How hard would it be to refer to enlisted soldiers by their rank as opposed to their pay grade?

SFC Gary Edwards — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:06:43 -0400

This is the rank of Sergeant, not E-5!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 5:09 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:09:42 -0400

I agree. E-5 is not a rank. It is a pay grade.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 5:09 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:09:42 -0400

But that person _IS_ an E-5.

I have never heard someone EVER say, "Hey, E-3 Jones, come here." The _ONLY_ time I've heard it used was for uninitiated E-7's in the maritime services (Navy/Coast Guard), and RARELY to their faces.

Response by SFC Roberto Garza Jr. made Jun 2 at 2016 5:19 PM

SFC Roberto Garza Jr. — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:19:51 -0400

Not hard at all. We here it because we allow it. If we don't want it done we should explain why then enforce it.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jun 2 at 2016 5:23 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:23:51 -0400

How hard would it be to refer to enlisted soldiers by their rank as opposed to their pay grade?
I don't understand your question?
A: Its not hard or difficult at all to follow the clear guidence which states you address a servicemember by thier rank.
B: Its not an option, so regardless of your perceived difficulty in doing so, using rank as the title of address is proper , addressing by paygrade is not.

Response by SFC David Pope, MBA made Jun 2 at 2016 5:27 PM

SFC David Pope, MBA — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:27:05 -0400

I never heard anyone referred to by pay grade, except when it had to do with the VA or reserving military lodging.

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made Jun 2 at 2016 6:05 PM

MSG Stan Hutchison — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:05:53 -0400

I think that got a big start back in the day of the Specialist ratings. A soldier may be a Sp4, Sp5, Sp6 etc. but were all called "Specialist" just as a Sgt, SSGT, SFC, PlSgt, and MSG are all called Sergeant. By identifying pay grade, one is more aware of just where one was in the rank structure.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 6:43 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:43:19 -0400

I have 3 Williams that all work in the same shop. So we call them 5, 6, and 7.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 2 at 2016 7:03 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:03:09 -0400

You can call me CT1, CTO1, Petty Officer Nagel, KC or Casey. All were appropriate while I served and still since I retired. I never remember being referred to as E-6 Nagel. That Sounds Odd.

Response by MGySgt James Forward made Jun 2 at 2016 7:10 PM

MGySgt James Forward — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:10:25 -0400

Easy, that's how we do it in the Marine Corps. Proper rank. The only Marine called Sgt is in fact just that a Sgt. Semper Fi.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 7:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:16:08 -0400

I guess you haven't seen the crap I got when I asked this.

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/pay-grade-vs-rank-title

Pay Grade Vs. Rank/Title | RallyPoint

How do you feel about SMs, especially Leaders, addressing or referring to someone by pay grade instead of rank or position?  Are you guilty of it?  Do you correct SMs on it? If you read the post SSG Joaquin Goicoechea wrote, you may understand my post better: "I am in passing and I over hear SSG A speaking to SSG B about a SSG C and instead of using his rank they refer to SSG C as "that E6". If this in fact is what you are...

Response by CH (CPT)(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 8:09 PM

CH (CPT)(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 20:09:49 -0400

It isn't difficult. It just takes corrections by leaders, especially NCO.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jun 2 at 2016 9:03 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:03:23 -0400

No one in the Navy says 'E-5 XXXX, lay to the bridge'. And while I was stationed at a joint SCIF in Japan, I never heard Army guys do that, either. So I'm not sure what you mean.

Response by SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S. made Jun 2 at 2016 9:29 PM

SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S. — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:29:41 -0400

You mean they've returned to pay grade name calling? I thought that was outlawed before I retired in 2000. None of my promotion orders showed the pay grade. I never understood my some leaders used it rather than the rank. I couldn't imagine greeting my 1SG with "Good morning, E-8".

Response by SFC Cindy Paris made Jun 2 at 2016 9:31 PM

SFC Cindy Paris — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:31:19 -0400

It shouldn't be difficult at all as all military personnel per regulation are to be addressed by their rank. The only time someone should be referenced (notice I did not say addressed but rather referenced) by pay grade is when doing paperwork or pay. What it takes is leaders to make corrections when they hear someone addressed by their pay grade. Which is what it really comes down to ... Leaders not leading properly.

Response by SrA Steve Susumu Monas made Jun 2 at 2016 10:08 PM

SrA Steve Susumu Monas — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 22:08:46 -0400

I am confused at the question. There were times and some of my documents say SGT. but I was an SRA. Same pay grade. If I would have come in 2 weeks earlier I would have been a SGT. Please explain?
Thank you, SFC Edward.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 11:13 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 23:13:14 -0400

I never spoke to any enlisted person and said, "Hello, E4 Johnson" Nor, in thirty-three years, did I ever hear anyone else doing so.

Response by SFC Gary Edwards made Jun 3 at 2016 9:22 AM

SFC Gary Edwards — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:22:04 -0400

Just an Example, I hope this soldier doesn't mind me using one of their post, however this is exactly what I'm talking about.

Response by SSG Richard Reilly made Jun 3 at 2016 10:38 AM

SSG Richard Reilly — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 10:38:50 -0400

I always referred by rank.

I also use to say people that referred by pay grade cared about money more than duty.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 3 at 2016 12:08 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 12:08:14 -0400

Never had a problem with calling enlisted personnel by the proper designation--except for the Navy. I didn't use their pay grade, but always had a hard time knowing how to address Navy petty officers. Once the Navy personnel made Chief, it got a lot easier. I like the Marine approach of using the formal rank, but that's not the Army or Air Force way. Occasionally referred to a Navy or Coast Guard Captain or Army, Marine, or Air Force Colonel as an "O-6." The services have somewhat confused the issue of who is a "real Colonel" by mixing formal and informal forms of address. I could have been called "Colonel Coe" informally, but was only a Lt Col. We might have said something like, "Her O-6 is Captain Johnson" designating whom the O-6 was in the person's chain of command. The term "Full Colonel" met with disgust from one of my first O-6 bosses who said, "A full colonel is one who has had lunch." It stuck with me.

Response by SSG Richard Hackwith made Jun 4 at 2016 12:30 AM

SSG Richard Hackwith — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 00:30:22 -0400

Back in 1958 the was a restructure of the rank/pay grade system when E-8 and E-9 were added. People were allowed to wear their rank even they were not in that pay grade in the new system. They were allowed to wear it until 1966, if they had not been promoted they had to take it off. So it was common to see, for example, a MSG that was really an E-7. So it became customary in those days to refer to people by grade, but after 1966 the practice died out slowly but possibly not completely.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2018 5:58 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 05:58:15 -0400

I only hear it when referring to someone in the third person. It’s common because Inthe Army E5 through E8 (Master Sergeant) are called Sergeant. I don’t think this as much a problem in the USMC as they use the entire proper name for the ranks.