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Technical sergeant is the name of three current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States Armed Forces,^{[citation needed]} as well as in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. Outside the United States, it is used only by the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and the Philippine Marine Corps.

Philippines

The rank of technical sergeant is used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is a enlisted personnel rank used by Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Marine Corps (under the Philippine Navy). The rank stands above the rank of staff sergeant and below master sergeant.

Technical sergeant insignia
Philippine Army
Technical sergeant insignia
Philippine Air Force
Technical sergeant insignia
Philippine Marine Corps

United States

Technical sergeant is a rank in the United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and Civil Air Patrol. It is a former rank in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps.

Army

The rank of technical sergeant existed from after World War I until 1948 when the rank was renamed sergeant first class. In 1920 the army combined several battalion/squadron level "staff" NCO ranks, including battalion quartermaster sergeant, battalion supply sergeant, ordnance sergeant, hospital sergeant, three grades of master sergeant (junior grade), and six additional senior-level technical and specialist ranks into the new technical sergeant rank. In 1944 when rifle squad leaders became staff sergeants, platoon sergeants were promoted to technical sergeants. In 1948 the army renamed technical sergeant as sergeant first class.^[1]

Technical sergeant insignia, U.S. Army (1920–1948)

Marine Corps

Technical sergeant was a 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. From 1947 until 1958, the rank was reclassified as E-6 and became the sole rank in this grade. The rank gunnery sergeant replaced it and elevated to E-7 after the reorganization of grades in 1959.^{[citation needed]}

Technical sergeant insignia, U.S. Marine Corps (1941–1946)
Technical sergeant insignia, U.S. Marine Corps (1946–1959)

Air Force

Technical sergeant, "tech sgt" or "TSgt" in informal parlance, is the sixth enlisted rank (pay grade E-6) in the U.S. Air Force, just above staff sergeant and below master sergeant. A technical sergeant is a noncommissioned officer and abbreviated as TSgt (with no period in official USAF and other military correspondence). Official terms of address are "technical sergeant" or "sergeant",^[2] although many use "tech sergeant" in informal situations.^{[citation needed]}

U.S. Air Force technical sergeant insignia

Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a non-profit corporation Congressionally chartered to operate as the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, has a quasi-military structure which includes the rank of technical sergeant. The grade of technical sergeant is above staff sergeant and beneath master sergeant. Former military enlisted personnel who held the rank of technical sergeant in the United States Armed Forces may retain that rank as members of the CAP.^[3]

Cadets in the Civil Air Patrol can hold the grade of cadet technical sergeant (abbreviated C/TSgt). The grade of cadet technical sergeant is above cadet staff sergeant and beneath cadet master sergeant. Cadet technical sergeants typically serve as flight sergeants

Civil Air Patrol technical sergeant insignia
Civil Air Patrol cadet technical sergeant insignia

Space Force

On February 1, 2021, the United States Space Force announced its permanent rank structure, establishing the grade of technical sergeant as its permanent E-6 grade. This continued its usage from the Air Force. The grade of technical sergeant is above sergeant and beneath master sergeant.^[4]

U.S. Space Force technical sergeant insignia

References

^ Perrenot,P. United States Army Grade Insignia Since 1776 (2009)
^ Air Force Instruction 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure Archived 2008-06-25 at the Wayback Machine, Air Force E-Publishing
^ Office of the National Commander – Civil Air Patrol (4 September 2018). "Memorandum for all CAP Members" (PDF). gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
^ Cohen, Rachel S. (2021-01-29). "Space Force to Adopt 'Specialist,' Other New Ranks Feb. 1". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-29.