What exactly is the difference between a Master Sergeant and a 1st Sergeant? Is one technically higher than the other?

I know that the First Sergeant spent more time with the plt and the MSG spent more time in the office. He did an inspection of the barracks on occasion but usually left that to the 1st sgt.

SPC Daniel Rankin , One of the responsibilities that fall to the First Sergeant Position is the management of the unit's Soldier's housing. Both in garrison and bivouac settings.

I usually worked with the battalion level so did not know this. I was also married and lived off base. Got my own housing arrangement also. Not once was I ever compensated for my rent.

Technically Neither one Has any command authority. In real life when they ask/tell you something you must remember who they work for and whose ear they have. They generally enter their bossed office without knocking

CPT William Jones -
You don't seem to be following. The rank itself is a command rank meaning they have to be in a designated position in that particular command. A 1SG who is not in a command slot reverts back to MSG, the same with a CSM who reverts to SGM.
The position itself does not imbue the 1SG with command authority similar to a Company Cdr, instead, the authority that the 1SG or CSM has can be found in Army regs and the UCMJ.
It applies specifically in this case to all enlisted in the unit and among them is article 91-insubordination to non-commissioned officer or Article 92-failure to obey order or regulation.
It is true the 1SG or CSM's area of influence based on the position is the greater power

A Master Sergeant is an E-8 and always will be; despite their role within a unit. While the First Sergeant Role is and E-8 position, it may be filled by someone of a lower rank. As an E-6 (Staff Sergeant) I served as the Company First Sergeant when my First Sergeant allowed all of the Company's E-7 take leave at the same time along with himself. I also served as Company First Sergeant as an E-7 (Sergeant First Class) when my First Sergeant was away at First Sergeants School. Both were temporary assignments of course.

The first time that I performed First Sgt duties I was a Tech Sgt (E-6) with a line number for E-7. The previous 1st Sgt had to retire and since I had already met the 1st Sgt board, they asked me if I would be the temporary 1st Sgt until my orders came through for reassignment to another base. First Sergeants have their own AF Regulation that spells out their duties. If you had E-8s and E-9s in your unit, the 1st Sgt diamond trumped their rank in performing your duties, other then that you had to show them the same respect that any other lower grade would have to. For the most part they showed you respect all the time. What makes a 1sgt Sgts job easier is when the cmdr and 1st Sgt have a good working relationship and he has the cmdr's ear.

I joined in 1999.. you joined well after that scout. I was Infantry for 15 years before changing my MOS, I'll have 21 years this year. Don't kid yourself, Professor, you may have that degree, good for you. I have a Bachelor's in Electronics Engineering. I know it's not as impressive as your English focus or whatever the hell... But no pal, we're not soft, we're just not completely full of shit, like you. You didn't make past E5 with 7 years... so what the hell does that say for you? Don't you have papers to grade?

SFC (Join to see) - It doesn't matter what your MOS was or the time you have under your belt, or how quickly or slowly you make grade. What matters is how you affect your soldiers, and this pussyfooting around feelings makes for horrible soldier development. My guys still hit me up for answers and advice because they know that though I was hard on them at times I was always looking out for them and trying to make them better. Nearly all of my soldiers have been promoted further than I ever was, and that's exactly how I like it. They are all SGT (P) and higher, and a good handful still say that my style was a major factor in the creation of their own leadership style and success.

None of this really has to do with my original comment, however. I chastised the leadership, not the soldier. Although, such a simple question could have been answered by a five second google search. Perhaps you can quit your whining and chest beating.

So you decided that instead led of utilizing this moment as a teachable moment, to berate this soldier? Great job( heavy sarcasm)

SFC (Join to see) plenty of people answered the question. And, in truth, my statement didn't berate the soldier but pointed out the failure of his leaders. But, hey, you can respond to comments made a literally years ago and add you two worthless cents if you like, bud.