Sergeant first class

Template:Short description Sergeant First Class (SFC) is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries.

United States

Sergeant First Class (SFC) is the seventh enlisted rank (E-7) in the U.S. Army, ranking above staff sergeant (E-6) and below master sergeant and first sergeant (E-8), and is the first non-commissioned officer rank designated as a senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO).

A sergeant first class is typically assigned as a platoon sergeant at the company level or battalion operations non-commissioned officer in charge at the battalion level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. In a combat arms role, a sergeant first class is typically second in charge (under an officer, typically a second lieutenant, serving as the platoon leader) of from 14 soldiers and four tanks in an armor platoon to 36 soldiers and four squads in a rifle platoon. A sergeant first class's primary responsibilities are tactical logistics, tactical casualty evacuations, and serving as the senior tactical adviser to the platoon leader. Sergeant first class replaced the rank of technical sergeant in 1948. (However, the U.S. Air Force, which separated from the Army in 1947, retained the rank of technical sergeant, and the U.S. Marine Corps had the rank of technical sergeant until 1959.) Sergeants first class are selected by a centralized promotion system.

The rank title of sergeant first class (SFC) existed in the Army from 1890 until 1920 when it was eliminated in an army-wide simplification of enlisted ranks which had grown into a system containing 128 different rank insignia. The rank of SFC was used in several technical branches such as the Army Medical Department and in the Ordnance, Signal, and Quartermaster Corps and was equivalent to the field service ranks at the company/battery/troop "staff" NCO level, such as color sergeant, supply sergeant, or radio sergeant. The Army restored the rank of SFC in 1948 when it replaced technical sergeant.

Gallery

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• Sergeant first class (United States Army)[15]
  Sergeant first class
  (United States Army)

See also

• Military rank
• Sergeant
• Comparative military ranks
• United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War I
• United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War II
• U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
• United States military pay

References

Pay grade Branch of service	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9	Special
Army File:Flag of the United States Army.svg	Private PVT	Private 2 PV2	Private first class PFC	Specialist Corporal SPC – CPL	Sergeant SGT	Staff Sergeant SSG	Sergeant first class SFC	Master Sergeant First Sergeant MSG – 1SG¹	Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major SGM – CSM	Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Sergeant Major of the Army Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SEA – SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps File:Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg	Private Pvt	Private first class PFC	Lance Corporal LCpl	Corporal Cpl	Sergeant Sgt	Staff Sergeant SSgt	Gunnery Sergeant GySgt	Master Sergeant First sergeant MSgt – 1stSgt¹	Master Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major MGySgt – SgtMaj	Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SMMC – SEAC
Navy File:Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg	Seaman recruit SR	Seaman apprentice SA	Seaman SN	Petty Officer Third Class PO3	Petty Officer Second Class PO2	Petty Officer first class PO1	File:BMC GC.svg CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer Command Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO – CMDCS	Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer / Force Master Chief Petty Officer MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman MCPON – SEAC
Air Force File:Flag of the United States Air Force.svg	Airman basic AB	Airman Amn	Airman first class A1C	Senior Airman SrA	Staff Sergeant SSgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Master Sergeant Master Sergeant MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant Command Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM	Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SEA – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force File:Flag of the United States Space Force.svg	Specialist 1 Spc1	Specialist 2 Spc2	Specialist 3 Spc3	Specialist 4 Spc4	Sergeant Sgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Master sergeant MSgt	Senior master sergeant SMSgt	Chief master sergeant CMSgt	Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard File:Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg	Seaman Recruit SR	border SA	border SN	Petty Officer Third Class PO3	Petty Officer Second Class PO2	Petty Officer first class PO1	Chief Petty Officer CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO	Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Area Command Master Chief Petty Officer, CMC Reserve MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG2	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard MCPOCG
For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.