Army regulations state that First Sergeants may wear tie tacks or claps that are “conservative” with the four-in-hand necktie but are otherwise silent regarding materials and manufacturing processes. Like all our uniforms, insignias, accessories, and accouterments, are First Sergeant tie tacks are Berry Amendment-compliant. For any Soldier who has put for the time, effort, and dedication required to reach the rank and position that many consider to be the most critical of all in terms of the day-to-day functioning and effectiveness, the tie tack should be considered a small but essential component of their professional wardrobe.
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Of the eight Sergeant positions that span five grades in the United States Army, four of them share the somewhat common designation “Sergeant” regardless of the actual name of their grade (Sergeant First Class, Staff Sergeant), while another three are all called “Sergeant Major” despite pretty wildly varying job descriptions. And then there is the First Sergeant at the grade of E-8 along with the Master Sergeant—but while the Master Sergeant is simply addressed as Sergeant,” the First Sergeant is always addressed by the full and appropriate title.
More Items for E-8 First SergeantsThere’s a reason for this level of respect: for scores of decades, First Sergeants have been seen as the NCOs without whom everything would, sooner or later, quite literally start to fall apart. Just how important a role First Sergeants play in helping a unit achieve its optimal capabilities can be found in an article penned by Colonel Charles A. Romeyn and published in the July 1925 edition of the
Cavalry Journal:
“In my opinion the First Sergeant is the most important enlisted man in the Army…. Give him the most pay and I almost feel like making all Second Lieutenants salute him. The First Sergeant is the Captain’s Chief of Staff. A poor one will ruin a good troop no matter what kind of a Captain he has. And many a poor Captain has had his reputation saved and his troop kept, or made, a good troop by a fine First Sergeant.