Master Sergeant

A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.

Israel Defense Forces

Rav samal rishon
insignia IDF

The רב-סמל ראשון Rav samal rishon (Rasar), Master Sergeant is a non-commissioned officers (נגדים) rank in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Because the IDF is an integrated force, they have a unique rank structure. IDF ranks are the same in all services (army, navy, air force, etc.). The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary Haganah developed in the British Mandate of Palestine period to protect the Yishuv. This origin is reflected in the slightly-compacted IDF rank structure.^[1]

Israel Defense Forces ranks^[2] : Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO)

IDF NCO Rank	רב-סמל Rav samal	רב-סמל ראשון Rav samal rishon	רב-סמל מתקדם Rav samal mitkadem	רב-סמל בכיר Rav samal bakhír	רב-נגד Rav nagad
Abbreviation	רס"ל Rasal	רס"ר Rasar	רס"מ Rasam	רס"ב Rasab	רנ"ג Ranag
Corresponding Rank	Sergeant First Class	Master Sergeant	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer
Insignia
More details at Israel Defense Forces ranks & IDF 2011 - Ranks (idf.il, english)

United States

Master Sergeant insignia
U.S. Army

Master Sergeant insignia
U.S. Marine Corps

Master Sergeant insignia
U.S. Air Force

E-7 First Sergeant insignia
U.S. Air Force

Obsolete
Master Sergeant insignia
U.S. Air Force

A Master Sergeant is:

• the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above sergeant first class, below sergeant major, Command Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major of the Army and equal in grade but not authority to first sergeant. It is abbreviated as "MSG" and indicated by three chevrons above three rockers. A Master Sergeant is typically assigned as a brigade-level section noncommissioned officer in charge and serves as the subject matter expert in his or her field, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit.
• the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above gunnery sergeant, below master gunnery sergeant, sergeant major, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. It is equal in grade to first sergeant. It is abbreviated as "MSgt." In the U.S. Marine Corps, master sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists at the E-8 level. General command leadership at this paygrade is provided by the separate rank of first sergeant.
• the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above technical sergeant and below senior master sergeant. It is abbreviated as "MSgt." Advancement to master sergeant is one of the most significant promotions within the enlisted Air Force. At the rank of master sergeant, the Airman enters the senior non-commissioned tier and his or her duties begin to focus on leadership and management rather than technical performance. Per Air Force Instruction 36-2618, MSgts typically serve as flight chiefs (analogous to platoon sergeants in the U.S. Army) and section chiefs (leaders of duty sections within a squadron). It is also the lowest rank in the Air Force that one can hold in order to attain the special duty position of first sergeant. These Air Force first sergeants occupy the grades of E-7 through E-9 and are referred to officially as "first sergeant" regardless of their pay grade, and unofficially as "first shirt" or simply "the shirt." In 1991 the Air Force changed its NCO insignia so that a maximum of five stripes, or rockers, were placed on the bottom of the chevrons. The master sergeant rank insignia was changed by removing the bottom (6th) rocker, and relocating it above as a single chevron, on top of the five lower stripes.

In the U.S. Army, the rank of master sergeant is usually held by staff members serving as NCOICs as well as commonly held by the motor pool NCOIC as the advisor to the motor pool chief, who is usually a warrant officer. When holding the position of first sergeant, while uncommon, the master sergeant is referred to as "first sergeant", however; when not in the position of first sergeant, master sergeants are addressed as, "sergeant." This is the standard address for all grades E-5 through E-8. Use of the term "top" or "master sergeant" is not a requirement, but is considered courteous and remains to be at the discretion of the one addressing the master sergeant. Only in the Marine Corps, are master sergeants required to be addressed as "master sergeant."

In the Marine Corps, master sergeants may be referred to by the nickname of "top." This usage is an informal one, however, and would not be used in an official or formal setting. Use of this nickname by Marines of subordinate rank is at the rank holder's discretion.

As with the first sergeant, a master sergeant is usually given the courtesy of having a room called to "at ease" upon entrance, regardless of duty position.

All master sergeants are senior non-commissioned officers.

Singapore

In the Singapore Armed Forces, a Master Sergeant is a high level Specialist, ranking above Staff Sergeant and below Third Warrant Officer.^[3] In the Singapore Army, Master Sergeants are usually instructors, staff specialists, or Sergeants Majors of Battalion or Company-sized units.

Singapore Armed Forces Specialist ranks

Rank	Third Sergeant	Second Sergeant	First Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Master Sergeant
Abbreviation	3SG	2SG	1SG	SSG	MSG
More details at Specialist

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Singapore Armed Forces ranks
• Specialist (Singapore)
• United States Military Pay
• U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia

References

1. ^ "Israel Defense Forces ranks". wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces_ranks. Retrieved 18 October 2011. 
2. ^ "IDF Ranks". IDF 2011. http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/about/insignia/ranks.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
3. ^ http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/topics/ranks/specialists.html

External links

• U.S. Army Enlisted Rank Insignia - Criteria, Background, and Images
• The Master Sergeant Watershed - A Practical Guide for Supervisors of the Air Force's Critical Stripe