Posted on Sep 16, 2016
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As an E-4 in the Army, how would I go about addressing an E-7 in the Marine Corps or another branch? They call them Sir, do we as well?

Reason I asked I'm watching recruits from the USMC boot camp calling NCO's Sir/Ma'am, and for the Army we would call the cadre by their rank... But it was clarified below
Posted in these groups: Rules and regulations RegulationCustoms and courtesies logo Customs and Courtesies
Edited >1 y ago
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Responses: 346
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SFC James Todd
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When my national guard brigade was in Iraq in 2005, we belonged to the 2nd MEF. We didn’t belong to the Army. When we were around Marines, the E6 and below addressed me as Gunny. E7 and above addressed me as my full rank, Sergeant First Class. I could have been an Army prick and corrected the lesser ranking guys, but I just left it. No big deal since we refer to anything from MSG down to SGT as just sergeant. By the way, the marines were good people and treated us as equals. I have a lot of respect for them.
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SSG Aaron Rivera
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Never been addressed or heard the term BigSarg and would never be referred to nothing less then Sergeant.
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MSgt Edward Hayes
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I have found that full rank and last name is never out of fashion. Sometimes that applies to interaction between NCOs of the same grade. Familiarity can seem to be unprofessional. Leaned that while
assinged to a joint service unit. Just call a navy E-8 or E-9 “Chief” and see what response you get.
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MSgt Sharon Mallory-Robinson
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Address everyone by their rank, if they wish to be addressed differently, they will let you know. As for calling Air Force by their first name, I accepted that from those of equal or higher rank, if I worked with them. An E-9 in the Air Force is ALWAYS Chief, until he/she says otherwise. I never answered to “Dude”, “hey you” (a Squid tried that once), or anything else that I found inappropriate.
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SGT Mahaan Chandu
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In Basic Training, a fellow recruit addressed the Drill Sergeant as ‘Sarge’. To which he replied, “ A Sarge is a marine creature that ingests detritus from the ocean floor. Do I look like a s**t-sucking fish to you, Private?” We all became intimately familiar with the red clay of Georgia that Day!
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Sgt Frank Staples
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Yep, when I was in all ranks above E4 were addressed as Sgt. And all officers were addressed by their rank. And those officers who we were friends with called us by name.
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PO3 Fire Controlman
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In th navy you address them by rate (specialty + rank). Example: I’m a Fire Controlman and a third class Petty Officer, I’m called FC3. If they’re a chief or above, they are called by their rank.
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PO1 Barbara Matthews
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I once worked with an Army Sergeant that I had to put in his place because he was disrespecting me as a Petty Officer First Class. He was a lesson between the Navy base and a nearby Army Reserve unit

He was there frequently and at first I explained the Navy rank/rate structure. I explained that I at the time was an E6 and blah, blah, blah ... Anyway he continued to not get it and told me that Navy rank was confusing and he didn't either have time to learn it nor did he have to.. or something like that. That's when I about lost it.

As a Navy sailor and Hospital Corpsman I took the time to learn the rank structure of the Army, Marines, and Air Force. I was frequently working with other service members from other branches of service.

The best I can tell you is ask when in doubt. Pull up a chart with military pay grade/rank and study it. The charts usually have pictures that you can study. It takes time and practice but eventually you will get it. You will gain more respect from the member of the other branch.
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SSG Charles Yahnke
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I addressed by Army venecular. Sarge
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TSgt Gary Cook
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All NCO’s in the Air Force are called Sergeant, excepting being E9’s or Chief Master Sergeants, they ar addressed as Chief.
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PO2 Karl Lehn
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In the Navy E4 TO E6 are addressed as Petty Officer. E7 Chief E8 Senior Chief E9 Master Chief. Warrants- Mr or by specialty ie Bosun, Gunner, etc. by those junior. As Warrant or Mr. by officers.
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SFC Wade Adams
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I wish a recruit would call me “big sarge” ! Much less a brand new private to the unit, you had better put some time in first !
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SSG Paul Newman
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Autocorrect victim.
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SSG Paul Newman
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When I was in, I would occasional my work with other services and always addressed Marine and Air Force NCO's as sargent and Navy Petty officers as chief. I know the sailors weren't chief in till E7 but found their insignia a little baffling, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and never had one of the other services NCO's complain. Guess they all just assumed I was a dumb grunt and didn't know better. (Grunt medic actually). No commission, no warrant, no "sir"from me.
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SSG Ronald Clark
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You do not call an NCO in Marine Corps sir you call them by their rank and last name
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SCPO James Dunigan
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Chief if E7 -E9. Most E8s answer to Senior. (Senior Chief). Master Chief is usually said as Master Chief... but we all will answer to plain old Chief. E4 -E6 is Petty Officer E3 and below will be Seaman, airman, fireman or construction man depending on the color of their stripes. Confused yet?
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CPO Electronic Warfare Technician
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In the Navy E-1 to E-3 are dressed as seaman recruit Seaman Apprentice or Seaman or Aaron recruit Aaron Apprentice Airman and so on e4 through its 6 or just as petty officer he sevens are addressed as chief the 8 Senior Chief E9 Master Chief in an informal setting you may address the Senior Chief or Master Chief as senior or Master although I've never felt comfortable with those terms
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CPO Electronic Warfare Technician
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Voice to text does not work so well but you get my drift I hope.
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Cpl Scot Stromsness
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Recruits in Marine Corps Boot Camp will always refer to Marines (enlisted and officer) as sir or ma’am. Other than that, you call enlisted ranks by their current rank. E7 in the Marines would be Gunnery Sergeant or Gunny.
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Sgt Tropospheric Scatter Radio Multi-channel. Equipment Operator
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As mentioned above, during Marine Corps boot camp. Recruits will address their drill instructors as Ma’am/Sir, until the receive the eagle, globe and anchor(EGA). For an E-7 in the Marines they will be addressed as Gunnery Sergeant or Gunny, but that’s only if that E-7 allows it. In the Marine Corps we have two ranks for E-8(1stSgt and MSgt). The rank of 1stSgt is an administrative billet, and MSgt is an operational MOS billet. The rank of E-9 also has two billets (SgtMaj and Master Gunnery Sgt).
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PO1 Duane Mosier
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In the Navy Petty Officer 3rd class, 2nd class, and 1st class are addressed as Petty Officer and their last name, Senior Petty Officer ratings are addressed as Chief, Senior Chief, and Master Chief.
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