What is the proper way to address NCOs in different branches?

In the Marines if your still in boot camp everyone is sir or ma'am but after that it's by rank.

Officers: sir / ma'am
CWO: Mr/Mz ; Chief
Enlisted: E9 Sgt Major; E8 Top Shirt 1st Shirt Master Sgt.

Everyone else is "bub"

You're referencing Marine Recruits. Recruits are not yet Marines and Sir/Ma'am is used by recruits intentionally until they graduate. Fleet Marines identify NCOs and SNCOs by their full rank, not the Army ridiculousness of Sergeant for every SNCO or "Command" Sergeant Major. Marines only differentiate the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps...all others are simply Sergeant Major, no add Ins necessary.

When I went to boot camp back in the early 80's. We called our company commanders and other staff at recruit training Sir or Ma'am. It was because of their position not their rank. And we learned pretty quick afternoon boot camp we didn't have to call other enlisted sir or ma'am. So if these are recruits, that could be what's happening.

In boot camp, Marine recruits are taught to call everyone sir/ ma'am. (Except other recruits obviously) Once they earn the title Marine and are no longer recruits, they call NCO's by their respective ranks.

During boot camp marine recuits call anything that moves "sir"

You are talking about recruits. Recruits are not yet Marines, so they address the drill instructors as Sir.

The Marines rank is damn near identical to the army.
E5 SGT
E6 STAFF SGT
E7 GUNNY SGT OR GUNNY

I find the more stars,stripes,bars,eagles, or anchors they're wearing, the more they like being called "bro" or "dude"

All I know for sure is the CSM is addressed as GOD!

Marine recruits call all Marines (who have earned their Eagle, Globe, & Anchor) sir or ma'am until boot camp graduation, then they address them by rank. During my enlisted time if I saw someone from another branch and recognized their insignia I would address them by rank, if not I would call them sir (or ma'am).

In the Old Corps you can call an E-7 and above, Sir in the USMC. The rank below that is you call them by their rank.

Marine boots call everyone "sir/ma'am.
Do army guys actually call each other by their pay grades? "Good morning E-7," "Good morning, E-3." Don't they have ranks anymore?

Recruits in boot camp aren't Marines yet, so it's outta respect they call Marines sir and ma'am. Once they earn the title then you address them by their rank.

So I've had this issue before and my go to move is to just call them by their rank. It's quick and you'll never be wrong.

The proper form of address for a Marine E-7 is Gunnery Sergeant. For a Navy E-7 it's Chief; Army and USAF both apparently address their E-7s as just Sergeant. Call a Gunnery Sergeant, "Sergeant" and he or she will probably inform you in no uncertain terms they were a Sergeant 6 years ago and have been promoted twice since then. Formally, Marines do not shorten Enlisted Grades, e.g. an E-5 is addressed as Sergeant, NEVER "Sarge"; E-6 is addressed as Staff Sergeant; E-8 and E-9 are tricky for the non-initiated. E-8 can be either First Sergeant (diamond and three rockers) or Master Sergeant (crossed rifles and 3 rockers). E-9s are either Sergeant Major (star and four rockers) or Master Gunnery Sergeant (bursting bomb and 4 rockers).

You know how you NEVER call an Army Command Sergeant Major just Sergeant Major? Well that goes about ten times for never calling a Master Gunnery Sergeant "Gunny" or worse yet, Sergeant. I don't even want to be around to see the bloodshed if that happens.

Navy is pretty simple. E-4 to E-6 are addressed as Petty Officer; E-7s as Chief; E-8s as Senior Chief and E-9s as Master Chief.

I think your first mistake was using Marine Corps Boot camp as your base of knowledge. Recruits refer to everyone as Sir/Ma'am because they are not yet Marines and have yet to earn the right to address them as a fellow Marine.

Here is the run down for actual Marines.
Basically Officers are Sir/Ma'am.

Enlisted call them directly by their Rank. A staff Sergeant is a Staff Sergeant. Gunnery Sergeant is a Gunnery Sergeant. No sarge, nothing like that. As a non Marine that is your left and right lateral limits.

You Have Address people to what they are And Sarge is not a Rank it is Fish it's in the dictionary. I was brought up that I called everyone sir Or by their names not in military before
that. But today Being around for almost 61 years Kid have No respect for there elders.
SSG MARK FRANZEN
VET

In Marine boot camp we use the term Sir & Ma'ma we don't call NCOs by rank until we get done with boot camp

An E7 or any NCO?

As an E7 if they were in the Navy, you'd call them Chief, and at least between Navy and Marine Corps, we would call them Gunny. We never really dealt with senior NCOs from the Army or Air Force, though.

For the junior NCOs, we usually just called them Sargent or Petty Officer. Not the full rank, but the shortened version.

Call him or her Gunny. Short for Gunnery Sergeant. They would appreciate that.

When I was in the AF I only ever referred to someone of equal or lower rank by their first name if I knew them well and worked with them regularly. E-1 to E-4 were Airman. E-5 to E-8 Sergeant unless a First Sergeant E-7 to E-8. Then it was was First Sergeant, Top, or Shirt. E-9 was always Chief. Never referred to an officer by first name on or off-duty.

If the rrecruit is taking to anyone while in boot camp, I can understand it. But with that being said, rank should also be expected to be addressed appropriately. But just don't confuse recruits with those that have already graduated.

Recruits don't rate to call anyone anything other than Sir or Ma'am. Once you graduate boot camp and earn the title of US Marine, you call enlisted by their rank. If you can't distinguish their rank due to uniform, eyesight, etc, err on the side of caution and call them sir. Especially in woodlands, it's pretty hard to tell the difference between a SSgt (E-6) and a GySgt (E-7)

Marines call their Drill Instructors sir or ma'am. But out in the fleet we call them corporal, sergeant, gunny, top/Master sergeant and Master guns or Master gunny.

called my DS "Sir' first time I met him, or should I say encountered him. anyone under the rank of E5 in my unit was either by their name or some nice derogatory remark. 1st Sgt was TOP (unless you were visiting his office) all E5 and above were Sarge. most E6 were Staff, and again E7 and above were Sarge. But it really changed dramatically when your in the field.

look at all these sirs and ma'ams!! lol

Officers are Sir or Mam . NC0s by their rank. Chief Warrant Officers are Sir or chief or chief warrant officer

I can't believe they let you be an E-4 .....seriously.

With respect like you would want anyone to give to you. If, respectful I can only assume he or she can explain respectfully address them.

By their rank and not their rate, but their last name if you can pronounced it.

Marine is different from army, e7 noncomm is sir or ma'am, in army it is all about their rank, no matter what.

We only called NCO's, sir in bootcamp. After that, we called all NCO's either Petty Officer or Chief.

NAVY only calls NCOs sir or mamme in boot camp.

Boot camp is different then the fleet. In marine boot camp its " it all depends but either sir or drill instructor.

In the fleet any good staff or nco worth their salt will correct you for calling them sir by pointing out they work for a living

"Don't call me Sir I work for a Living." We all know that applies to everybody accept Chiefs and Master Sargents they just drink coffee for a living.

First off, Marines nor Navy personnel call NCO's Sir. In boot camp they have you call your NCO's Sir because unless you grew up in the south way back you need practice calling someone Sir. The day you wake up in bootcamp for graduation your respective Drill Instructor or Company Commander tells you that you no longer call them Sir.
In the Navy Generally any E-4 to E-6 would be called Mr literally when I was in A school the Petty Officer in charge of my barracks was named Mister- and so it was literally Mr Mister (like the band of the same time) Usually all E-7,8 and 9's are referred to as Chiefs.


I had a weird tour in the Navy, shore duty in a training squadron, - we were not required to do officer on deck when an office enter our space unless they were LT Commander/Major and above.

Well, let me tell ya, in the Air Force, being of superior class, dignity and BS, we referred to Officers in the AF by rank. Enlisted by Sarge, or airman. Other branches were referred to as minions unless they were brass and they were afforded the complimentary "sir". LOL. Brothers and Sisters. We actually referred to any officer by their rank, and enlisted by either Sargeant or Airman. When it came to other branches Officers by rank except sometimes a young airman may not have been aware of the difference between Ensign and 2nd LT. Enlisted were referred to as Seargent, Corporal, Private. I did find out that the senior NCO's in the Army were much happier if you referred to them as Sgt Major or First Sgt. I had little interaction with Marines and Navy

The correct answer, use their rank. However, some may disagree but if you dont know their rank (because we all have different titles) you could Sir it out and let them correct you or just ask how can I address you. Easy day.

You call them by their rank unless they are warrant officer or above... Recruits are taught to say sir and ma'am only to pound it into their heads... You would be surprised at how many kids were never taught those words. Once they become Marines, that all changes, even in the last week of recruit training.

Only in boot camp is it sir or ma'am. Also in the corps an NCO is e4 and e5 while e6-e9 are staff NCO or Snco