Platoon Sergeant
Encyclopedia
In many militaries
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...

, a platoon sergeant is the senior enlisted
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...

 member of a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...

, who advises and supports the platoon's commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...

 in leading the unit.

Singapore

In the Singapore Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...

, a platoon sergeant serves as the "bridge" between the platoon commander and the rest of the platoon, leading the platoon in many assigned tasks and assuming command in the platoon commander's absence. In some platoons, there may be more than one platoon sergeant.

Platoon sergeants exercise authority over section commanders who are only responsible for the management of a given section in the platoon. Platoon sergeants work with the Company Sergeant Major
Company Sergeant Major
A company sergeant major is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company...

 and subordinate section commanders. They are responsible for the discipline and training of the men. The platoon sergeant is responsible for preparing the men for parades and ceremonies. In exercises and operations, he is in charge of logistics and medical aid.

For NSFs (conscripts), platoon sergeants are selected as third sergeants
Third Sergeant
Third Sergeant is a Specialist rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. Third Sergeants are the most junior of Specialists, ranking above Corporal First Class, who, in the SAF, are not considered Specialists and do not have command authority...

. They are usually specialists who graduated with a Silver/Gold Bayonet, though it may not often be the case. NSFs who are in active units and who have shown exemplary conduct on and off the field can be recommended to attend the course and take up a NSF Platoon Sergeant Role. On completion of the platoon sergeant course at the School of Infantry Specialists
School of Infantry Specialists
The Specialist Cadet School , formerly the School of Infantry Specialists , is the military training centre for specialists in the Singapore Army. The school is situated in Pasir Laba Camp in the western part of Singapore...

, they will assume their appointments. Promotion to the rank of 2SG will be determined by the parent unit.

For Regulars, they are usually first sergeants. It is a must to have completed their section commander tour before assuming the appointment.

United States

In the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, a platoon sergeant is usually a Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...

 and is the senior enlisted member of the platoon, and is the primary assistant and advisor to the platoon leader
Platoon leader
A platoon leader or platoon commander is the officer in command of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer — a second or first lieutenant, or an equivalent rank. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant...

 (and acts as the platoon leader in his or her absence). Unless the platoon leader has extensive prior experience as an enlisted member before being commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

, it is likely that the platoon sergeant will have a greater wealth of military experience due to the disparity in military service length between a new lieutenant and a Sergeant First Class (typically a platoon leader has between one and three years of service, whereas a platoon sergeant has from 7 to 15 years of service). Service experience, however, is not a prerequisite for commissioning and command. On occasion, when a Sergeant First Class is not available, either organically within the platoon or from another unit, a responsible Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...

 will probably be appointed to fill the platoon sergeant position instead. Here is an excerpt from the Army's Field Manual titled "The Army Noncommissioned Officer Guide" (FM 7-22.7).

"While 'Platoon Sergeant' is a duty position, not a rank, the platoon sergeant is the primary assistant and advisor to the platoon leader, with the responsibility of training and caring for soldiers. The platoon sergeant helps the commander to train the platoon leader and in that regard has an enormous effect on how that young officer perceives NCOs for the rest of his career. The platoon sergeant takes charge of the platoon in the absence of the platoon leader. As the lowest level senior NCO involved in the company METL, platoon sergeants teach collective and individual tasks to soldiers in their squads, crews or equivalent small units."


In the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

, the billet of platoon sergeant is usually held by a Staff Sergeant (E-6). In 1929 the rank of Platoon Sergeant was officially authorized. World War II the rank of Platoon Sergeant was a "line" grade whilst Staff Sergeant with a bar instead of a "rocker" was a staff grade. Today, the platoon sergeant is in charge of taking care of the Marines and the platoon's operational control while advising the platoon commander.
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