Advancement of Enlisted Personnel

Enlisted personnel can progress through 9 officer pay grades during their careers. The grid below contains information on the relationship between pay grade and rank. Enlistees in the lower pay grades (E-1 to E-3) usually advance to the next grade based on their length of service and time in their present pay grad. They must also receive their commanding officer's approval and be satisfactorily progressing in their training and job performance. Only individuals who show superior job performance may be promoted to E-4 and given supervisory responsibilities.

Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Armed Forces: Rank and Pay Grade by Service
Pay Grade	Service
	Air Force	Army		Coast Guard		Marine Corps		Navy
E-9	Chief Master Sergeant	Command Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major	Master Chief Petty Officer		Sergeant Major	Master Gunnery Sergeant	Master Chief Petty Officer
E-8	Senior Master Sergeant	First Sergeant	Master Sergeant	Senior Chief Petty Officer		First Sergeant	Master Sergeant	Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-7	Master Sergeant	Sergeant First Class		Chief Petty Officer		Gunnery Sergeant		Chief Petty Officer
E-6	Technical Sergeant	Staff Sergeant		Petty Officer First Class		Staff Sergeant		Petty Officer First Class
E-5	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant		Petty Officer Second Class		Sergeant		Petty Officer Second Class
E-4	Senior Airman	Corporal	Specialist	Petty Officer Third Class		Corporal		Petty Officer Third Class
E-3	Airman First Class	Private First Class		Fireman	Seaman	Lance Corporal		Seaman
E-2	Airman	Private		Fireman Apprentice	Seaman Apprentice	Private First Class		Seaman Apprentice
E-1	Airman Basic	Private		Seaman Recruit		Private		Seaman Recruit

All enlisted personnel are led, supervised, and evaluated by senior enlisted personnel and officers. Factors that qualify an enlisted person for promotion:

Length of service
Time in present pay grade
Job performance
Leadership ability
Awards or commendations
Job specialty

Educational achievement through technical, on-the-job, or civilian instruction.

Each service sets minimum standards for the length of service and time in current pay grade that must be met before a person can compete for promotion to their next higher pay grade.

Source: Military Careers online guide, The U.S. Department of Defense, Washington D.C.
Page last updated in August 2008.