Sergeant First Class

Sergeant First Class (SFC) is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first grade at which a non-commissioned officer is considered a senior non-commissioned officer.

In a United States Army platoon, the position of platoon sergeant is normally held by a Sergeant First Class. The platoon sergeant is the primary assistant and advisor to the platoon leader, a First Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant. When necessary, the platoon sergeant acts as the platoon leader in his or her absence. Unless the platoon leader has extensive prior experience as an enlisted member before being commissioned as a lieutenant, it is likely that the platoon sergeant will have a greater wealth of military experience due to the disparity in military service length between a new lieutenant and a Sergeant First Class; service experience, however, is not a prerequisite for commissioning and command. On occasion, when a platoon's Sergeant First Class is not available for assignment, a responsible Staff Sergeant will be appointed to perform the duties of the absent Sergeant First Class.

Sergeants First Class are still referred to by their subordinates as "Sergeant" except in certain training situations and schools. If an SFC holds or temporarily fills the position of First Sergeant, he/she is referred to as "First Sergeant" regardless of rank.

Sergeant First Class is a congressional promotion, and the rank of Sergeant First Class cannot be taken away without congressional approval.