Master sergeant

Military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries
Comparative military ranks
Armies,
air forces
(non-Commonwealth)
Navies,
coast guard
Air forces
(Commonwealth system)
Flag commissioned officers
Field marshal Admiral of the fleet Marshal of the air force
General or
colonel general or
army general
Admiral or
general admiral
Air chief marshal
Lieutenant general or
army corps general
Vice admiral Air marshal
Major general or
divisional general
Rear admiral or
Counter admiral
Air vice-marshal
Brigadier or
brigadier general
Commodore or
flotilla admiral
Air commodore
Senior commissioned officers
Colonel (Ship-of-the-Line)
Captain
Group captain
Lieutenant colonel Frigate captain or
Commander
Wing commander
Major or
commandant
Corvette captain or Lieutenant
commander
Squadron leader
Junior commissioned officers
Captain Lieutenant Flight lieutenant
First lieutenant or
lieutenant
Lieutenant
junior grade or
sub-lieutenant
Flying officer
Second lieutenant or
junior lieutenant
Ensign or
midshipman
Pilot officer
Officer cadet Officer cadet Flight cadet
Non-commissioned officers
Warrant officer or
sergeant major
Warrant officer or
chief petty officer
Warrant officer
Sergeant Petty officer Sergeant
Enlisted ranks
Corporal or
bombardier or
specialist
Leading seaman Corporal or leading aircraftman
Private or
gunner or
trooper or
sapper
Seaman Aircraftman or
airman or
aviator
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A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.

Israel Defense Forces

The רב-סמל ראשוןrav samal rishon (abbreviated "rasar", master sergeant) is a non-commissioned officer (נגדים‎) rank in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Because the IDF is an integrated force, they have a unique rank structure. IDF ranks are the same in all services (army, navy and air force). The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah developed in the British Mandate of Palestine period to protect the Yishuv. This origin is reflected in the slightly compacted IDF rank structure.[1]

Israel Defense Forces ranks : נגדים nagadim - non-commissioned officers (NCO)
IDF NCO
rank
רב-נגד
Rav nagad
רב-סמל בכיר
Rav samal bakhír
רב-סמל מתקדם
Rav samal mitkadem
רב-סמל ראשון
Rav samal rishon
רב-סמל
Rav samal
Abbreviation רנ"ג
Ranag
רס"ב
Rasab
רס"מ
Rasam
רס"ר
Rasar
רס"ל
Rasal
Corresponding
rank
Chief warrant officer Command sergeant major Sergeant major Master sergeant Sergeant first class
Insignia

Philippines

Master sergeant is used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a non-commissioned officer rank. It is used by the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Marine Corps (under the Philippine Navy. The rank is below Senior master sergeant and above Technical sergeant.

As of February 8, 2019, a new ranking classification for the Philippine National Police was adopted, eliminating confusion of old ranks. Master sergeant is one of the new classification for non-commissioned officer rank. The rank stands above the Police Staff sergeant and below the Police Senior master sergeant.

Singapore

Singapore Armed Forces

In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), master sergeant is the highest rank amongst the specialist corps, ranking above staff sergeant and below third warrant officer.[2] In the Singapore Army, master sergeants are usually instructors, staff specialists, or sergeants major of battalion or company-sized units. They are addressed as "master" or "master sergeant".

Insignia
Rank Third sergeant Second sergeant First sergeant Staff sergeant Master sergeant
Abbreviation 3SG 2SG 1SG SSG MSG


National Cadet Corps

In the National Cadet Corps (NCC), the rank of master sergeant is awarded to outstanding NCC cadets who have contributed greatly to their unit. The insignia of MSG (NCC) is the same as the SAF's, except that the letters 'NCC' are below the insignia, to differentiate SAF and NCC master sergeants.[3]

United States

Master sergeant
E-8 insignia E-8 insignia
Army and Marine insignia
Master sergeant insignia Master sergeant insignia
Air Force and Space Force insignia
Country United States
Service branch U.S. Army
 U.S. Marine Corps
 U.S. Air Force
 U.S. Space Force
AbbreviationMSG (USA)
MSgt (USMC, USAF, USSF, & CAP)
Rank groupNon-commissioned officer
NATO rank codeOR-8 (USA & USMC)
OR-7 (USAF, USSF, & CAP)
Pay gradeE-8 (USA & USMC)
E-7 (USAF, USSF, & CAP)
Next higher rankMaster Gunnery Sergeant (USMC)
Sergeant major (USA & USMC)
Senior master sergeant (USAF, USSF, & CAP)
Next lower rankSergeant first class (USA)
Gunnery sergeant (USMC)
Technical sergeant (USAF, USSF, & CAP)

Master sergeant is a senior non-commissioned officer rank used within the United States Armed Forces by the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. It is ranked differently depending on the service branch. The Civil Air Patrol also has the rank of master sergeant.

U.S. Army

Master sergeant (MSG) is the eighth enlisted grade (E-8), ranking above sergeant first class and below sergeant major, command sergeant major, Sergeant Major of the Army, and equal in grade but not authority to a first sergeant. It is abbreviated as MSG and indicated by three chevrons above three inverted arcs, commonly referred to as "rockers".

A master sergeant may be assigned as a brigade-level section noncommissioned officer in charge and serves as the subject matter expert in their field, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. The equivalent-grade first sergeant is the senior noncommissioned officer of a company, battery, or troop.

When holding the position of first sergeant, while uncommon, the master sergeant is referred to as "first sergeant"; however, when not in the position of first sergeant, master sergeants are addressed as "sergeant". This is the standard address for all pay grades E-5 through E-8. Use of the term "top" or "master sergeant" is not a requirement, but is considered courteous, and remains to be at the discretion of the one addressing the master sergeant, though "top" is preferred, due to the long tradition of its use in the U.S. Army, which has, since the Civil War, emphasized the importance of senior NCOs closely advising and instructing newly commissioned second lieutenants, first lieutenants and captains.

In 1920, the Army combined several regimental level "staff" NCO ranks, including four grades of sergeant major, three grades of quartermaster sergeant, regimental supply sergeant, senior ordnance sergeant, senior band sergeant, four grades of senior master sergeant, and seven additional master-level technical and specialist ranks into the new master sergeant rank. Master sergeant then became the senior enlisted rank, ranking above technical sergeant and first sergeant (a positional rank/title for the senior technical sergeant in a company/battery/troop), while "sergeant major" became a "courtesy title" for the senior master sergeant in a battalion/squadron or higher headquarters.

In 1942, the rank of first sergeant was elevated one grade and was then considered as a junior version of master sergeant, because while first sergeants served as senior NCOs at the company/battery/troop level, master sergeants held positions as the senior NCO in their MOS at battalion/squadron and higher level headquarters. In 1958, both first sergeant and master sergeant were elevated one grade to the new E-8 pay grade, while the rank of sergeant major was restored as the senior enlisted rank at the new pay grade of E-9.

U.S. Marine Corps

The eighth enlisted grade, ranking above gunnery sergeant and below master gunnery sergeant, sergeant major, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. It is equal in grade to first sergeant, and is abbreviated MSgt. In the U.S. Marine Corps, master sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists at the E-8 level.

Most infantry master sergeants serve as the operations chief of a weapons company, in place of the gunnery sergeant found in the company headquarters of a rifle company. Infantry master sergeants also serve as the assistant operations chief in the S-3 section of the headquarters of an infantry regiment and Marine Expeditionary Unit and in the G-3 section of the headquarters of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade. The Marine division and Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters contains two infantry master sergeants, one as the training SNCO and the other as the readiness chief.

Some combat support battalions have master sergeants at the company level (e.g., one as the tank leader, again replacing the company gunnery sergeant, in the operations section of the tank company headquarters, and two in the company headquarters of an assault amphibian company, one master sergeant as the company gunnery sergeant in the headquarters section and the other as the section leader of the company headquarters AMTRAC Section).

In Marine aircraft squadrons MSgts usually serve as SNCOICs of the ordnance and avionics divisions in the aircraft maintenance department. The Aircraft Maintenance Chief/SNCOIC is usually a MGySgt (q.v.), and there are eight aviation-related MSgt billets in each Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS). (A MALs is organic to each Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) and performs intermediate aviation supply, aircraft maintenance (including aviation life support equipment and avionics), and aviation ordnance support for its supported aircraft squadrons.)

Most non-infantry master sergeants serve as section chief/SNCOIC of their MOS type staff section in a battalion or higher level headquarters. General command leadership at this paygrade is provided by the separate rank of first sergeant.

Only in the Marine Corps are master sergeants required to be addressed by their full rank. In the Marine Corps, master sergeants may be referred to by the nickname of "Top". This usage is an informal one, however, and would not be used in an official or formal setting. Use of this nickname by Marines of subordinate rank is at the rank holder's discretion. In the U.S. Armed Forces, all master sergeants (Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps) are senior non-commissioned officers (i.e., pay grades E-7 through E-9). However, in the U.S. Marine Corps, the non-commissioned officer ranks of staff sergeant and above, are classified as Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs), a classification that is unique in U.S. usage to the USMC.

U.S. Air Force

Air Force master sergeant
Air Force master sergeant serving as first sergeant
Obsolete master sergeant insignia
(until 1991)

The seventh enlisted grade, ranking above technical sergeant and below senior master sergeant. It is abbreviated as MSgt. Advancement to master sergeant is one of the most significant promotions within the enlisted Air Force and Space Force. At the rank of master sergeant, the airman enters the senior non-commissioned tier and transitions his or her duties from front line technicians and supervisors to operational leaders.[4] An operational leader develops his or her leadership and management skills since this rank carries increased broad leadership, supervisory, and managerial responsibilities rather than technical performance.[4]

Per Air Force Instruction 36–2618, master sergeants do serve in positions as squadron superintendents, flight chiefs, section chiefs, and non-commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC). Air Force first sergeants occupy the pay grades of E-7 through E-9 and are referred to officially as "first sergeant" regardless of pay grade, and unofficially as "first shirt" or "shirt".

In 1991, the Air Force changed its NCO insignia so that a maximum of five stripes, or rockers, were placed on the bottom of the chevrons. The master sergeant rank insignia was changed by removing the bottom (sixth) rocker, and relocating it above as a single chevron, on top of the five lower stripes. The single chevron above visually identifies Senior NCO status for E-7 master sergeants along with two chevrons above for E-8 senior master sergeants and three chevrons above for E-9 chief master sergeants in the Air Force NCO insignia. In 2015, the Air Force announced its promotion overhaul and newly established boards for master sergeant.[5]

Civil Air Patrol

Insignia of a Civil Air Patrol master sergeant

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a non-profit corporation Congressionally chartered to operate as the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, has a quasi-military structure which includes the rank of master sergeant. The grade of master sergeant is below senior master sergeant and above technical sergeant. Former military enlisted personnel who held the rank of master sergeant in the United States Armed Forces may retain that rank as members of the CAP.[6]

U.S. Space Force

On February 1, 2021, the United States Space Force announced its permanent rank structure, establishing the grade of master sergeant as its permanent E-7 grade. This continued its usage from the Air Force. The grade of master sergeant is above technical sergeant and beneath senior master sergeant.[7]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ "עושים לכם סדר בדרגות" [Order of ranks]. idf.il (in Hebrew). Israel Defense Forces. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  2. ^ "SAF Military Ranks". www.mindef.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2014-10-16.
  3. ^ "NCC Ranks and Badges". Anglo Chinese School (Independent). Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  4. ^ a b United States Air Force (23 March 2012). "AFI 36-2618, Enlisted Force Structure" (PDF). p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-06-25.
  5. ^ Losey, Stephen. "First master sgt. promotion board begins May 27". www.airforcetimes.com. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  6. ^ Office of the National Commander – Civil Air Patrol (4 September 2018). "Memorandum for all CAP Members" (PDF). gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  7. ^ Cohen, Rachel S. (2021-01-29). "Space Force to Adopt 'Specialist,' Other New Ranks Feb. 1". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  8. ^ "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  10. ^ "SAF Rank Insignias". mindef.gov.sg. Ministry of Defence (Singapore). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  11. ^ "НАКАЗ 20.11.2017 № 606". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  12. ^ "U.S. Army Ranks". army.mil. United States Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

External links

  • U.S. Army Enlisted Rank Insignia - Criteria, Background, and Images
  • The Master Sergeant Watershed - A Practical Guide for Supervisors of the Air Force's Critical Stripe
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United States enlisted ranks
Branch of service
E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 Special
Army
Private
PVT
Private 2
PV2
Private first class
PFC
Specialist Corporal
SPC – CPL
Sergeant
SGT
Staff Sergeant
SSG
Sergeant first class
SFC
Master Sergeant First Sergeant
MSG – 1SG¹
Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major
SGMCSM
Sergeant Major of the Army Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SMASEAC
Marine Corps
Private
Pvt
Private first class
PFC
Lance Corporal
LCpl
Corporal
Cpl
Sergeant
Sgt
Staff Sergeant
SSgt
Gunnery Sergeant
GySgt
Master Sergeant First sergeant
MSgt – 1stSgt¹
Master Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major
MGySgtSgtMaj
 Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SMMCSEAC
Navy
Seaman recruit
SR
Seaman apprentice
SA
Seaman
SN
Petty Officer Third Class
PO3
Petty Officer Second Class
PO2
Petty Officer first class
PO1

CPO
Senior Chief Petty Officer Command Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPOCMDCS
Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer / Force Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPOCMDCMFORCM, FLTCM
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
MCPONSEAC
Air Force
Airman basic
AB
Airman
Amn
Airman first class
A1C
Senior Airman
SrA
Staff Sergeant
SSgt
Technical sergeant
TSgt
Master Sergeant Master Sergeant
MSgt – 1st Sgt¹
Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant
SMSgt1st Sgt¹
Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant Command Chief Master Sergeant
CMSgt1st Sgt¹ – CCM
Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SEANGBCMSAFSEAC
Space Force
Specialist 1
Spc1
Specialist 2
Spc2
Specialist 3
Spc3
Specialist 4
Spc4
Sergeant
Sgt
Technical sergeant
TSgt
Master sergeant
MSgt
Senior master sergeant
SMSgt
Chief master sergeant
CMSgt
Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
CMSSFSEAC
Coast Guard
Seaman Recruit
SR
border
SA
border
SN
Petty Officer Third Class
PO3
Petty Officer Second Class
PO2
Petty Officer first class
PO1
Chief Petty Officer
CPO
Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPO
Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Area Command Master Chief Petty Officer, CMC Reserve
MCPOCMC – DMCPOCG2
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
MCPOCG
  1. For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank.
  2. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.