Editing Master Sergeant

{{Inner Sphere Military Ranks}}
A '''Master Sergeant''' is typically a high-ranking noncommissioned officer in a military force. Only those soldiers who are very experienced or very good reach this rank. Oftentimes a soldier will consider reaching this rank the pinnacle of their career.

==SLDF==
In the SLDF, a Master Sergeant was the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer. Their duties and responsibilities were similar to those of a [[Sergeant Major]]. Soldiers had to spend at least four years in the SLDF to get to this rank. Master Sergeants usually commanded a company's best platoon. A 'Mech lance could be commanded by an experienced Master Sergeant.<ref>''The Star League'', p. 112</ref>

In the Second SLDF, the duties of a Master Sergeant remained the same. The Naval equivalent rank was '''Master Chief Petty Officer''',<ref>''Field Manual: ComStar'', p. 80</ref> and was the rank held by the senior NCO aboard a [[JumpShip]] or [[WarShip]].

The insignia used by Master Sergeants in the SLDF used the same shape, but the first SLDF insignia was green while the second SLDF insignia was black.<ref>''The Star League'', p. 112</ref><ref>''Field Manual: ComStar'', p. 80</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ [[SLDF]] Rank insignia
! Rank !! Insignia (First SLDF)<ref>''The Star League'', p. 113</ref> !! Insignia (Second SLDF)<ref>''Field Manual: ComStar''</ref>
|-
! [[Master Sergeant]]
|align="center"|[[File:SLDF-MasterSergeant-1stSL.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:SLDF-MasterSergeant-2ndSL.png]]
|}

==Lyran Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance==
This rank isn't used in the [[LAAF]]. A '''Staff Sergeant Major''' is the senior NCO in a battalion. Most of their responsibilities are administrative instead of combat-related.<ref>''Field Manual: Lyran Alliance'', p. 30</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ [[LAAF]] Military Rank Insignia
! Rank !! Insignia
|-
! [[Staff Sergeant Major]]
|align="center"|[[File:StaffSergeantMajorLAAF.png]]
|}

==Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery==
When Shiro Kurita founded the Draconis Combine, he established the rank system of the DCMS. After the BattleMech was invented, MechWarriors who didn't own their own 'Mechs were instructed to wear the Master Sergeant insignia, but they were addressed as "MechWarrior" instead of "Master Sergeant".<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 126</ref>

After Theodore Kurita implemented his reforms of the DCMS, the rank of Master Sergeant was replaced by the Japanese term '''''Shujin'''''. ''Shujin'' wear a stylized ''katakana'' number "5" in lavender on a colored background appropriate to the wearer's branch.<ref>''Field Manual: Draconis Combine'', p. 18: "Rank Insignia"</ref>

Prior to [[3040]], aerospace pilots were given this rank, but after Theodore's reforms they were identified as ''[[Busosenshi]]''.<ref>''A Time of War Companion'', p. 30: "Draconis Combine Rank Table"</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ [[DCMS]] Officer Ranks by branch of service
| colspan="6" align="center"| '''DCMS Ranks'''
| colspan="2" align="center"| '''DCA Ranks'''
|-
! Rank !! MechWarrior !! Aerospace fighter !! Infantry !! Armor !!Artillery!! Rank !! Naval crew<br>[[Draconis Combine Admiralty]] !! Technical<br> Service
|-
! ''Shujin''<br>([[Master Sergeant]])
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-mech.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-asf.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-infantry.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-armor.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-artillery.png]]
! ''Shujin''<br>([[Master Sergeant]])
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-naval.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shujin-tech.png]]
|}

==Armed Forces of the Federated Suns==
This rank isn't used by the [[AFFS]]. The nearest equivalent rank is [[Sergeant Major]].

==Capellan Confederation Armed Forces==
Originally known as '''Assistant Force Leader''', in the [[CCAF]] this rank was later retitled '''''Yi-Si-Ben-Bing''''' or Master Sergeant after the ''[[Xin Sheng]]'' reforms.  Master sergeants serve as the senior enlisted representative of a battalion and will be attached to its command staff in an administrative role.  During combat, they may temporarily command a 'Mech lance or permanently command a lance of conventional tanks or artillery.  In noncombat units, the master sergeant will be in charge of a major department.  Within an armor or infantry regiment, one master sergeant will be recognized as "first among equals" and serve in the regimental command unit as a command master sergeant.<ref>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p. 70</ref><ref>''Handbook: House Liao'', p. 110</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|+ [[CCAF]] Military Ranks
! CCAF Rank !! Warrior House rank !! Insignia
|-
! ''[[Yi-si-ben-bing]]''<br>([[Master Sergeant]])
|N/A
|align="center"|[[File:Yisibenbing.png]]
|}

==Free Worlds League==
The [[FWLM]] identifies the senior NCO of a battalion as a Master Sergeant. Master Sergeants (and their naval counterparts, '''Senior Chief Petty Officers''') wear three gold chevrons on a purple background as their rank insignia.<ref>''Field Manual: Free Worlds League'', p. 22</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ [[FWLM]] Military Rank Insignia
! Rank !! Insignia
|-
! [[Master Sergeant]]
|align="center"|[[File:MasterSergeantFWL.png]]
|}
==The Clans==
The Clans do not use this rank.

==ComStar/Word of Blake==
Due to their past as a quasi-religious organization, members of the [[Com Guards]] and Word of Blake Militia don't use this rank. A senior Acolyte or junior Adept would fulfill the duties of a Master Sergeant.

==Free Rasalhague Republic==
The KungsArmé doesn't use this rank.

==Magistracy of Canopus==
The [[Magistracy Armed Forces]] don't use this rank, instead NCOs at this level are known as '''Star Corporals'''.  Each Star Corporal normally commands a platoon of infantry in battle, but she may also command larger units in the absence of a senior officer.  Star Corporals form the core of the MAF's enlisted ranks.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 24</ref><ref>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 86</ref> Their rank symbol is a star set on the silver-edged diamond of a [[Volunteer]].
{|class="wikitable" width="350"
|+ [[Magistracy Armed Forces]] Insignia
! Rank !! Insignia
|-
! [[Star Corporal]]
|align="center"|[[File:MagistracyOfCanopus-StarCorporal.png]]
|}

==Taurian Defense Force==
In the [[Taurian Defense Force]], a '''Lance Sergeant''' in the conventional forces has the same duties as a Force Sergeant while also serving as the assistant company commander. A [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] in training officially holds this rank, but has no additional command authority, while in the aerospace arm lance sergeants command air lances.  Among the support branch, the rank is awarded to workhorse management positions.<ref>''The Periphery'', p. 74</ref><ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 54</ref><ref>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 112</ref> The Lance Sergeant wears a stylized bull's head in silver to show their rank.

{|class="wikitable" width="350"
|+ [[Taurian Defense Force]] Insignia
! Rank !! Insignia
|-
! [[Lance Sergeant]]
|align="center"|[[File:TaurianConcordat-LanceSergeant.png]]
|}

==Marian Hegemony==
The Hegemony Armed Forces don't use this rank.

==Outworlds Alliance==
The Alliance Military Corps doesn't use this rank.

==Aurigan Coalition Military==
In the [[Aurigan Coalition Military]], '''Lance Sergeant''' serves as assistant to a [[Cornet]], and in armor units, the lance sergeant acts as assistant company
commander to a [[subaltern]].<ref name=HA:TACp26/>

In the ACM, '''Battalion Chief-Sergeant''' is the senior NCO in a battalion.<ref name=HA:TACp26>''House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition)'', p. 26</ref>

==Notes==
{{RankStyle}}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: Capellan Confederation]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: ComStar]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Crusader Clans]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Draconis Combine]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Federated Suns]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Lyran Alliance]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Periphery]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]''
* ''[[House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition)]]''
* ''[[The Star League]]''


[[Category:Military Ranks]]