Sergeant (E-5)

How to read it

Three chevrons make the sergeant insignia in DA Pamphlet 670-1; the Corporal (E-4) below has two, and the Staff sergeant (E-6) above adds one arc beneath them. The Department of Defense lists the grade as E-5. The Army’s ranks page describes sergeants as first-line leaders who have the most direct impact on soldiers; a sergeant typically leads a team or section, and the Army’s smallest element, the team, is usually four soldiers led by a sergeant.

Also searched as: E-5 army, SGT.

Addressed as “Sergeant”

Army Regulation 600-20 says a soldier in pay grade E-5 is addressed as “Sergeant”, not as “E-5”, and gives the same title of address to a Staff sergeant (E-6), a Sergeant first class (E-7) and a Master sergeant (E-8). The exceptions are the First sergeant (E-8), addressed as “First Sergeant”, and the three grades of sergeant major, addressed as “Sergeant Major”.

When the chevrons turned point up

The Army’s Soldier’s Guide (TC 7-21.13) says chevrons were worn point down from about 1820 to 1903. A first reversal to point up was authorized on 1 May 1903, and in 1905 the War Department settled that chevrons would be worn points upward.