Posted on Mar 24, 2016
Why do we tend to refer to our Grades instead of our Rank?
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CAPOC CSM Running visited my unit last Battle Assembly and among his points made was the fact that we are "Sergeants, Staff Sergeants, Sergeants First Class...not E's" He expounded this point with the observation that E-5, E-6..., is just what is on our LES to know how much we get paid.
His point was that NCO's need to take back our Rank and live up to the values of being Sergeants, not E's.
His point was that NCO's need to take back our Rank and live up to the values of being Sergeants, not E's.
Posted in these groups: 
Customs and Courtesies
NCOs
Customs and Courtesies NCOs
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 55
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The Marine Corps is big on addressing by your rank. We don't classify all sergeant ranks (E-5 and up) as just sergeant. We also don't address someone by their rate. Got in a bit of an argument when a Sgt 1st Class insisted on calling me a sergeant when I was a SSgt.
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SSG (Join to see)
Mr. Montague, According to Army Regulation (AR 600-20) Table 1-1 a Staff Sergeant should be addressed as Sergeant.
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SSG (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) - All due respect Sergeant...any uncorrected error becomes a new standard. It's your duty to make on the spot corrections. That what a NCO is charged to do..... we enforce standards.
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SSgt Dan Montague
SSG (Join to see) - Thats fine. It's an Army reg. I was pointing out what Marines do. If you are referring to the SFC I had a disagreement with, there is much more to it.
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CSM Christopher St. Cyr
JMHO, it is an honor to be Noncommissioned Officer in any of our Nation's uniformed services. If one makes a sincere effort to address you respectfully as Sergeant, the receiver should be humble enough to accept the honor and move on. If however that NCO chooses to use a few minutes to educate their comrade in a different service about the traditions of theirs, they should do so in an equally respectful fashion.
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Primarily because the same rank has different names in other services. For example, I always got more attention when I identified myself on the phone as Capt Porter to a Navy person than I did with Army or Air Force personnel.
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MCPO Roger Collins
I will be one of the first to admit to confusion on the variety of ranks outside the Navy. In fact, the Navy only refers to rank when discussing commissioned officers. We use rate in place of rank for enlisteds. No one has ever been confused my two stars and a two star Admiral.
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SrA Matthew Knight
MCPO Roger Collins - Ah Navy ranks, for you they're great but for us they're a pain in the butt. I can say I would never confuse your starts and a two star but I will say I have saluted my fair share of Chiefs, and missed saluting my fair share of lieutenant commanders because I almost never know what's going on with Navy uniforms. I was under the impression we were supposed to salute shiny things but in certain uniforms you all have shiny things. Makes it tough sometimes.
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MCPO Roger Collins
SrA Matthew Knight - Easy, if you are enlisted, you salute ranks, and ignore rates.
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Because we are foolish and don't follow tradition and protocol.
If you are a Sergeant First Class and I am sending somebody to see you I will say, "Go see Sergeant First Class Squires". You should answer the phone the same way. I HATE hearing somebody say E-5/6 etc. Pisses me off to no end.
If you are a Sergeant First Class and I am sending somebody to see you I will say, "Go see Sergeant First Class Squires". You should answer the phone the same way. I HATE hearing somebody say E-5/6 etc. Pisses me off to no end.
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SGT (Join to see)
Soldiers I supervised over the past few years say things like "I'm just trying to get my E5." Drives me up a wall. Rank doesn't equal leadership and paygrade is just that, what you earn as a salary. Unfortunately, the military breeds an environment where pay grade equals rank which in turn breeds this discussion.
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