Technical Sergeant

Technical Sergeant is the name of one current and two past United States military enlisted rank.

United States Air Force

Technical Sergeant insignia, U.S. Air Force

Technical Sergeant, or Tech Sergeant, is the sixth enlisted rank (E-6) in the U.S. Air Force, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant. A technical sergeant is a non-commissioned officer and abbreviated as TSgt. Official terms of address are "Technical Sergeant" or "Sergeant", although many use "Tech Sergeant".

Within the enlisted Air Force, promotion to TSgt has historically been the second most difficult rank to achieve (only the rank of Senior Master Sergeant, capped by Federal law, has lower promotion rates) and is the most difficult promotion most career Air Force members achieve. To be considered for a promotion to Technical Sergeant, a Staff Sergeant must have 6 years' time in service and 24 months time in grade, however, 10–12 years time in service is normally when this grade is reached. Technical Sergeants provide technical mentorship to junior enlisted members in preparation for entry into the senior noncommissioned tier and promotion to the rank of Master Sergeant.

United States Army

Technical Sergeant insignia, U.S. Army

Technical Sergeant was also a rank in the United States Army until 1948. During World War II it was abbreviated as TSgt. or T/Sgt. The rank above was Master Sergeant, while the rank below was Staff Sergeant. The grade was considered to be grade 2 at the time (the equivalent of an E-6 today). With the addition of the pay grades E-8 and E-9 in 1958, and the addition of a third private grade in 1955, the circa 1948 Sergeant First Class rank was moved to the E-7 pay grade in 1958. By the old scale, the higher the enlisted rank, the lower the grade number. The highest grade was grade 1, while the lowest grade was grade 7. It was replaced by Sergeant First Class in 1948.

United States Marine Corps

Technical Sergeant was also a technical rank in the United States Marine Corps until 1958. From 1941 until 1946, the rank was equivalent to grade 2, ranking with Gunnery Sergeant and other technical ranks with which it shared its insignia. From 1947 until 1958, the rank was reclassified as E-6 and became the sole rank in this grade. The rank was renamed Gunnery Sergeant and elevated to E-7 after the reorganization of grades in 1959.

See also

• Sergeant
• United States Military Pay
• United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Army World War II Enlisted Ranks