ID please

[DaveS44]

Can someone help this noob ID this patch? :emba0005:

 

Thank You - Dave

[JCFalkenbergIII]

Its a Specialist 5 rank insignia. Robert

 

http://www.ncohistory.com/files/shsr.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialist_%28rank%29

[hawkdriver]

As said, Spec 5. Quit using those back in the mid 80's

[BigJohn#3RD]

As said, Spec 5. Quit using those back in the mid 80's

Was it that late? I thought that they transitioned everyone to hard stripe in late 79 or early 80?

John

[blkjack07]

Was it that late? I thought that they transitioned everyone to hard stripe in late 79 or early 80?

John

October 1985, per The Institute of Heraldry.

[JCFalkenbergIII]

October 1985, per The Institute of Heraldry.

 

 

In the PDF I linked ,Short History of the Specialist Rank By CSM Dan Elder, it also gives 1985 as the year the Spec 5 and Spec 6 were abolished.

 

http://www.ncohistory.com/files/shsr.pdf

[Teamski]

Here is a picture of both series of specialist ranks. The bottom row ranks were authorized in 1955. From left to right:

 

Specialist 3rd Class (E-4)

Specialist 2nd Class (E-5)

Specialist 1st Class (E-6)

Master Specialist (E-7)

 

What year were the later ones authorized? I'm thinking Mid 1960s as there are merrowed versions of the earlier ranks.

 

The Upper row Left to right:

 

Specialist 4 (E-4)

Specialist 5 (E-5)

Specialist 6 (E-6)

Specialist 7 (E-7)

 

Of course Specialist 8 and Specialist 9 ranks were made but never worn.....I wish I had those....

 

 

 

-Ski

[blkjack07]

Here is a picture of both series of specialist ranks. The bottom row ranks were authorized in 1955. From left to right:

 

Specialist 3rd Class (E-4)

Specialist 2nd Class (E-5)

Specialist 1st Class (E-6)

Master Specialist (E-7)

 

What year were the later ones authorized? I'm thinking Mid 1960s as there are merrowed versions of the earlier ranks.

 

The Upper row Left to right:

 

Specialist 4 (E-4)

Specialist 5 (E-5)

Specialist 6 (E-6)

Specialist 7 (E-7)

 

Of course Specialist 8 and Specialist 9 ranks were made but never worn.....I wish I had those....

-Ski

Spec 3rd, 2nd, 1st and Master Spec were authorized in 1955. Initially, all Spec stripes were the small size. In 1958, 3" chevrons were specified for male Specs; the small ones were retained for female Specs and for use by both sexes on the field jacket. Also in 1958, Specialist ranks were added to provide one for every grade from E4 up, and they were re-titled by pay grade ..... Spec 3rd Class became Spec 4, Spec 2nd Class became Spec 5, etc. Since 1985, only Specialist E4 remains. Spec 8 and Spec 9 were discontinued in 1965.

 

John

[DaveS44]

Thank you all!

[Teamski]

Spec 3rd, 2nd, 1st and Master Spec were authorized in 1955. Initially, all Spec stripes were the small size. In 1958, 3" chevrons were specified for male Specs; the small ones were retained for female Specs and for use by both sexes on the field jacket. Also in 1958, Specialist ranks were added to provide one for every grade from E4 up, and they were re-titled by pay grade ..... Spec 3rd Class became Spec 4, Spec 2nd Class became Spec 5, etc. Since 1985, only Specialist E4 remains. Spec 8 and Spec 9 were discontinued in 1965.

 

John

 

 

Thanks for the info! That definately answers why the smaller ranks are seen merrowed.

-Ski

[JCFalkenbergIII]

The E-8 and E-9 Specialists ranks were always my favorites . Robert

 

"In 1958 the DoD added two additional pay grades to give enlisted soldiers more opportunities to progress to a full career with additional opportunities for promotion. This

included an addition of two specialist ranks at E-8 and E-9 and proficiency pay was incorporated into the pay scales.In 1968 when the Army added the rank of Command Sergeant Major, the specialist ranks at E-8 and E-9 were abolished without anyone ever being promoted to those levels. In 1978 the specialist rank at E-7 was discontinued and in 1985, the specialist ranks at E-5 and E-6 were discontinued."

[S_E_Craig]

What was the significance of a Sgt 1st class specialist 6.?

[blkjack07]

What was the significance of a Sgt 1st class specialist 6.?

Not quite understanding the question .... the ranks of Sergeant First Class and Specialist E6 did not exist at the same time in the same pay grade. The ranks of Sergeant First Class and Specialist 1 did.

 

The Specialist rank at E6 was created in 1955 and abolished in 1985.

 

From 1955 until 1958, during which time a Sergeant First Class was an E6, the Spec rank was called "Specialist 1".

From 1958 until 1985, during which time a Sergeant First Class was an E7, the Spec rank was called "Specialist E6".

[S_E_Craig]

Not quite understanding the question .... the ranks of Sergeant First Class and Specialist E6 did not exist at the same time in the same pay grade. The ranks of Sergeant First Class and Specialist 1 did.

 

The Specialist rank at E6 was created in 1955 and abolished in 1985.

 

From 1955 until 1958, during which time a Sergeant First Class was an E6, the Spec rank was called "Specialist 1".

From 1958 until 1985, during which time a Sergeant First Class was an E7, the Spec rank was called "Specialist E6".

Well the person is no longer around to ask, but my memory was that his rank was sgt 1st class specialist 6. I do know he served in the army in Turkey and Japan, and that he was in armyintellegience. ( 1963-1967) I did contact an old army buddy of his about 4 years ago that did confirm the rank... so now I just do not know. I recenlty ran into some one who told me some things about this rank, and I was just trying to confirm it. But now I think I am sounding like an idiot.

[blkjack07]

... so now I just do not know.

Perhaps he was a Spec 1 (E6) and got "hard-striped" to Sergeant 1st Class (E6) before 1958? Would that be possible? Or perhaps he got promoted from Spec 6 (E6) to Sergeant 1st Class (E7) after 1958? He most definitely could have been a Spec 6 and a Sergeant 1st Class, just not both at the same time, I don't think.

 

Or maybe Army Intelligence has secret Spec classifications we know nothing about?? :naughty:

[S_E_Craig]

Perhaps he was a Spec 1 (E6) and got "hard-striped" to Sergeant 1st Class (E6) before 1958? Would that be possible? Or perhaps he got promoted from Spec 6 (E6) to Sergeant 1st Class (E7) after 1958? He most definitely could have been a Spec 6 and a Sergeant 1st Class, just not both at the same time, I don't think.

 

Or maybe Army Intelligence has secret Spec classifications we know nothing about?? :naughty:

well the years he was in the army where 1963-1967, if that adds anything to the mystery