What do I call Airmen, Coast Guard, Marines and Sailors?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:29:59 -0500

Private me is working the gate at a joint base and I know just about all of the ranks of our brothers and sisters, but with my greeting I end up feeling lost on what to call different ranks. "have a good morning (Gunnery Sergeant, Petty Officer Second Class, Tech Sergeant)". This is more so a question of the enlisted ranks because for officers i gennerally stick with Sir and Maam (am i wrong other branches?). Most times a just leave em with a "have a good day" but I feel not that im disrespecting them but not giving as much respect as i can. Its fun to see a retired SGM come through the gate and light up when hearing a "good morning Sergeant Major". If there is any Airmen, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guard out there with time help me out. Is it "chief master sergeant " or just "chief"? thank you in advance. - Soldier that was never taught.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Feb 26 at 2019 5:39 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:39:14 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Military Terminology is Definitely Challenging. Airmen is a pretty all encompassing Term. Airman would apply to Most Zoomies, Air Force but it also Applies to Navy in the Airdale Rates. E-3 Navy that work on the Flight Deck. Thankfully I come from the Navy Operations Community I was a CTOSN before I was a Cryptolgoic Technician 3rd Class. a "Seaman".

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Feb 26 at 2019 5:42 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:42:27 -0500

For AF it's Chief. Master and Senior Master are Master Sgt.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2019 5:59 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:59:13 -0500

Sir or Ma'am is just fine until you can accurately recognize officer and enlisted ranks.

Response by 2d Lt Cinthia W. made Feb 26 at 2019 6:30 PM

2d Lt Cinthia W. — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 18:30:28 -0500

For Air Force, if you know our insignia, it's pretty easy to distinguish the enlisted tiers. If you need help, DM me and I can help you.
E1-E4 "Airman" is an accepted term of address.
E5-E6 "Sergeant"; (E7-E8 can also be called this.) I'd personally call an E7 "Master Sergeant" and an E8 "Senior Master Sergeant or Senior" simply out of respect.
An E9, "Chief Master Sergeant or Chief"

Per AFI 36-2618 Enlisted Force Structure (updated July 2018)

Hope this helps!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2019 7:29 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 19:29:55 -0500

You can just drop the rank and say “Have a good day.” And end it there

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Feb 26 at 2019 7:39 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 19:39:56 -0500

I worked at a joint command for many years. I figured out the officer ranks for Army, Marines, and Air Force easily because they are all pronounced the same. Silver oak leaf is Lieutenant Colonel for all three for example. That leaves the Navy and Coast Guard Officers. O-1 thru O-6 it’s Ensign, lieutenant junior grade (called lieutenant), lieutenant, lieutenant commander (called commander), commander, and captain. O-7 thru O-10 is Admiral. Navy enlisted was always a mystery to me. I’m pretty sure you can refer to all the Sailors with the chevrons as Petty Officer. A rocker over the chevrons is a Chief. One star over the rocker is Senior Chief. Two stars over the rocker is Master Chief.

I admire your spirit. Keep the positive attitude!!

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2019 9:20 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 21:20:09 -0500

I usually get just a "have a good day" at gates, and I am perfectly OK with that every time.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 27 at 2019 12:30 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 00:30:38 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member recommend changing Anonymous to a real name. I am breaking my own rule of ignoring Anonymous posts.

The attached link has the DOD manual that explains how to address each rank type by service. If you already know the ranks visually, then This will be easy.

https://execsec.defense.gov/Portals/34/Documents/511004m_v2.pdf?ver=2013-03-02-045134-443

511004m_v2.pdf

Response by SGT Jim Ramge, MBA made Feb 27 at 2019 12:53 AM

SGT Jim Ramge, MBA — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 00:53:07 -0500

And the proper ID’ing can be located here...
They can get tricky! The Air Force, you have to count the stripes. A number of years back they finally caught up with their Senior Enlisted with E7/Master Sergeant obtaining a 3rd stripe on top.
The Navy is easy, cracker jacks are E6 and below or just Seaman. The Brown people are Chiefs and you’d better call the one with 2-stars Master Chief! The Marines are like the Army until you get to the SFC equivalent and it becomes Gunny for 7/8s. Like the Army, The Air Force and Marines have diamonds, they are 1SGs. The Marine Corp E9 like that of the Navy is a Master Gunny - nicknamed Master Blaster, but don’t call him that, just Master Gunny! The Coasties are just like the Navy, only different colors in their ranks.
The Officers are the same ranks as far as the Army’s until you get to the Navy’s O6/CAPT. They are the Captain of a ship (easy way to remember). Army, Air Force and Marines all have the same Flag Officers (because the have flags with stars) or as you might be more familiar with, a General Officer. As an Enlisted, you don’t call them Sir/Ma’am. You call them General (and that is for 1-Star thru 4-Stars)! The Navy/CG are different with their GOs, they are called Admirals.

Oh, careful when saluting the Navy Brown people. The Chiefs and Officers wear the same uniforms. The Chiefs will have their ranks, which are shiny, only you don’t salute the shiny anchors. The Officers headgear has rank one side and an anchor on the other, so be careful...

If you have to look at IDs. The tricky ones that will get most new troops is the Army, Air Force and Marines Captains are ALL O3s. The Navy’s Captain is an O6.
So you will see this:

Army CPT/O3 and COL/O6
Air Force Capt/O3 and Col/O6
Marine Capt/O3 and Col/O6
Navy ENS/O3 and CAPT/O6

Hope this helps you! All the best...

https://dod.defense.gov/About/Insignias/

Insignias

Official website for U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Response by TSgt David L. made Feb 27 at 2019 1:10 AM

TSgt David L. — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 01:10:24 -0500

PVT (Anonymous) - So far it seems you have your answer. Lt Col Jim Coe and 2d Lt Cinthia W. broke it down pretty well. Coming from a joint service school and career field I went through this, as all EOD troops at the school house do. When I first got to EOD School I called a Command Master Chief (CMC, E-9, like Command SGT Major), Chief as I was new and figured it was better than calling him Petty Officer. A Navy Chief (E-7) reamed me a new one and I never made the same mistake again.

The AF is much like the Army as far as enlisted ranks go. NCOs are NCOs and Sgt (SGT for you) works for all but the top 3. Actually except for E-9 (Chief Master Sgt or Command Chief Master Sgt), Sgt is still acceptable, but E-7 Master Sgts and E-8 Senior MSgt Sgts will appreciate being called Master Sgt and Senior.

The Marines are VERY specific about their terms however. Lance Corporals and Corporals, Sgts (E-5) SSgts (E-6), Gunnery Sgts AKA Gunny (E-7). Master Gunnery Sgts and First Sergeants are sometimes called Top as the Army does, but unless you know them, their proper term is always the full rank.

Just my 2 cents. Its a bit to learn but knowing the proper term of address makes you look good to your leadership as well as the person you're addressing. Kudos for wanting to learn the right way.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2019 7:09 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 07:09:19 -0500

Ahhh. So here is what I say to everyone, Navy unless its a master chief then I call em all Seaman for enlisted, Airmen I call them all airmen, marines you can get away with saying devil dog and be good. Officers call them either Sir or Ma'am and can never go wrong. But pretty much as long as you show respect to the higher ranking which being a Private everyone pretty much is so just remember give the proper respect to the Nco's, warrants, and officers and you can never go wrong.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2019 9:20 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 09:20:50 -0500

For Marine Corps the rank structure is essentially the same except you refer to each rank by it's full title ie "Staff Sergeant". The only real change in structure is E-7 is Gunnery Sergeant not SFC. And whatever you do, DO NOT refer to a Marine by his/her pay grade. When I switched to the Army I detested being called an "E-5" because in the Corps you are essentially saying someone gets paid as an E-X but doesn't do the work of that rank.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2019 10:13 AM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 10:13:53 -0500

I’m on the gate now and we were told to address everyone even civilians as “Sir or ma’am”