Forum: Air Force Life

Forgive my ignorance as I have been retired since '90. I recently saw an Air Force enlisted man with 8 stripes (5 down and 3 up) with a star in the middle. I assume since it's a total of 8 stripes it will still be an E-9 which was called a Chief Master Sargeant but the configuration threw me as it used to be 6 down and 2 up. And what is the significance of the star?

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The Star means he is a Command Chief Master Sargeant.

MSgt's are 5 down and 1 up, SMSgt's are 5 down 2 up, and CMSgt's are 5 down 3 up.

Everything else remains the same.

E-4's are only Senior Airman now too.

Racer181 wrote:

The Star means he is a Command Chief Master Sargeant.

This position took the place of the old "Senior Enlisted Advisor".

I can understand SRA/SGT change but I guess I don't understand the point of changing the others

Personally I think the five down and then the rest going up looks better than six down... But one reason for it is the enlisted fore structure's senior NCO tier; which is MSgt, SMSgt, and CMSgt. By giving all three ranks the "roof" it makes them immediately known as being senior NCOs.

MSgt, SMSgt and CMSgt are considered the "Top Three" grades, hence those three stripes are on top.

Recognition too. I hear (and it makes sense) that there was some trouble distinguishing between 6 down and 5 down. But it's fairly easy to see 1,2, or 3 up.

I'll have to agree. 1,2,3 stripes up IS pretty impressive looking.

I'm glad the AF did give MSgts 1 crap deflector, as opposed to 6 crap catchers. Looks more on par with our sister services.

I wish the AF would rename the E-4 rank "Sergeant", and do away with "Senior Airman". I've never liked how SrAs are considered "Pseudo NCOs" when every E-4 in the other branches (with the exception of Army Specialists) are considered Non-Coms.

Shortly after sewing on SrA, I did find it amusing when an old retiree saw me in my blues, and addressed me as "Sergeant". I smiled and replied, "Oh, I'm actually a Senior Airman, sir." To which the old man replied, "What the hell is a Senior Airman? Back in my day, a 3 striper was a Buck Sergeant." Laughing

I'd also like to see the AF bring back Warrant Officers. Again, that would put us on an even footing with the other branches.

I think the Velcro patch was the best. I used it very briefly when I came in before they face them out. It had all your information there and It was a lot easier and cheaper to maintain your BDU.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.peterson.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081124-062.pdf&ei=h4PkSZDMEaeblAeSi_zfDg&usg=AFQjCNFZHB30rKXLuzoEKkjAvx5HX5mVdg

AFI36-2618 1 DECEMBER 2004 13
Chapter 6

SPECIAL SNCO POSITIONS

6.1.2. Command Chief Master Sergeants (CCM). The CCM is the top enlisted position in a wing,
NAF, MAJCOM, or other organization authorized a CCM. The CCM provides leadership to the
enlisted force and advises commanders on matters impacting the enlisted force, among other respon-
sibilities. The CCM is the functional manager for the first sergeants in their organization. MAJCOM
CCMs operate at the strategic level of leadership. All other CCMs operate at the operational level of
leadership. (AFI 36-2109, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and Command Chief).

http://www.westover.afrc.af.mil/shared/media/ggallery/webgraphic/afg-050124-014.jpg

TC wrote:

I wish the AF would rename the E-4 rank "Sergeant", and do away with "Senior Airman". I've never liked how SrAs are considered "Pseudo NCOs" when every E-4 in the other branches (with the exception of Army Specialists) are considered Non-Coms.

.

Actually the Army has 2 E-4 Ranks Specialist which looks like a shovel, and Corporal's which have two stripes and are NCO's, Although im still not clear on which career fields get them very few walking around.

As I always understood it (I started out Army) Corporal was usually given to E-4s in Combat Arms MOS (Army AFSC) but then there were always exceptions to the rule.
I also started out my AF career with that darn leather patch, and it made recognizing ones rank near impossible. The letters on the patch were 1/16 or 1/8 of an inch high, and at first that was the only thing on the uniform. Pain in the butt man.

I do Honor Guard jobs with army guys all the time and they call me sergeant, I got tired of correcting them so i just run with it. Since rank means nothing on the honor guard. It's all based on experiance

sweetpete wrote:

Actually the Army has 2 E-4 Ranks

Yes, that's why I said all E-4s except for AF Senior Airmen, and Army Specialists are considered Non-Coms. It's really not fair. The AF could do a lot of things to get rid of our country club mindset, and have better pairity with the other branches.

I'm not saying that we need to go around low crawling through the mud in full MOPP-4 gear with an 80 lb. ruck (or whatever the f#ck it is that the Army loves to do so much), but they could take an NCO who is a expert in his/her AFSC and make them a Warrant Officer. They could consider our E-4s to be true NCOs, and not a JAFA (Just Another F...ing Airman).

Quote:

They could consider our E-4s to be true NCOs, and not a JAFA (Just Another F...ing Airman

When I got out in 99 I had a 7 level waiver, run license, and was a DCC with one ACC, but I was a SrA. I guess that would be a more with less thing. More work, less pay.

Forum: Air Force Life

Rank structure