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Timeline of U.S. Army Enlisted Ranks, 1920 to Present

The following table shows the major changes in US Army enlisted ranks and insignia from the post-World War I reorganization of the enlisted grades in 1920 to the present day. The insignia used to illustrate are intended to be typical of the period but are not the only color, size or material combinations possible.

Some notes:

• With the US fully involved in World War II, the Army decided in Sept. 1942 to bump First Sergeants up from the 2nd to the 1st Grade. This allowed experienced NCO leaders to be promoted to the highest grade. At the same time, the Technician ranks took over from the former Specialists, who had worn the insignia of privates.
• After the war, the Army made several moves to reform the enlisted structure. With the rank of sergeant at the 4th Grade, the army had more sergeants than lower grades. Moving sergeant to the E-5 grade was meant to restore some of its supervisory status.

1920-1959

Pay Grade		September 1920	September 1942	August 1948	Feb. 1951	March 1955	Sept. 1959
pre-1949	post-1949
	E-9						Sergeant Major Specialist 9
	E-8						1st Sergeant Master Sergeant Specialist 8
1	E-7	Master Sergeant	First Sergeant Master Sergeant	First Sergeant (combat) Master Sergeant (combat) Master Sergeant (non-combat)	First Sergeant Master Sergeant	First Sergeant Master Sergeant Master Specialist	Sergeant 1st Class Specialist 7
2	E-6	First Sergeant Technical Sergeant	Technical Sergeant	Sergeant 1st Class (combat) Sergeant 1st Class (non-combat)	Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant 1st Class Specialist 1st Class	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6
3	E-5	Staff Sergeant	Staff Sergeant Technician 3rd Grade	Sergeant (combat) Sergeant (non-combat)	Sergeant	Sergeant Specialist 2nd Class	Sergeant Specialist 5
4	E-4	Sergeant	Sergeant Technician 4th Grade	Corporal (combat) Corporal (non-combat)	Corporal	Corporal Specialist 3rd Class	Corporal Specialist 4
5	E-3	Corporal	Corporal Technician 5th Grade	Private 1st Class (combat) Private 1st Class (non-combat)	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class
6	E-2	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	(no insignia) Private	(no insignia) Private	(no insignia) Private E-2	(no insignia) Private E-2
7	E-1	(no insignia) Private	(no insignia) Private	(no insignia) Recruit	(no insignia) Recruit	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1
		September 1920	September 1942	August 1948	Feb. 1951	March 1955	Sept. 1959

1959-2019

Pay Grade	September 1959	1965	May 1968	1978	1979	1985	1994	2019
E-9	Sergeant Major Specialist 9	Sergeant Major	Command Sergeant Major Staff Sergeant Major [1]	Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major	Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major
E-8	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant Specialist 8	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant	1st Sergeant Master Sergeant
E-7	Sergeant 1st Class Specialist 7	Sergeant 1st Class Specialist 7	Sergeant 1st Class Specialist 7	Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant 1st Class
E-6	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6	Staff Sergeant Specialist 6	Staff Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Staff Sergeant
E-5	Sergeant Specialist 5	Sergeant Specialist 5	Sergeant Specialist 5	Sergeant Specialist 5	Sergeant Specialist 5	Sergeant	Sergeant	Sergeant
E-4	Corporal Specialist 4	Corporal Specialist 4	Corporal Specialist 4	Corporal Specialist 4	Corporal Specialist 4	Corporal Specialist	Corporal Specialist	Corporal Specialist
E-3	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class	Private 1st Class
E-2	(no insignia) Private E-2	(no insignia) Private E-2	Private E-2	Private E-2	Private E-2	Private E-2	Private E-2	Private E-2
E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1	(no insignia) Private E-1
	September 1959	1965	May 1968	1978	1979	1985	1994	2019

References:

• William K. Emerson, Chevrons, Washington DC, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1983.
• Ernest F. Fisher, Guardians of the Republic: A History of the Noncommissioned Officer Corps of the U.S. Army, Ballantine Books, 1994
• US Department of the Army Institute of Heraldry, History of Enlisted Ranks.

All text and images © Justin T. Broderick, 2013-2021 unless otherwise indicated.