What are the enlisted ranks in the US military?

I'm curious about the different ranks for enlisted personnel in the US military. How do they progress from one rank to another, and what distinguishes each rank in terms of responsibility and pay?

In the U.S. Military, enlisted personnel are non-commissioned officers (NCOs), meaning they do not have a commission from the President of the United States. Enlisted ranks are, in essence, the "backbone" of the military, comprising the largest group of military personnel.

In the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force, the enlisted ranks progress from E-1 to E-9. The Navy uses rate instead of rank, also from E-1 to E-9. E stands for "Enlisted".

In the Army and Marine Corps, the starting rank is Private (E-1) and Private First Class (E-2), respectively, followed by Corporal (E-4), then the various levels of Sergeant (E-5 to E-9).

For the Air Force, the progression begins with Airman Basic (E-1), followed by Airman (E-2), Senior Airman (E-4), and finally the various levels of Sergeant (E-5 to E-9).

In the Navy, Seaman Recruit (E-1), Seaman Apprentice (E-2), and Seaman (E-3) are the initial rates, followed up with Petty Officer Third Class (E-4), and ascending Petty Officer rates (E-5 to E-9).

The pay for enlisted personnel is based on two factors: service time and pay grade. As an individual rises in ranks, their pay typically increases, and likewise, more length of service also contributes to a higher pay.

As for responsibility, it tends to grow with each rank. The lower enlisted ranks (E-1 – E-3) are primarily concerned with learning their job and basic military skills. Those in the non-commissioned officer (E-4 – E-6) have a supervisory role and are in charge of lower-ranked enlisted personnel. Senior enlisted personnel (E-7 – E-9) usually have significant leadership roles and major influences on their command’s mission and readiness.

Please remember every branch has slightly different structures and responsibilities for each rank. This is a basic summary and does not cover all the intricacies of each branch. For more detailed information, I recommend visiting the official websites of each branch.