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Sergeants major serve as the SEA to a battalion or squadron, or higher level, commander, and are always addressed by their full rank title as "sergeant major". The history of the rank of sergeant in the USMC roughly parallels that of the US Army until 1942.
Corporal was regraded as Grade E4. Sergeant (Grade E5) was a career soldier rank and its former three-chevron insignia was abolished and replaced with the three chevrons and an arc of the rank of staff sergeant. The rank of staff sergeant was discontinued and the rank of technical sergeant (Grade E6) was renamed sergeant first class.
The ranks of commissary sergeant, drum major and leader of the band and hospital steward were added to the infantry. The ranks of commissary sergeant, hospital steward and battery quartermaster sergeant were added to the artillery. Regimental hospital stewards wore the same insignia as those in the Medical Department.
Over time, sergeants were differentiated into many ranks as various levels of sergeants were used by the commanders of various levels of units. A corporal commanded a squad. Squad derived from the Italian word for a "square" or "block" of soldiers. In fact, corporal was derived from the Italian caporal de squadra (head of the squad).
The first sergeant and sergeant major ranks are command-oriented senior enlisted advisors, with Marines of these ranks serving as the senior enlisted Marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matters of discipline, administration, and the morale and welfare of the unit.
The sergeant major of the Army (SMA) is a unique noncommissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army.The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman.
This is a list of every rank used by the United States Army, with dates showing each rank's beginning and end. Ranks used to the end of the Revolutionary War are shown as ending on June 2, 1784. This is the date that the Continental Army was ordered to be demobilized; [ 1 ] actual demobilization took until June 20.
Sergeant major is now generally an appointment rather than a rank. The appointment is normally held by the senior warrant officer of an army or marine unit. These appointments are made at several levels: for example, the senior warrant officer of a company, battery or squadron, or the senior warrant officer of a battalion or regiment.