A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.
Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, above staff sergeant and below master sergeant and first sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO). It has a pay grade of E-7.
The chart below represents the current enlisted rank insignia of the United States Air Force.
A chief master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.
Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) is the 9th and highest enlisted grade in the United States Marine Corps. Master Gunnery Sergeants are senior staff non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) with the pay grade of E-9, equivalent to Sergeants Major and the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps.
Chief warrant officer is a senior warrant officer rank, used in many countries.
Eric W. Benken is a retired airman of the United States Air Force who served as the 12th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from 1996 to 1999. He was the last Vietnam War veteran to hold the position.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has a unique rank structure. Because the IDF is an integrated force, ranks are the same in all services The ranks are derived from those in the paramilitary Haganah, which operated during the Mandate period in order to protect the Yishuv. This is reflected in the slightly compacted rank structure: for instance, the Chief of Staff is seemingly only equivalent to a lieutenant general in other militaries.
Rodney J. McKinley is a retired airman of the United States Air Force who served as the 15th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from 2006 to 2009.
The structure of the United States Air Force refers to the unit designators and organizational hierarchy of the United States Air Force, which starts at the most senior commands.
The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) is the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) position overall in the United States Armed Forces. The SEAC is appointed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to serve as a spokesperson to address the issues of enlisted personnel to the highest positions in the Department of Defense. As such, the SEAC is the primary enlisted advisor to the chairman, and serves at the pleasure of the secretary of defense. The SEAC's exact duties vary, depending on the chairman, though the SEAC generally devotes much their time traveling throughout the Department of Defense, to observe training and communicating to service members and their families. The SEAC's normal term of assignment is runs concurrently with the Chairman, but an incumbent may be reappointed to serve longer. The first member to hold this post was William Gainey. The current SEAC is Ramón Colón-López, USAF who assumed the duties on 13 December 2019.
James A. Roy is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force who served as the 16th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from June 30, 2009, to January 24, 2013. He was previously the Senior Enlisted Leader and Advisor for United States Pacific Command.
First sergeant is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries.
Tony L. Whitehead is a senior noncommissioned officer in the United States Air Force and the sixth Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. He succeeded Army CSM Christopher S. Kepner on 25 August 2020, and is the first senior enlisted advisor of the NGB to wear a unique rank insignia. At the time of his selection, he was the Command Chief Master Sergeant, CONR-1 AF (AFNORTH), Tyndall AFB, Florida.
Members of Civil Air Patrol are assigned various ranks, the titles and insignia of which are based on those used by the United States Air Force. Each grade and insignia corresponds to an equivalent United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia and an equivalent officer rank insignia.
