What was the purpose of the higher Specialist ranks?

Enlisted in '68, became an E-5 in Vietnam in '70. Our medic was a specialist 5. Our mechanics were specialists. NCO's played the leadership role and had the responsibility to ensure their duties were being performed. ETS '71, college, 2 years, Missed the troops, enlisted again, airborne instructor, attained the rank of E-6. Up for the board for E-7, ETS in '76, and at that time the specialists were still the same. And that's what they were, specializing in their field, of their MOS. Normally, medics, mechanics, clerks, cooks, etc, the men who kept the wheels turning.

spc-9 is the mafia GOD!!

I think only Sergeants were boarded for promotion points. I was still a Spc in 1985 when they all went away.

no one ever made Spec 9

Because we’re smarter than the regular nco’s. Maybe just kidding. I believe it was the high Special technical mos‘s we had. But that’s just my opinion.

Not sure if the SPC ranks would work in todays army, with the restructure of the Army into BCT's, support elements have been disbanded and soaked up into these BCT to form sections so the BCT can self contain its self for movements and rapid deployments.

Non-leadership

SPC (Join to see) I know I am late to the game, but... The Specialist Rank was initially developed for Soldiers or grades E-4 thru (generally) E-9 to reward special skills and expertise. But it seems in reality over time they were in technical jobs, but not serving as leaders. It was present when I enlisted in 1980 (4,5,6), but by 1985 was gone. At Fort Wainwright AK, our PAC clerk, as an example, was a Spec 5 - Spec 5 Voight.

It appears 8 and 9 disappeared on 68 and 7 and 78.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/HeraldryMulti.aspx?CategoryId=9168&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services

In some ways the Specialist ranks are similar to the Warrant Officer ranks, a WO4 or a WO5 is subordinate to a O1, but yet the Warrants are specialist officers. They aren't necessarily in a leadership role like regular commissioned officers.
I always felt sandbagged when I was in (1986 (MO-NG)-1989 and AD 1989-1996), I was very technically proficient in my MOS (39CX5) and being a very narrow field, I never was able to get promoted, as I would move on and it was hard to get a 39CX5, so I was stuck as a E4 for my 8 year enlistment.
When we came down on alerts our E5 39CX5 was on the line for it, but when Somolia came up, the radar section wouldn't have him and wanted me, the lowly E4...... I was the one who knew the system and I wasn't even school trained X5 at the time.

Why are you an SPC and not a Corporal?