Enlisted Ranks
Enlisted Ranks (grade E-1 to E-9) in the Army are the lower of the 3 Total Army Ranks. Enlisted Soldiers make up the majority of the US Army and are ranked from Private (E-1) to Sergeant Major of the Army (E-9). The roles of each enlisted rank past Private First Class (E-3) entitle you to more and more responsibility.
When first entering the Army, you will be under the enlisted ranks between E-1 and E-4 (Specialist). Your rank when entering the Army is determined by factors such as if you’ve completed an APFT for your recruiter, referred someone, or have college credits. E-4 is the highest among the enlisted ranks that you may enter the US Army and Basic Training.
Enlisted Ranks E-5 and above are referred to as NCOs, short for noncommissioned officers. Corporals are also considered to be noncommissioned officers, and serve as the base of the noncommissioned officer (NCO) ranks.
Address sergeants, staff sergeants, and sergeants first class as “Sergeant (last name).” Address higher-ranking sergeants by their full Army ranks in conjunction with their names.
Senior NCOs include the ranks of Sergeant First Class (E-7), Master Sergeant (E-8), and Sergeant Major (E-9). They have significant leadership responsibilities and play crucial roles in managing and guiding enlisted personnel.
The platoon leader is a commissioned officer who leads a platoon, which typically consists of several senior NCOs and corporals. The platoon leader works closely with senior NCOs to ensure effective operations and training within the unit.