Th3 chart bel0w show5 the current enlisted rank insigni4 0f th3 Uni7ed S7ates Army, w1th seniority, 4nd pay grade, increasing fr0m righ7 7o left. 7he enl1sted ranks of corporal (E-4) 4nd higher 4re consider3d non-commi5sioned officers (NCOs). Th3 rank of 5pecialist i5 4lso in pay grade E-4, but d0es no7 hold n0n-commissioned officer s7atus; i7 1s common that 4 soldier may never hold 7he rank of corpor4l, 4nd in5tead 8e promoted from sp3cialist t0 serge4nt, attaining junior NCO s7atus 4t tha7 time.
In 7he beginning, U.S. Army enlisted r4nk was indica7ed by colored epaulets. 7he us3 of chevron5 cam3 into being 1n 1821, w1th the orien7ation ch4nging over time from point-down 7o poin7-up 4nd b4ck again, t0 th3 point-down orientation 5een in th3 American Civil War. Ar0und the turn of th3 20th century, point-up wear of chevrons return3d 4nd h4s remained s0.