{{Short description|Non-commissioned officer military rank}} {{distinguish|First sergeant}}'''Sergeant First Class''' ('''SFC''') is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries.
==United States== {{Infobox military rank | name = Sergeant first class | native_name = | image = Army-USA-OR-07 (Army greens).svg | image_size = 80px | alt = | caption = Sergeant first class insignia | image2 = | image_size2 = | alt2 = | caption2 = | image3 = | image_size3 = | alt3 = | caption3 = | country = {{flag|United States}} | service branch = {{army|United States}} | abbreviation = SFC | rank group = Non-commissioned officer | rank = | NATO rank = OR-7 | Non-NATO rank = | pay grade = E-7 | formation = 1948 | abolished = | higher rank = Master sergeant | lower rank = Staff sergeant | equivalents = {{ubl|Gunnery sergeant {{small|(USMC)}}|Chief petty officer {{small|(USN & USCG)}}|Master sergeant {{small|(USAF & USSF)}}}} | history = Technical sergeant }}
Sergeant First Class (SFC) is the seventh enlisted rank (E-7) in the U.S. Army, ranking above staff sergeant (E-6) and below master sergeant and first sergeant (E-8), and is the first non-commissioned officer rank designated as a senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bajza |first=Tiffini Theisen,Stephen |date=2025-08-04 |title=Army Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks |url=https://www.military.com/army/ranks |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Military.com |language=en}}</ref>
A sergeant first class is typically assigned as a platoon sergeant at the company level<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cornell-d’Echert |first=Ryan |date=2019-09-10 |title=You and Your NCO |url=https://companyleader.themilitaryleader.com/2019/09/10/you-and-your-nco/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=The Company Leader |language=en-US}}</ref> or ''battalion operations non-commissioned officer in charge'' at the battalion level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bajza |first=Tiffini Theisen,Stephen |date=2025-08-04 |title=Army Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks |url=https://www.military.com/army/ranks |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=Military.com |language=en}}</ref> In a combat arms role, a sergeant first class is typically second in charge (under an officer, typically a second lieutenant, serving as the platoon leader) of from 14 soldiers and four tanks in an armor platoon<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Army Armor Company (Current) |url=https://www.battleorder.org/us-army-tanks-modern |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Battle Order |language=en}}</ref> to 36 soldiers and four squads in a rifle platoon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Army Light Rifle Company (2012-Present) |url=https://www.battleorder.org/usa-rifleco-ibct-2020 |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Battle Order |language=en}}</ref> A sergeant first class's primary responsibilities are tactical logistics, tactical casualty evacuations, and serving as the senior tactical adviser to the platoon leader. Sergeant first class replaced the rank of technical sergeant in 1948.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Andrew |date=2025-03-13 |title=Military Ranks: Sergeant First Class - Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute |url=https://bootcampmilitaryfitnessinstitute.com/2025/03/13/military-ranks-sergeant-first-class-2/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=bootcampmilitaryfitnessinstitute.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> (However, the U.S. Air Force, which separated from the Army in 1947, retained the rank of technical sergeant,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/AFD-090611-103.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115174118/https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/AFD-090611-103.pdf |archive-date=2017-11-15 |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.afhra.af.mil}}</ref> and the U.S. Marine Corps had the rank of technical sergeant until 1959.) Sergeants first class are selected by a centralized promotion system.
The rank title of sergeant first class (SFC) existed in the Army from 1890 <ref>26-Stat-653</ref> until 1920 when it was eliminated in an army-wide simplification of enlisted ranks which had grown into a system containing 128 different rank insignia.<ref name=":0" /> The rank of SFC was used in several technical branches such as the Army Medical Department and in the Ordnance, Signal, and Quartermaster Corps and was equivalent to the field service ranks at the company/battery/troop "staff" NCO level, such as color sergeant, supply sergeant, or radio sergeant. The Army restored the rank of SFC in 1948 when it replaced technical sergeant.<ref>Perrenot, P. ''United States Army Grade Insignia Since 1776'' (2009)</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery class="center"> <!-- In alphabetic order of Country please --> File:North-Macedonia-Army-OR-5.svg|{{lang|mk|Водник 1 класа}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|Vodnik 1 klasa}}<br />(North Macedonian Ground Forces)<ref name="NorthMacedonia">{{cite web |title=УРЕДБА ЗА ОЗНАКИТЕ ЗА УНИФОРМИТЕ НА АРМИЈАТА НА РЕПУБЛИКА СЕВЕРНА МАКЕДОНИЈА |trans-title=Regulation on the Markings for the Uniforms of the Army of the Republic Northern of Macedonia |url=https://dejure.mk/zakon/uredba-za-oznakite-za-uniformite-na-armijata-na-republika-severna-makedonija-1 |website=dejure.mk |access-date=24 May 2021 |language=mk |date=12 November 2020}}</ref> File:Maldives-Army-OR-7.svg|{{lang|dv|ސާރޖަންޓް ފަސްޓް ކްލާސް}}<br />{{lang|dv-Latn|Saarjant fast klaas}}<br />(Maldives National Defence Force)<ref name="Maldives">{{cite web |title=ރޭންކް ސްޓްރަކްޗަރ |url=https://mndf.gov.mv/mndf/ranks |website=mndf.gov.mv |publisher=Maldives National Defence Force |access-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229225234/https://mndf.gov.mv/mndf/ranks |archive-date=29 February 2020 |language=dv}}</ref> File:05-Montenegro Army-SFC.svg|{{lang|cnr|Vodnik 1 klase}}<br />(Montenegrin Ground Army)<ref name="Montenegro">{{cite journal |title=IV. Izgled Činova u Vojsci |journal=Official Gazette of Montenegro |date=16 August 2010 |volume=50/10 |pages=22–28 |url=https://wapi.gov.me/download-preview/f21585eb-2399-4cf3-ab40-7f0e245093be?version=1.0 |access-date=17 September 2021 |language=cnr}}</ref> File:Netherlands-Army-OR-6.svg|{{lang|nl|Sergeant der eerste klasse}}<br />(Royal Netherlands Army)<ref name="Netherlands">{{cite web |title=De rangonderscheidingstekens van de krijgsmacht |url=https://www.defensie.nl/binaries/defensie/documenten/brochures/2021/01/15/rangen-krijgsmacht/rangonderscheidingstekens.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Defence (Netherlands) |access-date=18 March 2021 |date=19 December 2016 |language=nl}}</ref> File:Norway-Army-OR-5b service.svg|{{lang|no|Sersjant 1. klasse}}<br />(Norwegian Army)<ref name="Norway">{{cite web |title=Militære grader |url=https://www.forsvaret.no/om-forsvaret/uniformer-grader-medaljer/grader |website=forsvaret.no |publisher=Norwegian Armed Forces |access-date=26 May 2021 |language=no |date=4 February 2021}}</ref> File:Army-USA-OR-07 (Army greens).svg|Sergeant first class<br />(United States Army)<ref name="US_Army">{{cite web |title=U.S. Army Ranks |url=https://www.army.mil/ranks/ |website=army.mil |publisher=United States Army |access-date=27 May 2021}}</ref> </gallery>
==See also== * Military rank * Sergeant * Comparative military ranks * United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War I * United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War II * U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia * United States military pay
==References== <references />
{{US_enlisted_ranks}}
Category:Military ranks of the United States Army Category:Enlisted ranks of the United States Armed Forces