# The 740th Missile Squadron, for example. Where does that number come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971 "2013-03-04T03:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971/21 "2013-03-06T18:12:43Z")
Civilians assign too much importance to rank; military people know that it’s the position that counts. They don’t look at a bunch of NCOs and think, here’s a Sergeant Major and here’s a Sergeant First Class and here’s a Staff Sergeant, they think: here’s the senior radio technician, here’s the quartermaster, and here’s the 2nd platoon sergeant. A rank may be a \*prerequisite \*for a position, but it isn’t a position. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971/22 "2013-03-06T18:14:08Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > I got the impression that when a service calls something the “102nd window cleaning battalion”, what is it saying is: “We gave this battalion the number 102. It does window cleaning” rather than “This is the 102nd battalion to do window cleaning”. That is, the name includes a tracking number and a summary of its function. This does not mean that the tracking number tells you how many such units have been assigned to that function… That was also my understanding. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971/23 "2013-03-06T18:14:47Z")
First Segeants and Sergeants Major get the full-court title out of respect; Master Sergeants (also E-8 just like a First Sergeant) are not addressed as “Master Sergeant,” just Sergeant. The First Sergeant is the cornerstone of the U.S. Army. The Sergeant Major is a First Sergeant with experience (and since First Sergeants tend to be scary experienced, that’s saying something). The Sergeant Major typically serves as the senior enlisted at battalion-level and above. To continue your “construction crew” metaphor, the First Segeant might be a site supervisor/foreman, in charge of multiple crews at one location, and a Sergeant Major a project foreman, in charge of multiple sites. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971/24 "2013-03-06T18:35:57Z")
As U.S. Army sergeants go, there’s only one of these at a time: [Sergeant Major of the Army - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Major_of_the_Army) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-740th-missile-squadron-for-example-where-does-that-number-come-from/651971.md?page=1)