Origin of Staff Sergeant rank

[Texas Star]

I'm writing a book in which the authenticty of a document hinges partly on when the rank of Staff Sergeant was introduced in the US Army.

Does anyone here know, for sure?

Thanks,

T-Star

 

[USAF385]

I want to say during or soon after WW1... not 100% sure.

 

[Lee Barner]

try calling down to ft hood and ask for the 1st CAV Division's historian's office. they should be able to point you in the right direction. lee

 

[jeffsmith]

After World War I Congress reorganized the NCO ranks. Five NCO ranks were established: master sergeant; technical sergeant; staff sergeant; sergeant; and corporal.

From: A SHORT HISTORY OF THE US ARMY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER By L.R. Arms

Page 31

Available at This Link at The Army Study Guide

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:WnZZ2NQxHLEJ:www.armystudyguide.com/content/bm~doc/a-short-history-of-the-us.pdf+history+of+the+NCO&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgXdQ3qngRRJFmkP4hrO3us8zlfJn-sjk-Ef3Po0eEZWRvjIXbyPDeTj8hiw08aBIVVXcktJdw7BbG4c4iHRhqrx32k0xzrkMQBVAGpr4iARp2Ukc3qT0firzpwDi0n2VelDhgR&sig=AHIEtbRFmHWWw7H4dIAlmevbYCqINKJ3fg

 

[S-W4EVER]

try calling down to ft hood and ask for the 1st CAV Division's historian's office. they should be able to point you in the right direction. lee

Fortunately, The First Team will all be home this Friday!!!

 

[Texas Star]

After World War I Congress reorganized the NCO ranks. Five NCO ranks were established: master sergeant; technical sergeant; staff sergeant; sergeant; and corporal.

From: A SHORT HISTORY OF THE US ARMY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER By L.R. Arms

Page 31

Available at This Link at The Army Study Guide

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Thanks. But do we know if they had any of those ranks before that decree? (Other than Sgt.)

T-Star

 

[jeffsmith]

I couldn't find any earlier reference for those listed ranks
other than for Sgt & Cpl (Of Course)

 

[rocketdog]

Some help here? From revolutionary war on....

REVOLUTIONARY WAR & EARLY UNITED STATES - US Army The Year of the NCO

Gene

 

[writerinmo]

I do know that my father served as a 'low-speed radio operator" stationed at Adak Alaska during World War II, activated along as a part of his National Guard unit. He wore a Staff Sgt emblem with a large letter "T" in the center to distinguish himself as a technician.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The Technician ranks were established at the beginning of WWII to allow people with critical skills to get higher pay while emphasizing they weren't NCOs per se. IIRC in WWII a Technician ranked above the next lower paygrade and below the next NCO rank.
Try this website United States Military Information. I looked it up on Google, it gives dates, cites official orders. Look up up enlisted ranks, the "Army enlisted ranks history."

 

[El Biblioitecario]

To confuse the issue, for a decade there were two pay grades of SSG, E5 and E6. From 1948 to 1958 there were no SGTS (three chevrons); the lowest grade of sergeant was SSG E5. In 1958 when pay grades E8 and E9 were introduced, the other services just added two ranks; e.g. the navy's highest enlisted rank had been Chief Petty Officer E7, so they added Senior CPO E8 and Master CPO E9.

This wasn't confusing enough for the army, who in order to come up with nine enlisted pay grades, added one new rank (SGM E9) and revived the rank of SGT (three chevrons, no rockers) as pay grade E5. Thereafter anyone promoted to SSG was an E6. To preserve the prestige of the NCO corps, those already holding the rank of SSG E5 were allowed to continue to wear their old rank. For a decade someone with one, two, or three rockers might be one of two pay grades.

 

[Texas Star]

I do know that my father served as a 'low-speed radio operator" stationed at Adak Alaska during World War II, activated along as a part of his National Guard unit. He wore a Staff Sgt emblem with a large letter "T" in the center to distinguish himself as a technician.

Same with my father. And he was a petroleum engineer who also had experience with Boeing in the B-29 program before being drafted.

I suspect that he could have gotten a commission, but he'd seen the casualty rates on junior officers, and thought that he'd be safer, maybe, as a sergeant.

By the time that he got to Okinawa, the Japs were all but defeated, and the only thing he shot were mongooses.

T-Star

 

[Texas Star]

To confuse the issue, for a decade there were two pay grades of SSG, E5 and E6. From 1948 to 1958 there were no SGTS (three chevrons); the lowest grade of sergeant was SSG E5. In 1958 when pay grades E8 and E9 were introduced, the other services just added two ranks; e.g. the navy's highest enlisted rank had been Chief Petty Officer E7, so they added Senior CPO E8 and Master CPO E9.

This wasn't confusing enough for the army, who in order to come up with nine enlisted pay grades, added one new rank (SGM E9) and revived the rank of SGT (three chevrons, no rockers) as pay grade E5. Thereafter anyone promoted to SSG was an E6. To preserve the prestige of the NCO corps, those already holding the rank of SSG E5 were allowed to continue to wear their old rank. For a decade someone with one, two, or three rockers might be one of two pay grades.

Interesting. By the way, I've missed you on this board. Welcome back.

T-Star

 

[USAF385]

Random statement: Staff Sergeant is E-5 in the Air Force.

 

[james56]

US Army

Well to took me 16mos to make E-5 sgt, 2 more yrs to make Staff SGT, 25 more months to SGT 1st class then 3yrs to Master SGT and Medicaly retired at 11yrs. Some of the best years of my life, great life experience.
US Army Spl. Forces Combat Medic

 

[walnutred]

Contact the Quartermasters Museum at Ft. Lee. U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum - Fort Lee, Virginia If anyone can answer your question, and document that answer, they can.

 

[Texas Star]

Thanks, guys. The main thing that I have to know is that the rank was not in use in the 1830's, and I'm almost certain that it wasn't.

T-Star

 

[LTC]

The USAF during the late 60's changed the rank designation of an E-4 from Airman 1ST Class to SGT. In the years following, after my discharge the AF re-named the E-1 through E-4 enlisted ranks various times. Some body felt it was demeaning to be classified as Airman 3rd or 2nd class. The SGT designation for an E-4 was changed from SGT to Senior Airman.

Uniforms changed at regular intervals also. Sounded like a large waste of money to me. Most other services are wearing the same basic class A uniforms from the 40's and 50's.

LTC
SGT, USAF 1966-1970