what is an nco

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. NCOs usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. The NCO corps usually includes many grades of enlisted, corporal, and sergeant; in some countries, warrant officers also carry out the duties of NCOs. There are different classes of non-commissioned officers, including junior (lower ranked) non-commissioned officers (JNCO) and senior/staff (higher ranked) non-commissioned officers (SNCO) . NCOs are officially divided into two categories: junior non-commissioned officers, consisting of corporals/sailors first class and master corporals/master sailors; and senior non-commissioned officers, consisting of sergeants and petty officers 2nd class. In the US military, NCOs are considered the doers and provide inspiration, purpose, motivation, direction, and discipline to the troops. The NCO corps is responsible for leading and training soldiers at the vanguard, grounded in the oath to the nation, and the rich history and heritage of the US military.