Posted on Mar 30, 2018
Where has the recent trend of calling Master Sergeants by their full rank come from?
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A few years ago it was the norm to call a MSG "Sergeant", but I've noticed recently that it's becoming more common to hear them addressed as "Master Sergeant". I was even corrected by a MSG and told to call him by his entire rank. I said roger and moved on with my life, but it perplexed me because AR 600-20 clearly states that the title of address for a MSG is "Sergeant". What are your thoughts?
Posted in these groups: 
MSG
Customs and Courtesies
MSG Customs and Courtesies
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 104
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You are completely correct, all sergeants in our Army, are by regulation, to be addressed as just “Sergeant”, unless they are wearing a star or a diamond. Whoever that Sergeant was that called you out, needs to check their ego, those type of wanna be glorified NCO’s make the rest of us look bad.
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Cpl Phil Hsueh
MSG David Johnson - You can call a Master Gunnery Sergeant Master Guns if he's in your unit, sort of like how you can call a Gunnery Sergeant, Gunny.
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Cpl John Cogswell
1LT (Join to see) - In the Corps from 1988-1992 we called our Ops Chief (A Master Sergeant), "Top" Our Bn Ops Chief we called Master Guns.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGM Erik Marquez - We are also not Marines. I always addressed Marines by their full rank (I worked with Marines who were attached to my platoon doing close air support), but I would never call a MSG anything other than sergeant, and I was in very good infantry units where our platoon sergeants were often MSG's. We didn't even call Drill Sergeants anything other than Drill Sergeant, and they introduce us to the regulations. MSG David Johnson
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SPC Joel Alioto
I was in the Army in a support unit, our MSG became 1st SG and when the 1st SG went on leave the MSG became the 1st SG. So I answered them with yes or no Master Sargent. We had two former Marines in my permanent party unit as platoon Sgt and we answered them as yes of no Staff Sargent. In AIT I had a Gunny because the Marines and Army good to A.I.T. together to become "food service specialists" and in class you had both marines and army. So being a kid I thought this was the norm and I never got in trouble for being respectful. In Iraq my F.O.B. had marine on it. every patrol they came by and took our female soldiers with them to work with the female populous in Baghdad because it seemed to work and I referred to them by their rank and vice versa and it worked. But maybe my experience was unique
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I remember the old radio set: the PRC E8. Go ask around sometime if anyone knows where they can find a "PricK E8". I bet you will get some interesting responses :)
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MAJ (Join to see)
I just don't remember hearing it....as a PVT I got hit with the Road-wheel Pressure Gauge, and the Box of Blue Reticles. A typical fraternity right of passage for a newbie tanker...at least the mechanics got a good laugh.
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MAJ (Join to see)
2ndLt Fulton Recepcion - Definitely...most of my SR NCOs where like that, but not all. I certainly learned a lot from them, even though their personalities may have been a bit warped. You really do need to have a sense of humor, especially in combat arms. I was in Armor/Cav., we were always ragging on each other.
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Cpl Phil Hsueh
MAJ (Join to see) - Don't forget X yards of chow line, buckets of jet/prop wash, or the classic ID 10 T form.
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