlisted soldiers.

Exact duties vary depending on the chief of staff,. Department of the Army promotion cutoff scores are announced monthly. Soldiers who meet or exceed the announced cutoff score are promoted if otherwise eligible. Usually, that indicates an overmanned MOS with little promotion opportunity. Above information courtesy of the United States Army.

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