https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated November 23, 2022
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 51% of the enlisted workforce.
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
45% 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, 2022)
