What was the purpose of the higher Specialist ranks?

Ssg

I joined the Army in 1963 after spending 4yrs in the Marine Corp., discharged as a Cpl. I went into the Army as a Pfc. 13months later I was a SP/5. I only worked in my MOS 2311 for a short period of time. I was made Company Armorer when he got discharged, then supply clerk when he got discharged, then Supply Sgt. when he went AWOL. I hated the SP/5 rank because when they needed an NCO. you acted as an NCO. When they needed a peon you were treated as a peon. I never hardly worked in my MOS. but I was a specialist. I was whatever the Army needed at the time. I could handle any job the Army gave me because I had been in the Marine Corp. I went to Vietnam with the 205th Ord. Plt (Ammo) as a supply Sgt. although a Plt. doesn't rate one. I had 3 months left in Vietnam and I was offered 2nd/LT. if I would stay another year. I chose to go home to my wife of 8 months. I've seen NCO's that didn't lead That should have been SP/5. Semper Fi.

Before I was discharged I was told CO if I would reup,I was a SP5, I would be sent to NCO academy and become SSGT. At the same time there was a RIF and all E6 with 20years were being discharged. (OCT 1971) What was my incentive to reup?

My understanding is that Specialist ranks were for non combat line soldiers. Clerks and jerks! I say as a E4 Specialist.

I was in 76-79 active and we were always told that it had to do with the ability to issue lawful orders. Only hard stripes could issues lawful orders and the Specialist ranks did not need that authority.

Because those specialist’s ranks were technician ranks. By the time that I served in the early 1980’s, everyone that I knew went from Sp/4 to sgt not Sp/5 or Sp/6. Corporal’s in the US Army are nonexistent, too. As an E-4, SP/4, I spent my last year wearing Sgt stripes with out the pay or promotion! I was an “Acting Jack.” I got out because of it. I couldn’t get the true promotion...

The specialist rank during that time was mainly Spec 4 to Spec 6. There were some Spec 7's. Although Spec 8 and Spec 9 were authorized no one ever held those ranks. The only one left now is Spec 4.

I was one of the last 128 SP6 in the Army and was "promoted" to SSG in 1985. While technically a Corporal outranked a Sp6 it was much like technically a 2LT outranks a CSM.

Spec 8 and 9 were only notional ranks and were never worn by soldiers.

The higher specialists ranks were the vanguard in their areas. We had responsibilities that equaled or went beyond the NCO ranks, however we did have NCO's that we reported to . I was the Lead Rotory Wing, Technical inspector, when I inspected an aircraft a nco did not sign me off, I had a Maintenance Officer who would preflight with me and verify that all critical work had been completed and the aircraft was ready for Test flight.