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Army First SergeantE-8 Noncommissioned Officer, U.S. Army |
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Army Ranks » First Sergeant Rank • 1SG Pay • 1SG Rank History • Promotion Information
E-8 First Sergeant -
Noncommissioned Officer -
U.S. Army Ranks
First Sergeant Army Military Ranks
| Class | Noncommissioned Officer |
| Abbr. | 1SG |
| Title | First Sergeant (last name) |
| Paygrade |
E-8 (DoD Paygrade) OR-8 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $5,215/mo |
A Master Sergeant is a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) who serves as a brigade's NCO in Charge, equal in paygrade to a First Sergeant but with less leadership responsibilities than one. A Master Sergeant is often specialized in certain field or subject matter.
First Sergeant is the 10th rank in the United States Army , ranking above Master Sergeant and directly below Sergeant Major. A first sergeant is a Noncommissioned Officer at DoD paygrade E-8, with a starting monthly pay of $5,215.
How do you become a First Sergeant?
A First Sergeant is most often promoted from Master Sergeant (MSG), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to First Sergeant.
What is the proper way to address a First Sergeant?
The correct way to address a First Sergeant named Mr. Williams is "First Sergeant Williams", or written as 1SG Williams. In formal situations, a First Sergeant should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a First Sergeant earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level First Sergeant with Over 8 years of experience is $5,214.90 per month.
A First Sergeant receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a First Sergeant's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army First Sergeant may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including personal money allowance, food allowance, and more.
For full details on the Army's First Sergeant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Army First Sergeant Pay Chart. A full table of the Army's current paygrades are available at the Army Pay Chart.
Military Occupational Specialties for Army's E-8 First Sergeant
 | Physical Therapy Specialist
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 | Ammunition Specialist
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 | Stryker Systems Maintainer
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 | UH-60 Helicopter Repairer
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 | PATRIOT Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer
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To learn more about Military Occupational Specialties, see our complete list of MOS job titles.
Equivalent Ranks to the Army's E-8 First Sergeant
To learn more about the Army's rank structure, see our complete list of Army ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a First Sergeant is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Army rank to GS grade conversion table 
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To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Army and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.