A Staff Sergeant (SSG) is a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in the U.S. Army or Marine Corps (and in other militaries) who is one rank above that of a Sergeant (E5). A Staff Sergeant is responsible for a relatively large number of enlisted servicemembers. Staff Sergeants can often be found as drill sergeants, recruiters, instructors and squad leaders. SSG's have often been in the service for a considerably longer time than standard Sergeants, and have more responsibilities. In fact, a Staff Sergeant usually has several Sergeants working under his direct leadership.

A SSG insignia is characterized by 3 of the standard triangular stripes (chevrons) and a sort of half circle (rocker) at the bottom.

There are also SSGs in the Air Force, but are a pay grade lower, E5. Their insignia is a circled star embedded on 3 chevrons and a close-fitting rocker underneath.

See also: E6, E5, Rank and Pay Grades of the US Military

In the British Army a staff sergeant is a noncommissioned officer with a NATO rank code of OR7 above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer Class 2. The insignia for this rank is three gold downward-facing chevrons with the monarch's crown above on a green background. It is abbrevated SSgt or S/Sgt.

Unlike a United States Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps staff sergeant, a British staff sergeant is never addressed as "sergeant" (which would be a demotion of sorts) but as "staff sergeant" or just "staff." If a staff sergeant holds another position, such as Company Quartermaster Sergeant, they are known by that title. In the infantry, however, a staff sergeant is always a colour sergeant. In some calvalry regiments a staff sergeant is addressed as "sergeant major."

If I had to remember all that, I would promptly go insane.

Since the rank has a pay grade of OR7, it is equivalent to a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army, a Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force, a Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, or a Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy. Within the British military, the rank is comparable to a Colour Sergeant of the Royal Marines, a Chief Petty Officer of the Royal Navy, or a Flight Sergeant or Chief Technician of the Royal Air Force.


SergeantBritish Army RanksWarrant Officer Class 2






A staff sergeant in the United States Air Force is the lowest ranking noncommissioned officer, just above senior airman and just below technical sergeant, with a pay grade of E5. The insignia for this grade is three white downward-facing chevrons with centered on a blue circle with a white star in the center. The fourth stripe is more of a rocker curved around the circle. A staff sergeant is addressed as "sergeant" or "staff sergeant" and is abbreviated SSgt.

A staff sergeant's role in the Air Force is primarily that of a craftsman (or craftswoman, I suppose) with some NCO supervisory duties.

Going by the NATO chain of command, a staff sergeant is an OR5 comparable to a Sergeant of the Royal Air Force.


Senior AirmanUnited States Military RanksTechnical Sergeant






The Wright Brothers Award

Everybody knows who the Wright brothers were, so I'm not going to bother with that.

This was rather an abrupt transition for me -- I went from shuffling around near the back of the flight trying not to screw up to commanding said flight. Be prepared to screw up and occasionally run your cadets into the wall when you forget which foot to call column left on. Learn the demonstration-performance method of teaching drill -- no, really, learn it. Use it every time you have to teach a cadet a drill movement and they will have no excuse for not learning it.

A staff sergeant has four upward-facing chevrons centered on the tri-prop shield, is addressed as "sergeant" (or "staff sergeant" if you're so inclined), and is abbreviated C/SSgt. The Wright Brothers ribbon is solid green except for two sets of thin white lines on either side of the ribbon.

To advance to technical sergeant, pass the aerospace education and leadership tests with a 70% or higher, log a cadet physical fitness test (CPFT), and sit in on a moral leadership class. The leadership test requires drilling a flight, so try to arrange for your flight to consist of experienced cadets.


Cadet Senior AirmanCivil Air Patrol Cadet Grades → Cadet Technical Sergeant


SOURCES:
Grunt's Military: Air Force Enlisted Rank Insignia
Wikipedia: Staff Sergeant, Comparative military ranks
CAPP 151
Leadership: 2000 and Beyond
CAPP 52-18
CAPR 52-16
Personal knowledge

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