Staff Sergeant - United States

United States

Staff Sergeant insignia
U.S. Army

Staff Sergeant insignia
U.S. Marine Corps

Staff Sergeant insignia
U.S. Air Force

Staff Sergeant (SSG) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Army, just above Sergeant and below Sergeant First Class, and is a non-commissioned officer. Staff Sergeants are generally placed in charge of squads, but can also act as platoon sergeants in the absence of a Sergeant First Class. In support units, Staff Sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions because of the number of slots available for SSG in these units. Staff Sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or Company Operations Noncommissioned Officer in Charge at the company level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. Staff Sergeants are referred to as "Sergeant" except for in certain training environments and schools. The NATO code is OR-6.

The rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army (along with Technical Sergeant (renamed Sergeant First Class in 1948) and Master Sergeant) was created by Congress after the First World War.

Staff Sergeant (SSgt) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Sergeant and below Gunnery Sergeant. A Marine staff sergeant is a staff non-commissioned officer rank. This grade is normally achieved after 10 to 13 years in service. The NATO code is OR-6. In the combat arms units, a staff sergeant usually is billeted as a platoon sergeant for 30+ Marines. They may also be tasked as a company gunnery sergeant, or a platoon commander if required. They are the senior tactical advisor to a platoon commander by virtue of time in service, previous deployments, and experience and is responsible for the proficiency, training and administrative issue of his Marines. They are referred to by their complete rank (i.e. "Staff Sergeant Jones" or simply "Staff Sergeant," with the abbreviation "SSgt").

The rank of Staff Sergeant in the USMC was created in 1923 to coincide with the U.S. Army's ranks. Until the end of WW2, the insignia of Platoon Sergeant was three chevrons and a rocker, with Staff Sergeant having a horizontal stripe instead of a rocker below the chevrons. After the separate rank of Platoon Sergeant was eliminated, the Staff Sergeant rank switched over to the rocker insignia and staff sergeants held the platoon sergeant's billet.

Staff Sergeant (SSgt) is E-5 in the United States Air Force (U.S. Air Force). It ranks just above Senior Airman (SrA) and below Technical Sergeant (TSgt). It is the Air Force's first non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank, as well as the first Air Force rank to which promotion is attained on a competitive basis. SrA are considered for promotion if they attain that rank on or before February 1 of that testing year. This is so that they will have a minimum of 6 months time-in-grade before the first promotion date of that testing year, however in a normal career progression one achieves this grade after 5 to 7 years in service. Staff sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first-line supervisors within a workcenter. After being selected for promotion, Staff Sergeants must attend Airman Leadership School (ALS), which teaches them basic leadership skills and how to write performance reports. The term of address is Staff Sergeant or Sergeant.