Why were the Specialist ranks (SP4, SP5, SP6) important? What purpose did they serve to the Army?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:14:22 -0400

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Aug 3 at 2018 3:27 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:27:59 -0400

It allowed people who were insightful technicians but maybe not the best leaders to move up in rank.

Response by 1SG Charles Rivenburgh made Aug 3 at 2018 3:37 PM

1SG Charles Rivenburgh — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:37:21 -0400

CW3 Storm is somewhat right. It was mainly used in medical facilities, supply, etc. The reason was they weren't in leadership positions. The Army finally started phasing out the Specialist ranks. The Chief is right in that those who couldn't cut it but somehow avoided doing anything to boot them out were made Specialists. You were an SP6, SP7 you were looked down upon. The general perception (right or wrong) was you couldn't cut it!

Response by SFC Andrew Miller made Aug 3 at 2018 4:16 PM

SFC Andrew Miller — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:16:05 -0400

There weren't all of the contractors in those days that there are now. Not saying there weren't any, but for the most part soldiers took care of everything. Combat Service Support and some Combat Support specialties moved up through the SPC ranks.

As a retired Signal NCO, I can tell you that for the last 10-12 years of my career you were expected to be both a proficient technician as well as a stellar leader. Most S6 offices I led were usually too short staffed to effectively allow both. It wasn't that my leadership itself was affected, but between everything that needed to be documented and every useless meeting you were expected to attend there were too few hours in the day to maintain, lead, and document to the level each should be.

Having separate personnel to either be the technical specialists or the "hard stripes" would have ensured that fewer issues were fixed with figurative duct tape and 550 cord.

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made Aug 3 at 2018 6:11 PM

MSG Danny Mathers — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 18:11:16 -0400

My answer is NO. Specialist positions E-5 and above were mainly promoted during the Vietnam War. From WWII to Vietnam there were specilist ranks. WWII they were called Techs. After the Vietnam War was over and the Army was reducing forces, the specialist position were eliminated excepty for E-4s. I mostly saw SP5 & SP6 ranks in support roles such as clerks, medics and drivers during the late 60's and 70's. The army converted the specialist to NCO which the policy was up or out. In other words, you were gone if you could not soldier as an NCO that was promotable. The highest specilist I ever saw was a SP7 clerk at post headquarters at Fort Polk. He was promoted to a warrant officer. I believe the army should do away with the specilist rank all together. You service as a private and are forced out after your enlistment contract or pass PLC or BLC and continue as a NCO.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Aug 3 at 2018 11:11 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 23:11:31 -0400

Because they were seldom leaders, but they were the Specialists in things like Finance, HR, Supply., at 1 time all the way up to SPC9.

Response by LTC John Mohor made Aug 4 at 2018 10:45 PM

LTC John Mohor — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 22:45:56 -0400

The other reason I've thought the specialists/ Technician ranks existed was due to having the draft. As the peacetime draft was ended in the early / mid 70s so we're the specialists ranks above E-4. Just a thought

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 8 at 2019 5:29 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 17:29:25 -0400

I had an E-6 who could barely coordinate the opening of the motor pool gate. I really did not want to promote him to E-7, but if SP-7 was available then I would have tried to promote him with no regrets. He was technically strong.

Response by SP5 Christopher Kiger made Jul 14 at 2019 9:38 AM

SP5 Christopher Kiger — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 09:38:55 -0400

In 1970 I was promoted to SP5 in field artillery fire direction, had to go before promotion board because E5 was the first NCO rank, (SGT or SP5). FDC computation was a specialty, although you wouldn’t normally have command over others. Most importantly, you could get into the NCO club, much to the dismay of the “hard strippers”.

Response by SP5 Kenneth St Clair made Jun 23 at 2020 10:45 PM

SP5 Kenneth St Clair — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 22:45:32 -0400

Sp4 and Sp5 were standard ranks in Armor when I was on active duty in the then 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead) at Ayers Kaserne in W Germany (1967-1968). The Tank commander was SSGT E6, the loader was PFC, the gunner was Sp4, the driver was Sp5. I was first a gunner, then a driver. No position other than the tank commander required leadership. On off hours, the company CQs were Buck Sgts E5 and the Sp5s all served as commander of the relief for the guard shifts. No real reason to do away with the Sp positions imo.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Feb 8 at 2023 10:55 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 10:55:21 -0500

They replaced Technician ranks. However, all Specialists ranked between PFC and CPL and therefore available for fatigue duties. Technicians ranked just below the NCO, T5 below CPL, T4 below SGT and T3 below SSG.

Response by SSG John C Quigley II made Aug 28 at 2023 3:44 PM

SSG John C Quigley II — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:44:24 -0400

Actually, the Specialist ranks made sense, they were not infantry or Armor, they were men and women who were technically oriented and the Army needed those folks to do the computer work, programming etc.. In the service if you are a technician you are a specialist, I disagree with those who lump Supply people in with that, I was a SSG as a Supply Sergeant, my duties included being able to lead men and women in many different areas of work. I suppose that I could have stayed active but I did not, but that is a different story. I think that keeping SP4 instead of CPL is kind of silly, but hey what do I know?