Specialist (rank)
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This article is about the military rank. For other meanings, see Specialist.
Specialist (SPC) is the highest military crew rank in the US Army. It is equivalent in grade to the rank of Corporal. However, it is characterized by special qualifications or technical skills that lie outside the Corporal's area of responsibility. In return, a Corporal is more valued for his leadership in combat, which explains why a Specialist is below the Corporal in the chain of command. The Specialist has the NATO rank code OR-4, is one rank above the Private First Class and one rank below the Sergeant and is roughly comparable to a Stabsgefreiten in the Bundeswehr or Zugsführer in the Austrian Army.
During World War II, the rank was known as Technician and was abolished in 1948; however, the concept was reintroduced in 1955 under the name Specialist. By 1985, fluctuating numbers of sub-ranks existed within the Specialist. All that remained was Specialist Four, which was then re-designated as simply Specialist.
Specialist Badge of the US Army
Questions and Answers
Q: What is a Specialist in the U.S. Army?
A: Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal.
Q: What is the rank of Specialist abbreviated as?
A: The rank of Specialist in the U.S. Army is abbreviated as "SPC".
Q: How does the Specialist rank compare to the Corporal rank?
A: The Specialist rank is equivalent in pay grade to Corporal, but unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers (NCOs).
Q: What is the pay grade of a Specialist in the U.S. Army?
A: The pay grade of a Specialist in the U.S. Army is equivalent to that of a Corporal.
Q: Is a Specialist a junior non-commissioned officer?
A: No, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) unlike Corporals.
Q: How many junior enlisted ranks are there in the U.S. Army?
A: There are four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, and Specialist is one of them.
Q: What is the position of Specialist in the hierarchy of the U.S. Army?
A: Specialist is a junior enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, higher than Private First Class but lower than Corporal.
