noncommissioned officer
Corporal or sergeant
A noncommissioned officer is a military rank between enlisted personnel and commissioned officers—sergeants and corporals who lead small units and train soldiers.
Unlike commissioned officers, who receive their authority from a government commission, NCOs rise through the enlisted ranks.
They form the backbone of military organizations, translating officers' orders into action: The drill sergeant, a noncommissioned officer, ran the recruits through exercises.
Mid-level military rank
- corporalOf the flesh
- staff sergeantNon-commissioned officer rank
- master sergeantSenior enlisted military rank
- gunnery sergeantSenior Marine noncommissioned officer
Military trainer of recruits
- squad leaderHead of small military unit
- platoon sergeantSenior enlisted unit leader
- section leaderHead of a subdivision
- team leaderHead of a group
Creation or arrangement
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- barracksSoldiers' residential building
- field trainingOn-site skill development
- physical trainingStructured exercise program
equipment maintenance · personnel records · performance evaluation · uniform standards · safety briefing
Mounted soldier or patroller
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- specialistExpert in one field
- gunnerOne who fires artillery
- sapperMilitary construction soldier
rifleman · medic · technician · signalman · seaman · marine · artilleryman · tanker
Trained self-control or specialty
- supervisionOverseeing people or processes
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- trainingDeveloping abilities through practice
- instructionGuidance for action
mentorship · guidance · accountability · standards · example · experience · professionalism · readiness
sergeant
Mid-level military rank
- corporalOf the flesh
- staff sergeantNon-commissioned officer rank
- master sergeantSenior enlisted military rank
gunnery sergeant · first sergeant · sergeant major · lance corporal
drill instructor
Military trainer of recruits
- squad leaderHead of small military unit
- platoon sergeantSenior enlisted unit leader
- section leaderHead of a subdivision
formation
Creation or arrangement
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- barracksSoldiers' residential building
- field trainingOn-site skill development
physical training · equipment maintenance · personnel records · performance evaluation · uniform standards · safety briefing
trooper
Mounted soldier or patroller
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- specialistExpert in one field
- gunnerOne who fires artillery
sapper · rifleman · medic · technician · signalman · seaman · marine · artilleryman · tanker · infantryman
discipline
Trained self-control or specialty
- supervisionOverseeing people or processes
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- trainingDeveloping abilities through practice
instruction · mentorship · guidance · accountability · standards · example · experience · professionalism · readiness · morale
noncommissioned officercommissioned officer
Formally appointed military leader
officer · lieutenant · captain · major · colonel
noncommissioned officerprivate
Restricted to certain parties
recruit · raw recruit · enlisted man · general · flag officer
noncommissioned, officer, commission, commissioned, commissioner, commissions, commissioning, recommission, decommission