Sergeant

Sergeant (Sgt) is a rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, serjeant, is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage from the British light infantry. The word "sergeant" derives from the Latin serviens, 'one who serves', through the Old French term serjant. In modern hierarchies the term sergeant refers to a non-commissioned officer positioned above the rank of corporal, or to a police officer immediately below a lieutenant in the United States, or below an inspector in the United Kingdom. In most armies, a sergeant commands a squad or a section. In Commonwealth armies, it is a more senior rank, corresponding roughly to a platoon second-in-command. In the United States Army, sergeant is a more junior rank corresponding to a fireteam leader or assistant squad-leader; while in the United States Marine Corps the rank is typically held by squad leaders. More senior non-commissioned ranks often have titles with variations on "sergeant", for example: staff sergeant, gunnery sergeant, master sergeant, first sergeant, and sergeant major. In many nations and services, the rank insignia for a sergeant consists of three chevrons.