Sergeant (normally abbreviated to "Sgt") is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.

In most armies the rank of sergeant corresponds to command of a squad (or 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 squad second-in-command.

More senior non-commissioned ranks are often variations on sergeant, for instance staff sergeant, sergeant first class, master sergeant, first sergeant and sergeant major. The spelling serjeant is used in a few regiments of the British Army.

==Usage== In most non-naval military or paramilitary organizations, the various grades of Sergeant are non-commissioned officers (NCOs) ranking above privates and corporals, and below Warrant Officers and commissioned officers. The responsibilities of a sergeant differ from army to army. There are usually several ranks of sergeant, each corresponding to greater experience and responsibility for the daily lives of the soldiers of larger units.

In medieval European usage, a sergeant was simply any attendant or officer with a protective duty. The etymology of the term is from Anglo-French sergant, serjant, from Latin servient, serviens, to serve.

Australia

Defence forces

Sergeant (SGT) is a rank in both the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force. The ranks are equivalent to each other and the Royal Australian Navy rank of Petty Officer (PO).

Although the rank insignia of the RAAF rank of Flight Sergeant (FSGT) and the Australian Army rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG) are identical, Flight Sergeant in fact outranks the rank of Staff Sergeant in the classification of rank equivalencies. The Australian Army rank of Staff Sergeant is now redundant and is no longer awarded, due to being outside the rank equivalencies and the next promotional rank is Warrant Officer Class Two. The ranks of Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class Two and Flight Sergeant fall in-line with US Enlisted Rank Eight (E-8). Chief Petty Officers and Flight Sergeants do not need to provide the courtesy of calling a Warrant Officer Class Two "sir".

Police

The rank of sergeant exists in all Australian police forces and is more senior than a constable or senior constable, but less senior than an inspector.

There are generally two sergeant ranks which are classed as Non-Commissioned Officers:

Sergeant (SGT) (three chevrons); and

Senior Sergeant (SENSGT) (three chevrons, crown surmounted by a laurel leaf)

Some state police forces have slightly different variations of the sergeant structure.

New South Wales Police Force, for example, have the additional rank of Incremental Sergeant (SGT) (three chevrons and a crown). This is an incremental progression, following appointment as a Sergeant for 7 years. This rank is less senior than senior sergeant. Upon appointment as a Sergeant or Senior Sergeant, the Sergeant is given a Warrant of Appointment under the Commissioners hand and seal. In addition, the Sergeant is given a Navy Blue backing (which replaces a light blue backing to the officer's police badge), a navy blue name plate (which replaces a light blue nameplate), and a silver chin strap positioned above his peaked cap on his headdress, replacing a black chinstrap.

South Australia Police have the additional rank of Brevet Sergeant (two chevrons below an inverted arrow head) which is an authorization for a temporarily higher rank. A brevet sergeant is less senior than a sergeant.

All three sergeant ranks are informally referred to as "Sergeant", "Boss", or "Sarge". However at the New South Wales Police College, recruits must address all ranks of Sergeants as "Sergeant" and this is rigidly enforced by members of the NSW Police College Professional Standards Unit.

Sergeants are usually Team Leaders in charge of an entire team of Constables to Senior Constables at large stations, to being in charge of sectors involving several police stations. In country areas, sergeants are often in charge of an entire station and its constabulary. Senior Sergeants are usually in specialist areas and are in charge of Sergeants and thus act as middle management.

Canada

Army

Sergeant (Sgt) ( or ) is an Army or Air Force non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank of the Canadian Forces. Its Naval equivalent is Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2) (French: maître de 2e classe or m2). It is senior to the appointment of Master Corporal (MCpl) and its equivalent naval appointment, Master Seaman (MS), and junior to Warrant Officer (WO) and its naval equivalent, Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1). Sgts and PO2s together make up the cadre of senior non-commissioned officers (Sr NCOs).

In army units, Sergeants usually serve as section commanders; they may often be called to fill positions normally held by Warrant Officers, such as Platoon or Troop Warrant, Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Chief Clerk, etc.

The rank insignia of a Sergeant is a three-bar chevron, worn point down, surmounted by a maple leaf. Embroidered rank badges are worn in "CF gold" thread on rifle green melton, stitched to the upper sleeves of the Service Dress jacket; as miniature gold metal and rifle-green enamel badges on the collars of the Army dress shirt and Army outerwear jackets; in "old-gold" thread on air force blue slip-ons on Air Force shirts, sweaters, and coats; and in tan thread on CADPAT slip-ons (Army) or dark blue thread on olive-drab slip-ons (Air Force) on the Operational Dress uniform.

Colour Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is not a rank of Sergeant, but a Warrant Officer in one of the two Foot Guards regiments (the Governor General's Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards). Likewise, a Sergeant-Major (including Regimental Sergeant-Major) is not a Sergeant rank, but an appointment held by a Master Warrant Officer or Chief Warrant Officer.

Sergeants generally mess and billet with Warrant Officers, Master Warrant Officers, and Chief Warrant Officers, and their naval counterparts, Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers. Their mess on military bases or installations is generally named the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess.

Historically, the rank of sergeant was severely downgraded after unification of the three services in 1968. An Army Sergeant before unification was generally employed in supervisory positions, such as the second in command of a platoon sized unit (i.e. an infantry Platoon Sergeant, or Troop Sergeant in an armoured unit). After unification sergeants were downgraded in status to section commander, a job previously held by Corporals, and the former "Platoon/Troop Sergeant"s were replaced by "Platoon/Troop Warrant Officers."

Example of Insignia

Police

Police forces across Canada also use this rank for senior non-commanding officers above the rank of Constable or Corporal. Staff Sergeants are responsible for a unit or team within a station or division.

Finland

Army

Kersantti is in Finnish Defence Forces the second and highest NCO rank that a conscript can possibly reach before entering the reserve. The beginning and most common NCO rank is alikersantti (lit. lower sergeant); see Corporal.

Only a few NCOs in each conscript company reach the higher rank of full three-chevron kersantti. There's no difference between the 4-month squad leader training and service time of alikersantti and kersantti; all start their squad leader tour with the lower rank and the optional promotion is based on superior's assessment of individual performance and intended duties in the war-time organization; special roles such as that of Platoon Sergeant or Company First Sergeant are typically reserved for kersantti and upwards.

A Corporal can also obtain the rank of Sergeant (and possibly above, the next rank being four-chevron ylikersantti, which is comparable to Staff Sergeant) by taking some military refresher courses while in reserve, or by enlisting to (short-term) professional service in the military.

France

Army

There are three sergeant ranks in France, although the most junior, contract sergeant, is rare now that conscription has been suspended. In general the term sergeant is used for both contract sergeant and career sergeant. Contract sergeant is classified as the lowest NCO rank, the rank below being chief corporal.

Contract sergeant (Sergent sous contrat): One chevron, gold or silver. A rank used for junior sergeants, either conscripts or reservists. Junior to commonwealth sergeant but senior to commonwealth corporal. The rank insignia is used nowadays for NCOs-in-training.

Career sergeant (Sergent de carrière): Two chevrons. Normal sergeant rank, though normally directly recruited from civilian life into this rank, so the rank implies less experience than for a commonwealth sergeant. Normally simply referred to as sergeant, dropping the "de carrière". With long service, promotion to chief sergeant is automatic. Equivalent to a US sergeant. Roughly equivalent to, but slightly junior to, a commonwealth sergeant. )|100px]]

Chief sergeant (Sergent-chef): Three chevrons. With long service, a sergeant's promotion to chief sergeant is automatic. This rank corresponds exactly to a US staff sergeant. There is no commonwealth equivalent, this rank lying between commonwealth staff sergeant and commonwealth sergeant. The rank may be said to be roughly equivalent to, but perhaps slightly superior to, a commonwealth sergeant. The next rank up is adjutant.

French sergeant ranks are used by the entire Air Force, by the Engineers, the Infantry, the Foreign Legion, the Troupes de marine, the Communications, the Administration, all part of the French Army, and the Gendarmerie mobile, part of the Gendarmerie Nationale. Other corps in the Army and the Gendarmerie use three equivalent ranks of maréchal des logis ("marshal of lodgings" in English) instead.

Germany

Army

In German the rank of Sergeant is known as Feldwebel. The rank has existed since the 18th century, with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. One important difference between Sergeants and Feldwebel exists: in a typical Bundeswehr company, only two Züge (platoons) are under the command of an officer, while the other Zugführer (platoon leader) positions are held by Feldwebel-ranked NCOs (typically Hauptfeldwebel and above). In the German Navy the rank is called Bootsmann.

In the modern German Army, Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel have a NATO rank code of OR-6, with Unteroffizier (historically considered generically equivalent to Corporal) and Stabsunteroffizier having a rank code of OR-5.

The rank order is: Feldwebel, Oberfeldwebel, Hauptfeldwebel, Stabsfeldwebel and Oberstabsfeldwebel.

Hong Kong

Army and air force

During British rule, the rank of Sergeant was held by members of the RAF (Flight Sergeant or Sergeant (Air Crew)) or British Army serving in Hong Kong.

The rank was held by local enlisted men with the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) and Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) Regimental Police.

Police

Hong Kong Police Force Sergeants are in charge of a section or commander of a vehicle on patrol. Their ranks is symbolized by three chevrons and worn on their arm and/or lapel. The rank is also used by the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (Station Sergeant (Auxiliary) and Sergeant (Auxiliary)). There also Sergeants in the Hong Kong Police Force Pipe Band, who carry their rank from their regular policing duties.

Others

Two other non-military organizations use the ranks of Sergeant:

Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps

* Sergeant Instructor

* Cadet Sergeant

Hong Kong Adventure Corps also used the rank of Sergeant:

* Staff Sergeant

* Sergeant

* Cadet Staff Sergeant

* Cadet Sergeant

India and Pakistan

Police

officer with rank of Head Constable]] In many metropolitan police forces in both India and Pakistan e.g. Kolkata Police, a Sergeant is equivalent to Police Head Constable and senior to Police Constable in the Indian police. Head Constables or Police Sergeant wear three point-down chevrons on their sleeve or three bars on their epaulettes.

Army

In the British Indian Army, the equivalent rank to Sergeant was Daffadar in cavalry regiments and Havildar in other units. These ranks are still used in the armies of India and Pakistan.

Air Force

In the Indian Air Force and the Pakistan Air Force, the rank of Sergeant is above a Corporal and below of Junior Warrant Officer (JWO). The rank insignia is a three pointed-down chevron. The rank of Flight Sergeant is now obsolete with the responsibilities given to Junior Warrant Officer.

Navy

In the Indian Navy and the Pakistan Navy, the rank of Petty Officer are roughly equivalent.

Ireland

Army

Sergeant (Sgt) (Sáirsint in Irish) is the second rank of non-commissioned officer within the Irish Army. The Naval equivalent is Petty Officer (PO).

The Army rank insignia consists of three winged chevrons (or "stripes"). The Service Dress Insignia consists of three wavy red chevrons 9 cm wide bordered in yellow. The main infantry role of a Sergeant is as Second in Command of a platoon or commander of a Fire Support Section of a weapons platoon, such as an anti-tank or mortar platoon. Another role is that of Company Clerk and Instructor. There are higher ranks of Company Sergeant and Company Quartermaster Sergeant. Artillery Sergeants are usually assigned as Detachment and Section Commanders, as well as in administrative roles. The difference in roles of Sergeant and Corporal in the Artillery Corps is not as clearly defined as in the Infantry Corps.

Sergeant is also the second rank of NCO in the Irish Air Corps. Before 1994, the Air Corps was considered part of the Army and wore Army uniforms with distinct Corps Badges, but the same rank insignia. With the introduction of a unique Air Corps blue uniform in 1994, the same rank markings in a white colour were worn, before the introduction of a new three-chevron with wing rank marking. There are higher ranks of Flight Sergeant and Flight Quartermaster Sergeant.

Police

Sergeant is the second rank in the Garda Síochána.

Israel

Defense forces

In the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers are promoted from Corporal to Sergeant (Samál, originally the Hebrew abbreviation for Non Commissioned Officer) after approximately 18 months of service, if they performed their duties appropriately during this time, and did not have disciplinary problems. Soldiers who take a commander's course may become Sergeants earlier. Sergeants get a symbolic pay raise of 1.80 NIS.

Italy

Army

In the Italian Army the rank of Sergeant, Sergente, is the first rank of the Warrant Officers Sergeant Role, Sottufficiali ruolo sergenti, followed by Sergente Maggiore (literally Major Sergeant) and Sergente Maggiore Capo (literally Chief Major Sergeant). The ranks of Sergente and Sergente Maggiore intended for paratroopers are bordered in blue.

Mexico

Army

In the Mexican Army the "Cabo" (Corporal) is upgraded to "Sargento segundo" (2nd Sergeant) and then to "Sargento primero" (1st Sergeant).

Poland

Army

In the Polish Army rank insignia system there are two grades of sergeant: Sierżant (OR-6 in NATO code) and Starszy Sierżant (OR-7). The rank first appeared in Henryk Dąbrowski's Polish Legions in Italy in the late 18th century. Both ranks are used in the infantry, armoured forces, air force and cavalry. In the artillery the equivalent is Ogniomistrz (literally Firemaster). In the Polish Navy, the equivalent is Bosman (literally Boatswain).

Singapore

Armed forces

In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), there are five different grades of sergeant: Third Sergeant (3SG), Second Sergeant (2SG), First Sergeant (1SG), Staff Sergeant (SSG), and Master Sergeant (MSG). Sergeants are considered Specialists in the SAF. They are equivalent to the non-commissioned officers of other militaries.

Soldiers must complete their Specialist course at the Specialist Cadet School, formerly known as the School of Infantry Specialists (SISPEC) or other training institutes before being promoted to Third Sergeant. While active duty National Servicemen may be promoted to Second Sergeant, most personnel holding ranks above that are career soldiers.

Promotion from 3SG to SSG takes an average of 6 years, although there are many factors which may cause a soldier's promotion to cease. These factors include failure to pass an annual physical fitness proficiency test, poor performance, or being charged for offences.

3SGs are usually section commanders. They may also hold certain logistics or administrative posts such as Company Quartermaster Sergeant. 2SGs usually serve as Platoon Sergeants. 1SGs, SSGs, and MSGs usually serve as Company Sergeant Major or administrative Specialists at company level or higher.

Paramilitary force

In the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Prison Service and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the rank of Sergeant lies between Corporal and Staff Sergeant.

South Korea

Army

In the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, Byeong-Jang (병장) is equivalent to US Army's rank of Sergeant. It is typically attained after 15–18 months of service as an enlisted personnel. The rank insignia for Byung-Jang is four horizontal bars.

In addition, there are four non-commissioned officer ranks above Byeong-Jang: Ha-Sa (하사), Jung-Sa (중사), Sang-Sa (상사), and Won-Sa (원사). Ha-Sa is equivalent to US Army's rank of Staff Sergeant and its rank is one chevron. Jung-Sa is equivalent to US Army's Sergeant First Class and its rank is denoted by two chevrons. Sang-Sa is equivalent to the US Army Master Sergeant and its rank is denoted by three chevrons. Won-Sa, the most senior NCO rank, is denoted by three chevrons and a star above the chevrons and is equivalent to the US Army Sergeant Major rank.

Army	Navy	Airforce

Sweden

Army

In Sweden Sergeant (Sweden) is a military rank above Korpral and below Förste sergeant. The insignia of rank was changed in 2009 to resemble American and British Sergeants.

United Kingdom

Police

Within the British police, Sergeant is the first supervisory rank. Sergeant is senior to the rank of Constable, and junior to Inspector. The rank is mostly operational, meaning that Sergeants are directly concerned with day-to-day policing. Uniformed Sergeants are often responsible for supervising a shift of Constables and allocating duties to them. Large stations have a separate Custody Sergeant who is responsible for authorising detention of arrested persons under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, along with effective running of the custody suite.

Plain clothes Detective Sergeants are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifies them as being trained in criminal investigations and part of or attached to CID.

Uniformed Sergeants' epaulettes feature three down-pointed chevrons, above a personal identification number. Sergeants in service with the Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, also have a divisional call sign attached to the epaulette, due to the size of the force.

Until the abolition of 1st Class Detective Sergeants in 1973, Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeants were officially known as 2nd Class Detective Sergeants.

Unlike in the military, addressing a police Sergeant as "Sarge" is not seen as incorrect. Constables in some forces (including the Metropolitan Police) refer to their Sergeants as "Skipper".

the annual salary for newly promoted Sergeants is of £36,519, rising to £41,040 after four years as a Sergeant.

In the case of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Sergeants' chevrons point upwards. This is derived from the practices of the Royal Irish Constabulary, who were a mounted police force and followed a tradition of upward-pointing ranks.

Army

A Sergeant (Sgt) in the British Army wears three point-down chevrons on their sleeve and usually serves as a platoon or troop sergeant, or in a specialist position. Staff Sergeant or Colour Sergeant (in the Royal Marines and the Infantry), is the next most senior rank, above which come Warrant Officers. The Household Cavalry use the rank of Corporal of Horse instead, the only regiments to preserve the old cavalry tradition of having corporals but not sergeants.Informally, a sergeant is often referred to as either "sarge'" or "stripey".

A Lance-Sergeant (LSgt) was formerly a Corporal acting in the capacity of a Sergeant. The appointment now survives chiefly in the Guards, where it is awarded to all Corporals. A Lance-Sergeant in the Guards and Honourable Artillery Company wears three chevrons, belongs to the Sergeants' Mess, and is considered senior to "normal" Corporals; however, for practical purposes he remains a Corporal rather than an acting Sergeant (e.g., he will typically command a section). In the Household Cavalry, the equivalent appointment is Lance-Corporal of Horse.

A Sergeant in infantry regiments usually holds the appointment of "platoon sergeant" and is second in command of a platoon. Some British infantry regiments, such as The Rifles, still use the pre-1953 spelling 'Serjeant'.

Air force

The Royal Air Force also has the rank of Sergeant, wearing the same three chevrons. The rank lies between Corporal and Flight Sergeant (or Chief Technician for technicians and musicians).

Between 1950 and 1964 in technical trades there was a rank of Senior Technician which was the equivalent of a Sergeant, Senior Technicians wore their chevrons point up.

On 1 July 1946, aircrew sergeants were re-designated as Aircrew IV, III or II, replacing the chevrons with one, two or three six-pointed stars within a wreath and surmounted by an eagle. This was unpopular and in 1950 they returned to the old rank, but have worn an eagle above their chevrons ever since.

Sergeants of the Royal Flying Corps wore a four-bladed propeller above their chevrons.

==United States==

Army

In the United States Army, although there are several ranks of sergeant, the lowest carries the title of Sergeant (SGT). Sergeant is the enlisted rank in the U.S. Army above specialist and corporal and below staff sergeant, and is the second-lowest grade of non-commissioned officer. Sergeants in the infantry, for example, lead fire teams of four men. There are two fire teams in a 9-man rifle squad, which is led by a staff sergeant.

In the United States Army, sergeants, staff sergeants, sergeants first class, and master sergeants are typically referred to in short form by their subordinates as "Sergeant", except in some training environments, or "First Sergeant" in the case of First Sergeants and "Sergeant Major" in the case of both Sergeants Major (SGM) and Command Sergeants Major (CSM).

Drill sergeants are typically addressed as "Drill Sergeant" regardless of rank, though this term is used depending on post policy. When serving a tour as drill sergeant this is indicated by the traditional campaign hat, commonly referred to as the "Brown Round" or "Smokey Bear". The drill sergeant will always wear the drill sergeant badge indicating he completed the school. The Army drill sergeant badge appears on the right breast pocket.

American Civil War

The rank was used by both the Union Army and the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The same rank insignia was used similarly by both armies. Both varied the color of the stripes by assigning red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, blue for infantry and later in the war, green for sharpshooters. Some militia units varied these colors even further and had other colors including black and red with gold piping for various units. The rank was just below First Sergeant and just above Corporal. They usually commanded a squad of ten men with two corporals under him. As the war progressed these men were often in command of platoons and even companies as the units were depleated of officers during combat.

Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps has several ranks that carry the title of Sergeant, the lowest of which is Sergeant (Sgt). Marine Sergeants are the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Corporal and below Staff Sergeant. The rank of Sergeant is the oldest rank in the Marine Corps. Once a Marine reaches Sergeant, their promotion no longer derives from a composite or cutting score; instead, they receive a Fitrep (Fitness Report). Sergeants serve as squad leaders in an infantry company while staff sergeants serve the billet of "platoon sergeant", supervising squad leaders and the platoon as a whole, and are second in command under the platoon commander.

In the Marine Corps, enlisted ranks above Sergeant are referred to as Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (Staff NCOs or SNCOs). These ranks, Staff Sergeant through Sergeant Major, are always referred to by their full rank and never merely as "Sergeant". Gunnery Sergeants are commonly addressed as simply "Gunny" informally. A Sergeant in the Marine Corps is never called "Sarge," officially or informally.

Master Sergeants are addressed as "Master Sergeant" or "Top" at the preference of the Marine wearing the rank and dependent on the MOS community. This privilege is usually extended to Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) or SNCOs and above, and even Marines that are the same rank or higher. Master Gunnery Sergeants follow the same protocol but are commonly referred to as "Master Guns", or "Master Gunny".

Air Force

The U.S. Air Force rank of Sergeant (E-4) was phased out in the 1990s. Previously, Senior Airmen were promoted to Sergeant and granted NCO status after 12 months time in grade; this lateral promotion is no longer conferred and Senior Airmen compete directly for promotion to Staff Sergeant. The old rank of Sergeant was commonly referred to in the Air Force as "Buck" Sergeant. In today's Air Force, the term Sergeant refers to all Air Force NCOs up to Senior Master Sergeant (E-8). An airman who has achieved the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) is referred to as Chief. This does not distract, however, from the differentiation between junior and senior non-commissioned officers in the U.S. Air Force. In the U.S. Air Force, NCOs in the grade of Staff Sergeant (E-5) and Technical Sergeant (E-6) are referred to as non-commissioned officers (NCOs), while those in the grade of Master Sergeant (E-7) through Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) are referred to as Senior Non-commissioned Officers (SNCOs). The attainment of SNCO status confers additional responsibilities and obligations beyond those of NCOs, such as the ability to be the senior rater for those below SNCO status. In this way, the U.S. Air Force places great responsibility upon its SNCO corps to mentor and develop future leaders.

Police and corrections

Sergeant is also a commonly-used rank within United States police departments. It ranks above "officer" and "corporal," and it represents the first level of management within the organization. The Washington D.C. Police Department and Fire Departments both have the rank Sergeant though they have different roles for each department.

The rank of Sergeant is often used in corrections. It is a supervisory rank above the rank and file correctional officer.

Types of sergeant

"Sergeant" is generally the lowest rank of Sergeant, with individual military entities choosing some additional words to signify higher ranking individuals. What terms are used, and what seniority they signify, is to a great extent dependent on the individual armed service. The term "sergeant" is also used in many appointment titles.

Ranks

Chief Master Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

Colour Sergeant

Command Sergeant Major

Company Sergeant

First Sergeant

Flight Sergeant

Gunnery Sergeant

Master Gunnery Sergeant

Master Sergeant

Senior Master Sergeant

Senior Sergeant

Senior Staff Sergeant

Sergeant First Class

Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major of the Army

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Staff Sergeant

Station Sergeant

Technical Sergeant

Appointments

Academy Sergeant Major

Band Sergeant Major

Battery Quartermaster Sergeant

Battery Sergeant Major

Company Quartermaster Sergeant

Company Sergeant Major

First Sergeant

Garrison Sergeant Major

Lance Sergeant

Platoon Sergeant Major

Platoon Sergeant

Provost Sergeant

Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor

Recruiting Sergeant

Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant

Regimental Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major Instructor

Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant

Squadron Sergeant Major

Staff Sergeant Major

Troop Sergeant Major

Notes

See also

British Army Other Ranks rank insignia

Comparative military ranks

Irish Army Enlisted Rank Insignia

Military rank

Military unit

RAF enlisted ranks

Regimental Sergeant Major

U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia

U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia

United States Military Pay

Category:Military ranks Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth Category:Military ranks of Australia Category:Military ranks of Canada Category:Military ranks of Ireland Category:Military ranks of Singapore Category:Military ranks of the United Kingdom Category:United States military enlisted ranks Category:Military ranks of the United States Army Category:Enlisted ranks of the United States Air Force Category:United States Marine Corps ranks Category:Police ranks Category:Police ranks in the United Kingdom

Coordinates	33°55′31″N18°25′26″N
Name	Salvatore Augustine Giunta
Born	January 21, 1985
Placeofbirth	Clinton, Iowa
Caption	Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	2003–present
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Unit	2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Battles	War in Afghanistan
Awards	Medal of HonorBronze StarPurple Heart

Salvatore Augustine Giunta (born January 21, 1985) is a staff sergeant in the United States Army. He is the first living person to receive the United States Armed Forces' highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, for actions that occurred since the Vietnam War. Giunta was cited for saving the lives of members of his squad on October 25, 2007 during the War in Afghanistan.

Personal life

Born in Clinton, Iowa, on January 21, 1985, in a family of Italian descent, Giunta grew up in Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha. His parents, Steven, a medical equipment technician, and Rosemary, a preschool teacher, live in Hiawatha. He has two younger siblings, Mario and Katie.

Military career

Giunta attended basic training and infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was deployed to Afghanistan from March 2005 until March 2006 and again from May 2007 until July 2008. Promoted to staff sergeant in August 2009, Giunta is currently stationed at Caserma Ederle, the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team's base near Vicenza, Italy. He serves in the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and works in a support role for members of his unit currently deployed in Afghanistan.

In 2007, Giunta was stationed at Firebase Vegas in the Korengal Valley, an area about near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, nicknamed by the soldiers as the Valley of Death. 1st Platoon was tasked with providing protective cover and interdicting enemy forces from a nearby ridge.

Medal of Honor action

Shortly after nightfall on October 25, 2007, rifle team leader Giunta and the rest of the seven troops of 1st Platoon had just finished a day-long overwatch of 2nd and 3rd Platoon in the valley below. Although dark, there was sufficient moonlight that night vision equipment was not needed. They were returning to Combat Outpost Vimoto and Korengal Outpost. They walked about apart through the thin holly forest, along the Gatigal Spur of Honcho Hill at about elevation.

Within of leaving their position, 10 to 15 insurgents ambushed the main body of the squad from cover and concealment only about away, The ambushing force was armed with AK-47 assault rifles, 10 Rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers and three belt-fed PKM machine guns. They fired an unusually high proportion of tracer rounds. Giunta described it later:

Sergeant Joshua Brennan, leader of alpha team and one of Giunta's best friends, was walking point. He was followed by SPC Frank Eckrode, squad leader Erick Gallardo, and then Giunta, who was then a specialist. PFC Kaleb Casey and Garret Clary followed Giunta. A 13-man Headquarters (HQ) unit led by Lt. Brad Winn, including a five-man gun team from weapons squad, along with a nurse who volunteered for the mission, followed immediately behind them. When the Taliban opened fire, Brennan was struck by eight rounds and Eckrode was hit by four rounds. Unable to advance, he fell back to join Giunta's bravo team. While backpedaling and firing at the same time, he fell and was in the same moment struck in the helmet by an AK-47 round. Giunta recognized that the extremely heavy tracer fire was coming not just from his west but from the north as well, a classic L-shaped ambush that threatened to roll over the squad. He ordered Casey and Clary to pull back a few steps to prevent the Taliban from flanking them. The second Afghan dropped Brennan and fled.

After reaching Brennan, Giunta pulled him back towards the rest of the squad and cover, comforted him, and examined him for wounds in the dark. Brennan was grievously hurt. Gallardo told Giunta later on, "You don't understand . . . but what you did was pretty crazy. We were outnumbered. You stopped the fight. You stopped them from taking a soldier." Eckrode said of Giunta. "For all intents and purposes, with the amount of fire that what was going on in the conflict at the time, he shouldn't be alive." "I did what I did because in the scheme of painting the picture of that ambush, that was just my brush stroke. That’s not above and beyond. I didn’t take the biggest brush stroke, and it wasn’t the most important brush stroke. Hearing the Medal of Honor is like a slap in the face.

He received the medal from President Barack Obama during a ceremony at the White House on November 16, 2010. All of his surviving squad members also attended the ceremony.

Addressing the attention he has received due to the medal, he said:

}}

Giunta is the fourth recipient from the War in Afghanistan, after Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, Army Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti, and Army Staff Sergeant Robert James Miller.

{| |colspan="2" align="center" | | |colspan="3" align="center" | |- |rowspan="7" valign="top" | |rowspan="7" valign="top" | |rowspan="7" | |- | | | |- | | | |- | | | |- | | | |- | | | |- |colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" | |valign="top" align="right" | |- |} {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2" align="center" |Right breast !colspan="3" align="center" |Left breast |- |rowspan="6" colspan="2" align="center" |Italian Military Parachutist Badge |colspan="3" align="center" |Combat Infantryman Badge |- | |Medal of Honor |- |Bronze Star |Purple Heart |Army Commendation Medal w/ one oak leaf cluster |- |Army Achievement Medal |Army Good Conduct Medal |National Defense Service Medal |- |Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ two campaign star |Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon |- |Army Service Ribbon |Army Overseas Service Ribbon |NATO Service Medal (ISAF) |- |- |Army Presidential Unit Citation w/ two oak leaf clusters |Army Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ one oak leaf cluster |colspan="2" align="center" |Basic Parachutist Insignia |Expert marksmanship badge for rifle |- |}

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2007. While conducting a patrol as team leader with Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, Specialist Giunta and his team were navigating through harsh terrain when they were ambushed by a well-armed and well-coordinated insurgent force. While under heavy enemy fire, Specialist Giunta immediately sprinted towards cover and engaged the enemy. Seeing that his squad leader had fallen and believing that he had been injured, Specialist Giunta exposed himself to withering enemy fire and raced towards his squad leader, helped him to cover, and administered medical aid. While administering first aid, enemy fire struck Specialist Giunta’s body armor and his secondary weapon. Without regard to the ongoing fire, Specialist Giunta engaged the enemy before prepping and throwing grenades, using the explosions for cover in order to conceal his position. Attempting to reach additional wounded fellow soldiers who were separated from the squad, Specialist Giunta and his team encountered a barrage of enemy fire that forced them to the ground. The team continued forward and upon reaching the wounded soldiers, Specialist Giunta realized that another soldier was still separated from the element. Specialist Giunta then advanced forward on his own initiative. As he crested the top of a hill, he observed two insurgents carrying away an American soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other. Upon reaching the wounded soldier, he began to provide medical aid, as his squad caught up and provided security. Specialist Giunta’s unwavering courage, selflessness, and decisive leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon’s ability to defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American soldier from the enemy. Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, and the United States Army.

See also

List of Medal of Honor recipients

List of living Medal of Honor recipients

References

External links

United States Army website for SSG Giunta and the MOH action. Retrieved November 16, 2010

The Sal Giunta Story Giunta interviewed by the directors of Restrepo. Retrieved November 16, 2010

Interview at the Pritzker Military Library. Retrieved December 14, 2010

Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:United States Army soldiers Category:American military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Category:American shooting survivors Category:Army Medal of Honor recipients Category:People from Linn County, Iowa Category:Recipients of the Army Commendation Medal Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:Recipients of the Purple Heart medal Category:Recipients of the Combat Infantryman Badge Category:American people of Italian descent Category:People from Hiawatha, Iowa

Coordinates	33°55′31″N18°25′26″N
Name	Paul Brady
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Paul Joseph Brady
Born	May 19, 1947
Origin	Strabane, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano,mandolin,bouzouki,tin whistle
Genre	Folk, pop, traditional Irish
Occupation	Musician, songwriter, record producer
Years active	1965-present
Associated acts	Planxty,The Johnstons
Url	http://www.paulbrady.com/

Paul Joseph Brady (born 19 May 1947, Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age. During his career he has passed through several major bands and on to a successful solo phase.

Background

Brady was born in the small town of Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on the border with County Donegal. He was educated at Sion Mills Primary School,St. Columb's College, Derry and University College Dublin. He is prominently featured in the documentary film The Boys of St. Columb’s. He began learning piano around age six and by the age of eleven he had begun to play guitar, spending hours of his school holidays learning every tune the Shadows and The Ventures recorded, and was also strongly influenced by Chuck Berry. In 1963, Brady began performing as a hotel piano player in Bundoran, Donegal. He attended University College Dublin in October 1964 and performed with a string of RnB groups, covering songs by the likes of Ray Charles and James Brown. The first of these was 'The Inmates' (late 1964-about April 1965), who evolved into 'The Kult' (about April–December 1965), featuring Brady, Jackie McAuley (ex-Them, and future Belfast Gypsies and Trader Horne), Brendan Bonass, and Dave Pennefather. Brady can be seen in the film Charlie Is My Darling waiting outside Dublin's Adelphi Theatre for the Rolling Stones' 3 September 1965 concert. He next joined 'Rootzgroup' (late 1965-May 1966) and 'Rockhouse' (about May–December 1966).

Musical career

1960s and 1970s

During his time at college in Dublin, the country saw a huge rise in interest in traditional Irish music. Brady joined the popular Irish band The Johnstons when Michael Johnston left in May 1967. They moved to London, UK in 1969 and subsequently to New York City in 1972 to expand their audience. Despite some success, Brady returned to Ireland in 1974 to join the Irish group Planxty. This was the band that was to launch the solo careers of Andy Irvine, Liam O'Flynn, Dónal Lunny, and Christy Moore. Planxty dissolved and from 1976 to 1978 he played as a duo with Andy Irvine, a relationship which produced Andy Irvine and Paul Brady. The album was hugely successful and garnered much critical acclaim. The next few years saw him establish his popularity and reputation as one of Ireland's best interpreters of traditional songs. His versions of ballads like Arthur McBride and The Lakes of Pontchartrain were considered definitive and are still popular at concerts today. In 1975 in New York he recorded three albums for Shanachie Records as guitar accompanist to resident Irish fiddlers Andy McGann, Paddy Reynolds and John Vesey. He also recorded a 1976 album for the same label with Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples.

Solo career

In 1978, Brady released his first solo album, Welcome Here Kind Stranger. It won him critical acclaim and it was awarded the Melody Maker Folk Album of the Year, however, it would prove to be Brady's last album with traditional material. He decided to delve into pop and rock music, and released his first album of this genre in 1981, Hard Station. The completely self-penned record received mixed reviews, some fans of his older traditional material were not convinced, while the majority recognised his great talent of writing rock music. Brady released a number of successful solo albums throughout the 1980s, True For You (1983), Back to the Centre (1985), and Primitive Dance (1987). By the end of the decade, Brady was recognised and accepted as a respected performer and songwriter. His songs were being covered by a number of other artists, including Santana and Dave Edmunds. For a full list of artists who have covered his songs see his own website http://www.paulbrady.com . Contrary to what is often written, Brady doesn't write for other artists but for his own self-expression. Other artists pick up on his songs because of the inherent quality. When Tina Turner heard a demo of his song 'Paradise Is Here' she recorded it for her Break Every Rule album of 1986. By now he was a favourite songwriter among such artists as Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt, who would do a duet with Brady on his 1991 LP, Trick or Treat. A couple of Brady songs soon appeared on Raitt's album Luck of the Draw, including the title track.

Bob Dylan was sufficiently impressed by Brady's work to name-check him in the booklet of his 1985 box set "Biograph'. The actual quote was “..people get too famous too fast these days and it destroys them. Some guys got it down- Leonard Cohen, Paul Brady, Lou Reed, secret heroes,- John Prine, David Allen Coe,Tom Waits. I listen more to that kind of stuff than whatever is popular at the moment. They’re not just witchdoctoring up the planet, they don’t set up barriers…". Again, contrary to what has become accepted fact, Bob Dylan never said that Paul Brady was 'one of the five artists worth getting out of bed for'. That was a paraphrase of the original quote by a journalist in an 80's UK music paper.

Since his Hard Station album (1981) Brady has been on various major labels until the late 90s when he started his own label, PeeBee Music. He released three albums in the 1990s, Trick or Treat, a remixed compilation of earlier songs 'Songs And Crazy Dreams' and Spirits Colliding. They were met with critical acclaim. Trick or Treat was on Fontana/Mercury Records, and received a lot of promotion. As a result, some critics considered it his debut and noted that the record benefited from the expertise of experienced studio musicians as well as producer Gary Katz, who worked with the rock group Steely Dan. Rolling Stone, after praising Brady's earlier but less-known solo records, called Trick or Treat Brady's "most compelling collection."

To date (Nov 2010) Brady has gone on to record several other albums (15 in total since he went solo in 1978) and collaborated with Bonnie Raitt and Richard Thompson to name but two. For a complete list of his many collaborations see his own website. In 2006 he collaborated with Cara Dillon on the track The Streets of Derry from her album After the Morning. He has also worked with Fiachra Trench.

He performed Gaelic songs as a character in the 2002 Matthew Barney film Cremaster 3. He also played tin whistle on the single "One" by Greg Pearle in 2008, from the album Beautiful You a collaboration between Greg Pearle and John Illsley. This song "One" featured in the 2008 film Anton, directed by Graham Cantwell.

Brady's fifteenth studio album 'Hooba Dooba' was released in March 2010. Widely acclaimed as one of his finest (see reviews on his website) he continues to tour, record and collaborate in a variety of creative projects around the globe.

Awards

In 2009 Brady received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Ulster in recognition of his services to traditional Irish music and songwriting.

Solo discography

Welcome Here Kind Stranger (1978)

Hard Station (1981)

True for You (1983)

Back to the Centre (1985)

Full Moon (1986)

Primitive Dance (1987)

Trick or Treat (1991)

Songs & Crazy Dreams (Compilation) (1992)

Spirits Colliding (1995)

(Compilation) (1999)

Oh What a World (2000)

'The Paul Brady Songbook' (album and DVD) Live recordings for RTE TV series (2002)

'The (Missing) Liberty Tapes' (2003) [Recorded Live at Liberty Hall, Dublin, July 21, 1978]

Say What You Feel (2005)

'Hooba Dooba' (2010)

With Andy Irvine

Andy Irvine and Paul Brady (1976)

With Tommy Peoples

The High Part of the Road (1975)

With Matt Molloy and Tommy Peoples

Molloy, Brady, Peoples (1977)

With John Kavanagh

The Green Crow Caws (1980)

DVDs

The Transatlantic Sessions Series 3 (2007) (various artists)

The Paul Brady Songbook (2002)

External links

Paul Brady Homepage

Paul Brady & Andy Irvine - Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore

Paul Brady & Andy Irvine - The Lakes of Ponchartrain

References

Category:1947 births Category:Irish folk singers Category:Irish singer-songwriters Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Northern Ireland Category:Male singers from Northern Ireland Category:People from Strabane

Coordinates	33°55′31″N18°25′26″N
Name	Ronald Lee Ermey
Born	March 24, 1944
Placeofbirth	Emporia, Kansas
Caption	Ermey in November 2006 in Okinawa, Japan.
Nickname	"The Gunny"
Allegiance
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Serviceyears	1961–1972
Unit	MCRD San DiegoMarine Wing Support Group 17
Battles	Vietnam War
Laterwork	Actor

Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a retired U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor and an actor.

Ermey has often played the roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine, Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, and plastic army men leader Sarge in the Toy Story films.

He has hosted two militainment programs on the History Channel: Mail Call, in which he answered viewers' questions about various militaria both modern and historic; and Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, which focuses on the development of different types of weapons.

Early life and military career

Born in Emporia, Kansas, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961. Ermey was a drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, and Parris Island, South Carolina from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, Ermey arrived in Vietnam where he served for 14 months with the Marine Wing Support Group 17. He then served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan, during which he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) and was medically retired in 1972 for several injuries incurred during his tours.

Films

Ermey was cast in his first movie while attending the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He first played a Marine drill instructor (SSgt Loyce) in the 1978 Vietnam-era film The Boys in Company "C", which brought Ermey to the attention of Stanley Kubrick in later years. Ermey then played an Air Cavalry Officer in Apocalypse Now, doubling as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola on that film. He also served as Louis Gossett's technical advisor for the film An Officer and a Gentleman. For the next few years, Ermey played a series of minor film roles until 1987, when he was cast as tough drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket; Ermey also served as the technical advisor on the film. Initially, he was only intended to be the technical advisor, but Kubrick changed his mind after Ermey put together an instructional tape to convince Kubrick he was the right person for the role, in which Ermey went on an extended hair-raising drill instructor tirade towards several Royal Marines cast as extras. Seeking absolute military authenticity for the film, Kubrick allowed Ermey to write or edit his own dialogue and improvise on the set (including an obscene observation about how buddies should treat each other), a noted rarity in a Kubrick film. Kubrick later indicated that Ermey was an excellent performer, often needing just two or three takes per scene, also a noted rarity for a Kubrick film. Ermey's performance won critical raves and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. He would subsequently play a tough drill instructor in the pilot episode of and ghost of a drill instructor in the film The Frighteners, both similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket.

He has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Mississippi Burning, Dead Man Walking, Se7en, Fletch Lives, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, On Deadly Ground, Life, Man of the House, Toy Soldiers, as well as the remakes of Willard and as an evil sadist in the two The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Ermey also lent his voice to The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3, as well as and . He usually appears in a commanding military role, for shows such as Kim Possible, The Simpsons, Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Miami Vice, House, Scrubs, My Life as a Teenage Robot and Invader Zim, in addition to hosting the documentary series Mail Call and Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey.

gun aboard an Lockheed AC-130H "Spectre" Gunship in 2006]]

Military appearances

On May 17, 2002, he received an honorary post-service promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) from the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones in recognition of his continuing support to Americans in military service, a rank consistent with Ermey's character as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.

He has also conducted morale tours visiting U.S. troops in locations such as Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan, in which he filmed parts for his television show Mail Call. While at Bagram Air Base he held a USO type show in which he portrayed GySgt Hartman and conducted a comedy routine. He also did the same at Doha, Qatar, in 2003.

Accusing President Obama of Socialism

In late December 2010, Ermey used a Toys for Tots rally to criticize the Obama administration's economic policies, stating that it was difficult to raise money for the charity because the "economy sucks" and went on to say:

:"We should all rise up, and we should stop this administration from what they're doing because they're destroying this country. They’re driving us into bankruptcy so that they can impose socialism on us, and that’s exactly what they’re doing, and I’m sick and damn tired of it and I know you are too."

Ermey subsequently apologized on his website.

Television work

On Mail Call, Ermey discusses weaponry, tactical matters, and military history. Mail Call's subject matter is dictated by viewer emails; one episode may focus on an M1A1 Battle Tank, while another may involve World War II secrets, while a third might focus on elements of Medieval warfare. The set consists of a military tent, other military gear and weapons, and Ermey's personal jeep armed with his own 30 cal. M1919 Browning machine gun. Commercial breaks are signaled with typical Drill Instructor type language, such as, "Goin' to the can? I don't think so. Keep your butt parked on that couch!" or "Get that sandwich outa your pie-hole and listen up, maggots!"

Ermey traveled to Kuwait in June 2003 during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom to film mail distribution by the Defense Department to service personnel for an episode of Mail Call. According to a 2005 episode of Mail Call filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base, he is the 341st person to fly in the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

Ermey also made guest appearances on the hit TV drama House, playing the role of Dr. Gregory House's father, who was a decorated pilot of the USMC ("Birthmarks", "Daddy's Boy"), and the sitcom Scrubs, playing the Janitor's father. He has also voiced Wildcat in several episodes of . In an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", Ermey voiced Colonel Leslie Hap Hapablap.

In an episode of Spongebob Squarepants, he voiced an irate warden of a maximum security island prison who demoralized the inmates whenever he could.

In 2009, Ermey began hosting a second History Channel show entitled Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, which discussed the developmental history of various weapons used by militaries of today. Ermey's closing line of each episode is: "Semper fi and keep your powder dry and your eye on the target . . this is R. Lee Ermey for the History Channel."

In late 2010, Ermey starred in a GEICO commercial as a former drill sergeant turned therapist who insults a client, in parody of some of his iconic characters.

Video games

Ermey has lent his distinctive voice to several video games, including (as General Barnaky) and (as Wa-Wa). He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea, a retail real-time strategy computer game based on the official Joint Chiefs of Staff training game. In the game Fallout 3, there is a recruitable companion named R-L-3, a modified military robot with a personality very similar to Ermey (the companion's name is a reference to Ermey's initials wherein the 3 is leetspeak for the letter 'e'). In the expansion there is a character named "Lieutenant Emry" that speaks some of Ermey's signature lines from Full Metal Jacket.

Sponsorship

Ermey is an official spokesman for Glock firearms, Tupperware, Hoover, SOG Specialty Knives, and the Young Marines, and has also appeared in commercials for Coors Light, Dick's Sporting Goods, GEICO and pistachio nuts. He can also be seen giving a service announcement for Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, demanding that viewers be quiet during the film.

Military awards

Meritorious Unit Commendation

Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with two bronze Service Stars

National Defense Service Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Rifle Expert Badge

Pistol Sharpshooter Badge

After retirement, R. Lee Ermey was also retroactively awarded the Drill Instructor Ribbon due to his prior service as a Marine Corps Basic Training Instructor as well as the Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation for unit activities during the Vietnam War.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1978 |The Boys in Company "C" |Staff Sergeant Loyce (Drill Instructor, Co. 163) | |- |1979 |Apocalypse Now |Eagle Thrust Seven helicopter pilot |uncredited |- |1984 |Purple Hearts |Gunny | |- |rowspan="2"|1987 |Full Metal Jacket |Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann |One of the rare performances Stanley Kubrick ever allowed to be improvised |- |Miami Vice |Detective Sergeant Ernest Haskell |guest star"Rising Sun of Death" Episode 9, Season 4TV series |- |1988 |Mississippi Burning |Mayor Tilman | |- |rowspan="3"|1989 |The Siege of Firebase Gloria |Sergeant Major Bill Hafner/Narrator |Uncredited screenwriter |- |Fletch Lives |Jimmy Lee Farnsworth | |- |Demonstone |Colonel Joe Haines | |- |rowspan="5"|1990 |The Take |Weller |television movie |- |I'm Dangerous Tonight |Lieutenant Ackman |television movie |- |83 Hours 'Til Dawn |Glen Fairling |television movie |- |The Terror Within II |Von Demming | |- |The Rift aka Endless Descent |Captain Phillips | |- |rowspan="3"|1991 |Toy Soldiers |General Kramer | |- |True Identity |Houston's Boss |uncredited |- |Kid |Luke | |- |rowspan="5"|1993 |Hexed |Detective Ferguson | |- |Sommersby |Dick Mead | |- |Body Snatchers |General Platt | |- |Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. |Marshal Brisco County Senior | |- |Double Switch (Video Game) |Lyle (the handyman) |Credited as R. Lee Emrey in the Sega CD version |- |rowspan="8"|1994 ||French Silk ||Chief Crowder ||television movie |- |On Deadly Ground ||Stone || |- |Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story ||Mr. Byrd ||uncredited; television movie |- | ||Mess Hall Guard ||uncredited |- |Chain of Command ||Benjamin Brewster || |- |Savate ||Benedict ||uncredited |- |Love Is a Gun ||Frank Deacon || |- |Kidnapped |||| |- |rowspan="9"|1995 ||Murder in the First ||Judge Clawson || |- |Leaving Las Vegas ||Conventioneer || |- |Se7en ||Police Captain || |- |The X-Files ||Reverend Findley ||episode "Revelations"TV series |- |The Simpsons ||Colonel Leslie Hapablap ||voice onlyepisode "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming"animated series |- |Toy Story ||Sarge "Sergeant" ||voice onlyanimated film |- |Under the Hula Moon ||Lt. Col. J. P. McIntire || |- |Dead Man Walking ||Clyde Percy || |- | ||Preacher Brian ||uncredited |- |rowspan="3"|1996 || ||Sergeant Major Bougus ||television movie |- |The Frighteners ||The late Master Sergeant Hiles || |- |Soul of the Game ||Wilkie ||television movie |- |rowspan="8"|1997 ||Dead Men Can't Dance ||Sen. Pullman T. Fowler || |- |The Angry Beavers ||Sergeant Goonther ||voice onlyepisode "Fancy Prance/H2Whoa!"animated series |- |Weapons of Mass Distraction ||Billy Paxton ||television movie |- |Rough Riders ||Secretary of State John Hay || |- |Prefontaine ||Bill Bowerman || |- |Cracker ||Lieutenant Fry ||TV series |- |Switchback ||Sheriff Buck Olmstead || |- |The Sender ||Colonel Rosewater || |- ||1998 ||Gunshy ||Jerry || |- |rowspan="8"|1999 ||You Know My Name ||Nix ||television movie |- |Life ||Older Sheriff Pike || |- |Avalanche ||Gary || |- | ||President Richard Benson || |- |SpongeBob SquarePants ||Prison Warden || voice only episode "The Inmates of Summer" and "To Save a Squirrel" |- |Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot ||General Thorton ||TV series |- |The Apartment Complex ||Frank Stanton || |- |Toy Story 2 ||Sarge "Sergeant"||voice onlyanimated film |- |rowspan="5"|2000 ||The Chaos Factor ||Col. Ben Wilder || |- |Skipped Parts ||Caspar Callahan || |- | ||Sky Marshall Sanchez || |- | ||Sarge ||voice onlyanimated direct-to-video film |- |Jericho ||Marshall || |- |rowspan="9"|2001 ||Saving Silverman ||Coach Norton || |- | ||Colonel O'Malley ||voice onlyanimated film |- |Family Guy ||Coach ||voice onlyepisode "Mr. Saturday Knight"animated series |- |Taking Sides ||General Wallace || |- | ||General Barnaky ||voice onlyvideo game |- | |Wa-Wa the Water Elemental |voice onlyvideo game |- |On the Borderline ||Captain Elias || |- |Real War: Air, Land, Sea || |voice onlyvideo game |- |Real War: Rogue States || |voice onlyvideo game |- |rowspan="8"|2002 ||Run Ronnie Run! ||Lead Kidnapper || |- |The Salton Sea ||Verne Plummer || |- |Invader Zim ||Sergeant Hobo 678 ||voice onlyanimated series |- |History Channel's Mail Call'' ||Gunny (Himself) ||TV series |- |Frank McKlusky, C.I. ||Jockey Master ||uncrediteddirect-to-video |- |A.K.A. Birdseye ||Sheriff Gathers || |- |Scrubs ||"A Man" ||guest starepisode "My Old Man"TV series |- |Y.M.I. ||John || |- |rowspan="2"|2003 ||Willard ||Frank Martin || |- |The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ||Sheriff Hoyt || |- |rowspan="2"|2004 ||The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy ||Drill Sergeant ||voice onlyanimated series |- |Father of the Pride ||Sergeant Bunny ||voice onlyanimated seriesepisode "One Man's Meat Is Another Man's Girlfriend" |- |rowspan="2"|2005 ||House ||John House ||Appeared in the episode "Daddy's Boy"TV series |- |Man of the House ||Captain Nichols || |- |rowspan="2"|2006 || ||Sergeant ||voice only |- | ||Charlie Hewitt/Sheriff Hoyt |- |2007||SpongeBob SquarePants||Unnamed drill sergeant (the Inmates of Summer)||voice only |- |rowspan="3"|2008 || Solstice || Leonard |- |House || John House || Appeared in the episode "Birthmarks"TV series |- |Eleventh Hour || Bob Henson (Farmer) || Appeared in the episode "Agro"TV series |- |rowspan="2"|2009 || ||Wildcat ||animated series |- |History Channel's Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey'' ||Gunny (Himself) ||TV series |- |rowspan="2"|2010 ||Toy Story 3 ||Sarge "Sergeant"||voice onlyanimated film |- | || Walter Burlock || Appeared in the episode "Trophy"TV series |}

Music samples

Samples of Ermey from Full Metal Jacket are used in several albums:

Fear Factory's album Soul of a New Machine on the track "Suffer Age".

Ministry's album The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, on the track "Thieves". Contrary to some reports , the voice credited as "Sgt. Major" on the same band's Rio Grande Blood is not Ermey.

Front Line Assembly's track "Millennium"

Grendel's track "Soilbleed V.3"

Combichrist's track "This Is My Rifle"

Killarmy's track "War Face"

Terre Thaemlitz's release "Soil", on the track "Yer Ass is Grass"

Quotes of Ermey saying, "Now go home and snuff that bitch!" "Here you are all equally worthless." "Get on your knees, scumbag!" "Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?" and others appear on multiple songs by the band Killwhitneydead.

Samples of the line "Here you are all equally worthless" from Full Metal Jacket are repeated throughout the song "Never Get Caught" by American Head Charge.

Other media

Provided the voice for a speaking "motivational action figure" depicting him in USMC drill instructor uniform with pre-programmed voice messages activated by pressing a button on the figure. The figures' dialogue comes in two versions, one with (somewhat) family-friendly language and one with "Extra-Salty" dialogue which includes profanity, the latter of which is packaged with an R rating as a warning to consumers. One of these figurines also appears on occasion on Mail Call, wherein it is often referred to as 'Mini-Lee' by the host, sometimes seen berating a G.I. Joe figurine.

In the early 1990s, appeared as a Martian pilot in a training video for Virtual World Entertainment's game "Red Planet", alongside other actors such as Cheech Marin, Nora Dunn, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Joan Severance, and Judge Reinhold.

References

;Notes

External links

Official website for R. Lee Ermey

Official website for Gunny Ermey's Mail Call Forum

Official website for Mail Call

R. Lee Ermey interview with Radar magazine

Category:1944 births Category:People from Emporia, Kansas Category:American film actors Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Actors from Kansas Category:Living people Category:United States Marines Category:American expatriates in the Philippines

Coordinates	33°55′31″N18°25′26″N
Caption	in High Noon (1952)
Birth name	Frank James Cooper
Birth date	May 07, 1901
Birth place	Helena, Montana, U.S.
Spouse	(his death) 1 child
Death date	May 13, 1961
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1925–1961

Frank James “Gary” Cooper (May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961) was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, individualistic, emotionally restrained, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made. His career spanned from 1925 until shortly before his death, and comprised more than one hundred films.

Cooper received five Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, winning twice for Sergeant York and High Noon. He also received an Honorary Award in 1961 from the Academy.

Decades later, the American Film Institute named Cooper among the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars, ranking 11th among males from the Classical Hollywood cinema period. In 2003, his performances as Will Kane in High Noon, Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees, and Alvin York in Sergeant York made the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list, all of them as heroes.

Childhood

Cooper was born Frank James Cooper in Helena, Montana, one of two sons of an English farmer from Bedfordshire, who later became an American lawyer and judge, Charles Henry Cooper (1865–1946), and Kent-born Alice (née Brazier) Cooper (1873–1967). His mother hoped for their two sons to receive a better education than that available in Montana and arranged for the boys to attend Dunstable Grammar School in Bedfordshire, England between 1910 and 1913. Upon the outbreak of World War I, Mrs. Cooper brought her sons home and enrolled them in a Bozeman, Montana, high school.

When Cooper was 13, he injured his hip in a car accident. He returned to his parents' ranch near Helena to recuperate by horseback riding at the recommendation of his doctor. Cooper studied at Iowa's Grinnell College until the spring of 1924, but did not graduate. He had tried out, unsuccessfully, for the college's drama club. He returned to Helena, managing the ranch and contributing cartoons to the local newspaper. In 1924, Cooper's father left the Montana Supreme Court bench and moved with his wife to Los Angeles. Gary, unable to make a living as an editorial cartoonist in Helena, joined them, moving there that same year, reasoning that he "would rather starve where it was warm, than to starve and freeze too."

Hollywood

Failing as a salesman of electric signs and theatrical curtains, as a promoter for a local photographer and as an applicant for newspaper work in Los Angeles, The following year, he had screen credit in a two-reeler, Lightnin' Wins, with actress Eileen Sedgwick as his leading lady.

After the release of this short film, Cooper accepted a long-term contract with Paramount Pictures. He changed his name to Gary in 1925, following the advice of casting director Nan Collins, who felt it evoked the "rough, tough" nature of her native Gary, Indiana.

with Jean Arthur (1936).]] "Coop," as he was called by his peers, went on to appear in over 100 films. He became a major star with his first sound picture, The Virginian, in 1929. The lead in the screen adaptation of A Farewell to Arms (1932) and the title role in 1936's Mr. Deeds Goes to Town furthered his box office appeal. Cooper was producer David O. Selznick's first choice for the role of Rhett Butler in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. When Cooper turned down the role, he was passionately against it. He is quoted as saying, "Gone with the Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history. I’m glad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling flat on his nose, not me". Alfred Hitchcock wanted him to star in Foreign Correspondent (1940) and Saboteur (1942). Cooper later admitted he had made a "mistake" in turning down the director. For the former film, Hitchcock cast look-alike Joel McCrea instead.

holding their Oscars at an Academy Awards after party in 1942.]] In 1942, Cooper won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as the title character in Sergeant York. Alvin York refused to authorize a movie about his life unless Gary Cooper portrayed him.

In 1953, Cooper won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his performance as Marshal Will Kane in High Noon, considered his finest role. Ill with an ulcer, he wasn't present to receive his Academy Award in February 1953. He asked John Wayne to accept it on his behalf, a bit of irony in light of Wayne's stated distaste for the film.

Cooper continued to appear in films almost to the end of his life. Among his later box office hits was his portrayal of a Quaker farmer during the American Civil War in William Wyler's Friendly Persuasion in 1956. His final motion picture was a British film, The Naked Edge (1961), directed by Michael Anderson. Among his final projects was narrating an NBC documentary, The Real West, in which he helped clear up myths about famous Western figures.

Cooper appeared in live radio "remakes" of several of his films.

Congressional testimony

In 1944, Cooper joined the anti-communist Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals. While filming Good Sam, he testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities on October 23, 1947, characterized as a "friendly" witness. Asked if he had observed "communistic influence in Hollywood", Cooper named no one in particular but said he had "turned down quite a few scripts because I thought they were tinged with communistic ideas";

On December 15, 1933, Cooper wed Veronica Balfe (May 27, 1913 – February 16, 2000), known as "Rocky." Balfe was a New York Roman Catholic socialite who had briefly acted under the name of Sandra Shaw. She appeared in the film No Other Woman, but her most widely seen role was in King Kong, as the woman dropped by Kong. Her third and final film was Blood Money. Her father was governor of the New York Stock Exchange, and her uncle was motion-picture art director Cedric Gibbons. During the 1930s she also became the California state women's skeet shooting champion. Cooper and Balfe had one child, Maria, now Maria Cooper Janis, married to classical pianist Byron Janis.

Cooper's wife persuaded him to convert to Catholicism in 1958. After he was married, but prior to his conversion, Cooper had affairs with several famous co-stars, including Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, and Patricia Neal. He pressured Neal to have an abortion in 1950, because fathering a child out of wedlock could have destroyed his career. Cooper's daughter Maria, when she was a little girl, famously spat at Neal, but many years later, the two became friends. Cooper separated from his wife between 1951 and 1954.

Cooper was friends with Ernest Hemingway and spent many vacations with the writer in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Cooper was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party. He voted for Calvin Coolidge in 1924 and Herbert Hoover in 1928 and 1932. He openly campaigned for Wendell Wilkie in 1940, and heavily campaigned for Thomas Dewey in 1944.

Death

In April 1960, Cooper underwent surgery for prostate cancer after it had spread to his colon. It spread to his lungs and bones shortly thereafter.

Cooper was too ill to attend the Academy Awards ceremony in April 1961, so his close friend James Stewart accepted the honorary Oscar on his behalf. Stewart's emotional speech hinted that something was seriously wrong, and the next day newspapers ran the headline, "Gary Cooper has cancer." One month later, on May 13, 1961, six days after his 60th birthday, Cooper died.

Cooper was originally interred in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Culver City, California. In May 1974 his body was removed from the Grotto Section of Holy Cross Cemetery, when his widow Veronica remarried and moved to New York, and she had Cooper's body relocated to Sacred Heart Cemetery, in Southampton, New York, on Long Island. Veronica "Rocky" Cooper-Converse died in 2000 and was buried near Cooper at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Legacy

For his contribution to the film industry, Cooper has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6243 Hollywood Blvd.

In 1966, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In September 2009, Cooper was featured on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.

Filmography

References

External links

Sergeant York: Of God and Country

Profile @ Turner Classic Movies

Photographs of Gary Cooper from virtual-history.com

Inside High Noon – The Documentary

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