US/UK military ranks

[Captain Seafort]

Staplic's listing of USMC ranks in BGG reminded me of something that's been bugging me for a while

These are the US army's non-commissioned ranks:

Private, PFC, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Master Sergeant, First Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Command Sergeant Major

These are the British army's non-commissioned ranks:

Private, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Warrant Officer Class 2, Warrant Officer Class 1

One has seven grades, the other has ten, even if you ignore US Warrant Officers as something different (why exactly are they dealt with separately to other NCOs anyway?) What are the extra three grades there for?

[Aaron]

I vaguely recall that the Commonwealth entrusts it's troops with a greater level of education and training at lower rank levels then the US does. Hence our less cluttered rank structure.

We have eight, if you count Master Corporal as a rank and not an appointment.

[Deepcrush]

Between WWI and WWII the US was looking for a way to promote persons without making them officers. The extra ranks were then added.

I vaguely recall that the Commonwealth entrusts it's troops with a greater level of education and training at lower rank levels then the US does. Hence our less cluttered rank structure.

Few will ever match the training of a Marine, enlisted or above.

[Aaron]

*shrug* I'm not getting into that again.

[Aaron]

Between WWI and WWII the US was looking for a way to promote persons without making them officers. The extra ranks were then added.

Yeah, thats why we have Master Corporal now. To try and keep the troopies out of the poor house.

[Deepcrush]

*shrug* I'm not getting into that again.

Smart man...

Yeah, thats why we have Master Corporal now. To try and keep the troopies out of the poor house.

Oh, that puts you better off then the US. We got our extra ranks because the Government didn't want to pay us anymore then they had to.

[Aaron]

When Master Corporal was implemented, 1970 something, the pay for a third year Private was 13k a year.

When I joined, I was making 19k after basic. So guys were literally in the poor house. Thats the poverty line right there, thank flagnar for barracks.

I'm not sure what it is now but when I left in '03 I was clearing 50K as a senior Corporal (collecting my VA pension as well).

[Deepcrush]

Damn you boys clear the money!

[Aaron]

Yeah it's pretty damn good now, makes up for all the years of having nothing. Guess they figured if we were going to fight a war, they may as well pay us what we're worth.

[Deepcrush]

So umm... you wanna send those guys down here for a bit?

[Aaron]

What the money, or the men?

[Deepcrush]

Both.

[Aaron]

lol, the battlegroup going over to the sandbox is in California right now actually.

[Lt. Staplic]

the US must not be the only one that does it...each one has a NATO equivalence grade (E-1 through E-9)

[Mikey]

I thought the U.S. didn't use warrant officer grades anymore?