PRIMUS PILUS

I have often been asked by civilians to explain the difference between the Officer Corps and the Noncommissioned Officer Corps. Most know what a Private or Seaman or Corporal or Petty Officer is, because many of their grandparents of WWII held these ratings.

The Commissioned Officer Corps within the military is separate from the Noncommissioned Officer Corps by virtue of their designated responsibilities, the mission parameters, and customs and traditions. Just because one is called colonel and the other sergeant does not mean that one job is more or less difficult or demanding than the other.

Anyone who has served time in any branch of the military will tell you they regarded their Colonel or Commander with the highest of respect, but they looked at their Sergeant Major or Senior Master Chief with genuine reverence and awe.

Training is sergeant's business. From the time the young recruit enters the military (by recruit I mean privates as well as officer candidates), to the time they assume the duties of their military specialty, sergeants teach, test, guide, council, develop and mold them until they are ready to enter into the military vocation they have chosen.

The sergeant is a people person with a hands-on responsibility. His mission is to take that piece of raw material and turn it into an effective member of military society. When the sergeant says that person is ready to assume his duties he turns him over to the commander.The commander then has an effectively trained number of personnel he can use to accomplish his mission. Fortunately, he has a number of sergeants assigned to him who continue with the advanced training and development of his unit.

Like commanders, sergeants advance up the ladder of responsibility as their experience and abilities develop. Sergeants not only train privates, they train other sergeants, officers, and specialist, and because of their extensive knowledge and experience they staff most of the military schools.

The Noncommissioned Officer is the very backbone of the military. Not only must he/she provide the commander with well-trained personnel; they must train new inexperienced commanders and often assume command himself when the commander is lost. For example: in many Special Operations missions senior NCO’s are in command by virtue of their experience.

Naturally the title of Colonel or Commander is more glamorous and traditionally more respected; however, only by the sergeant doing his job can an officer lead or even exist as a figure of authority. Neither can exist without the other.

Under the more logical ancient Roman system, sergeants (called Optios) continuously moved up the rank to second in command of the legion to senior Centurion or Primus Pilus (first spear). Our present day officer corps is the brainchild of medieval aristocracy based on royalty and noble birth.

Under our military customs and courtesy privates do not salute Sergeants; but, on the training range, in the classroom, on the drill field, and especially in combat, they breathe easier knowing "old Sarge" is there to take care of and look after them.

Never think Sergeants or Chiefs are simply the illiterate, loud mouth, screaming, cursing monsters portrayed in the movies. Most senior Noncommissioned Officers (and Chiefs) in our modern military, have at least an Associates Degree, and many have Bachelors and Masters Degrees. Many military fields today require extensive education.

Also, after serving our country for twenty or more years, many NCO’s have become corporate executives, CEO's, high level government officials, teachers, even editors and respected writers.
(Note: I use Sergeant and he but it is inclusive of Chief and she.)