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1 1 (December 1, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govegql0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Infrning the Iegislative debdte since 1914 Defense Primer: Military Enlisted Personnel Grade and Rank The armed forces are hierarchical organizations with clearly defined levels of authority. These different levels are called grades, while rank refers to the order of precedence among those in different grades and within the same grade (e.g., someone who has been a Sergeant for three years outranks someone who has been a Sergeant for two years).However, it is common for the term rank to be used as a synonym for grade. Pay grade is an administrative classification that determines certain rates of pay, but it is sometimes used to indicate grade as well. For example, a Staff Sergeant in the Army may also be referred to as an E-6. See Figure 1. The Service Secretaries manage the accession, promotion, and assignments of enlisted members under broad statutory authorities. Numbers and Roles Enlisted personnel make up about 82% of the armed forces, with officers making up the remaining 18%. Enlisted personnel rank below all officers. Table 1 lists the number of active duty enlisted personnel in each pay grade. Junior enlisted personnel (pay grades E-1 to E-4) typically work in small units across the Department of Defense. Individuals normally serve in these grades during their first enlistment term (usually four years). More senior enlisted personnel supervise them. Junior enlisted personnel make up about 52% of the enlisted workforce. Updated December 1, 2021 Mid-level Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs) (pay grades E-5 to E-7). NCOs have significantly more responsibility than junior enlisted personnel. They lead small units, typically ranging from a few to several dozen personnel, and serve as technical experts in their occupational specialties. NCOs at this level translate orders from their superior officers into action. They make up about 44% of the enlisted workforce. Senior Noncommissioned Officers (pay grades E-8 and E- 9) typically serve as senior enlisted advisors to commanders or as staff NCOs. They also serve as a channel of support for the enlisted force in general. By law, the authorized daily average of enlisted personnel in pay grades E-8 and E- 9 may not be more than 2.5% and 1.25%, respectively, of the number of enlisted members in a given Service on the first day of the fiscal year. If the number of E-9s is below the cap, the difference may be applied to increase the number of E-8s. The statutory caps can be waived in certain circumstances (10 U.S.C. §517). Insignia As shown in Figure 1, each enlisted grade in the armed forces has distinctive insignia, typically worn on the sleeve, shoulder, collar, and/or headgear (caps, berets, helmets, etc.). Table 1. Active Duty Military Enlisted by Pay Grade (as of September 30, 2021) Services Air Force/Space Pay Grade Army Navy Marine Corps Force Total E-9 3,384 2,814 1,588 2,652 10,438 E-8 10,669 7,322 3,969 4,956 26,916 E-7 34,633 22,871 8,709 26,371 92,584 E-6 59,289 51,707 13,557 44,186 168,739 E-5 70,580 72,621 22,725 61,600 227,526 E-4 1 19,664 54,967 31,993 61,063 267,687 E-3 54,932 47,709 45,167 48,421 196,229 E-2 21,749 16,859 19,721 8,143 66,472 E-1 13,664 10,309 10,548 8,266 42,787 Total 388,564 287,179 157,977 265,658 1,099,378 Source: Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center.

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