Sergeant First Class
Encyclopedia
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank
(E-7) in the U.S. Army
, above Staff Sergeant
and below Master Sergeant
and First Sergeant
, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer
rank. A Sergeant First Class is typically assigned as a Platoon Sergeant at the company level or Battalion Operations Noncommissioned Officer in Charge at the battalion level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. In a combat arms role, Sergeant First Class is typically in charge of anywhere from 18 soldiers and 4 tanks in an armor platoon to 40 soldiers in a rifle platoon. A Sergeant First Class' primary responsibility is training and mentoring Lieutenants, tactical logistics, tactical casualty evacuations, and the senior tactical advisor to the platoon leader. With today's operations tempo, a Sergeant First Class may fill the role of platoon leader if no suitable officer is available. Sergeant First Class replaced the now defunct rank of Technical Sergeant
in 1948.
A Sergeant First Class is addressed as "sergeant" except in certain situations; such as cannon artillery units, where a Sergeant First Class serving as Platoon Sergeant is commonly referred to as "Smoke." They may also be culturally referred to as "platoon daddy," though not directly or in a professional setting. If a Sergeant First Class is appointed to fill the role of First Sergeant, he or she is addressed as "First Sergeant." Typically a Sergeant First Class assigned on a manning document to fill a first sergeant role will be frocked
to First Sergeant rank and hold the insignia due its position.
Sergeant First Class is the first rank in the US Army to be selected by the centralized promotion system. As such it is considerably more difficult to achieve than the previous ranks. A Sergeant First Class is considered the first senior non-commissioned officer, and gains not only notice but several benefits due the position. For example, a Sergeant First Class cannot be demoted by standard non-judicial punishment.
(IDF); above the ( סמל ראשון (סמ"ר Samal rishon (Samar, Staff Sergeant
). On 25 June 2006, Gilad Shalit
, an IDF's Armor Corps Corporal
got kidnapped by Hamas
state terrorists
from inside Israel sovereign soil near the border with the Gaza territories. During captivity he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and Sergeant First Class. He was released on 18 October 2011 in exchange for 1027 prisoners, some of whom had been convicted of terrorism. Because the IDF is an integrated force, they have a unique rank structure. IDF ranks are the same in all services (army, navy, air force, etc.). The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah
developed in the British Mandate of Palestine period to protect the Yishuv
. This origin is reflected in the slightly-compacted IDF rank structure
.
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
(E-7) in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, above Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
and below Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
and First Sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
rank. A Sergeant First Class is typically assigned as a Platoon Sergeant at the company level or Battalion Operations Noncommissioned Officer in Charge at the battalion level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. In a combat arms role, Sergeant First Class is typically in charge of anywhere from 18 soldiers and 4 tanks in an armor platoon to 40 soldiers in a rifle platoon. A Sergeant First Class' primary responsibility is training and mentoring Lieutenants, tactical logistics, tactical casualty evacuations, and the senior tactical advisor to the platoon leader. With today's operations tempo, a Sergeant First Class may fill the role of platoon leader if no suitable officer is available. Sergeant First Class replaced the now defunct rank of Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant is the name of one current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States military.-United States Air Force:Technical Sergeant, or Tech Sergeant, is the sixth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant. A technical sergeant is...
in 1948.
A Sergeant First Class is addressed as "sergeant" except in certain situations; such as cannon artillery units, where a Sergeant First Class serving as Platoon Sergeant is commonly referred to as "Smoke." They may also be culturally referred to as "platoon daddy," though not directly or in a professional setting. If a Sergeant First Class is appointed to fill the role of First Sergeant, he or she is addressed as "First Sergeant." Typically a Sergeant First Class assigned on a manning document to fill a first sergeant role will be frocked
Frocking
Frocking is a United States military term for a commissioned or non-commissioned officer selected for promotion wearing the insignia of the higher grade before the official date of promotion . An officer or NCO who has been selected for promotion may be authorized to "frock" to the next grade...
to First Sergeant rank and hold the insignia due its position.
Sergeant First Class is the first rank in the US Army to be selected by the centralized promotion system. As such it is considerably more difficult to achieve than the previous ranks. A Sergeant First Class is considered the first senior non-commissioned officer, and gains not only notice but several benefits due the position. For example, a Sergeant First Class cannot be demoted by standard non-judicial punishment.
Israel Defense Forces
The (רב-סמל (רס"ל Rav samal (Rasal), Sergeant First Class is the lowest non-commissioned officers (נגדים) rank in the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF); above the ( סמל ראשון (סמ"ר Samal rishon (Samar, Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
). On 25 June 2006, Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
, an IDF's Armor Corps Corporal
Israel Defense Forces ranks
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces have a unique rank structure. Because the IDF is an integrated force, ranks are the same in all services The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah developed in the Mandate period to protect the Yishuv...
got kidnapped by Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
state terrorists
State terrorism
State terrorism may refer to acts of terrorism conducted by a state against a foreign state or people. It can also refer to acts of violence by a state against its own people.-Definition:...
from inside Israel sovereign soil near the border with the Gaza territories. During captivity he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and Sergeant First Class. He was released on 18 October 2011 in exchange for 1027 prisoners, some of whom had been convicted of terrorism. Because the IDF is an integrated force, they have a unique rank structure. IDF ranks are the same in all services (army, navy, air force, etc.). The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
developed in the British Mandate of Palestine period to protect the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
. This origin is reflected in the slightly-compacted IDF rank structure
Israel Defense Forces ranks
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces have a unique rank structure. Because the IDF is an integrated force, ranks are the same in all services The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah developed in the Mandate period to protect the Yishuv...
.
IDF NCO Rank |
רב-סמל Rav samal |
רב-סמל ראשון Rav samal rishon |
רב-סמל מתקדם Rav samal mitkadem |
רב-סמל בכיר Rav samal bakhír |
רב-נגד Rav nagad |
|
Abbreviation | רס"ל Rasal |
רס"ר Rasar |
רס"מ Rasam |
רס"ב Rasab |
רנ"ג Ranag |
|
Corresponding Rank |
Sergeant First Class | Master Sergeant Master Sergeant A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF... |
Sergeant Major Sergeant Major Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers... |
Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first... |
Chief Warrant Officer Chief Warrant Officer Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the Canadian Forces and the Israel Defence Forces.-Canada:In the Canadian Forces, a chief warrant officer or CWO is the most senior non-commissioned member rank in the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force... |
|
Insignia | ||||||
More details at Israel Defense Forces ranks Israel Defense Forces ranks Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces have a unique rank structure. Because the IDF is an integrated force, ranks are the same in all services The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah developed in the Mandate period to protect the Yishuv... & IDF 2011 - Ranks (idf.il, english) |
External links
See also
- Military rankMilitary rankMilitary rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
- SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
- Comparative military ranksComparative military ranksThis article is a list of various states' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention NATO reference codes. These are the NATO rank reference...
- U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
- United States Military PayUnited States Military PayUnited States Military Pay is money paid to members in the United States Armed Forces. The amount of pay may vary by the member's rank, time in the military, location duty assignment, and by some special skills the member may have.-Pay versus Allowance:...