1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated December 1, 2021Defense Primer: Military Enlisted PersonnelGrade 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 tho
2、se 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 cer
3、tain 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 an
4、d 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 s