Quartermaster Sergeant
Encyclopedia
Quartermaster Sergeant is a class of rank or appointment in some armed forces
, especially those of the United Kingdom
and the Commonwealth
.
include:
or warrant officer
who is responsible for supplies or stores. However, in the British Army
this definition is extended to almost any Warrant Officer Class 2 who does not hold a Sergeant Major
appointment, as well as a number of Staff Sergeant
and Colour Sergeant
appointments. In the British Army, Quartermaster Sergeants are frequently addressed and referred to as "Q".
Examples of Quartermaster Sergeant appointments include:
In the Household Cavalry
, the designation is replaced with Quartermaster Corporal (QMC), as in Squadron Quartermaster Corporal and Regimental Quartermaster Corporal.
The rank was in use by both the Union Army
and the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
. The rank was just below Sergeant Major
and just above Ordnance Sergeant
. The same rank insignia was used by both armies. Both armies varied the color of the stripes by assigning red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, and blue for infantry. Some Confederate militia units varied these colors even further and had other colors including black stripes for various units.
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
, especially those of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
.
Ireland
Quartermaster Sergeant appointments in the Irish Defence ForcesIrish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
include:
- Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant
- Battery Quartermaster Sergeant
- Company Quartermaster SergeantCompany Quartermaster SergeantCompany quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment.-Canada:A Company Quartermaster Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as deputy to the Company Sergeant Major and is the second most senior NCO...
- Flight Quartermaster Sergeant
- Regimental Quartermaster SergeantRegimental Quartermaster SergeantRegimental Quartermaster Sergeant is a military rank in some militaries, and an appointment in others.-Irish Defence Forces:Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant is a rank in the Irish Army and Irish Air Corps equivalent to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army...
- Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant
United Kingdom
A Quartermaster Sergeant is usually a non-commissioned officerNon-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
or warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
who is responsible for supplies or stores. However, in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
this definition is extended to almost any Warrant Officer Class 2 who does not hold a Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
appointment, as well as a number of Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
and Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
appointments. In the British Army, Quartermaster Sergeants are frequently addressed and referred to as "Q".
Examples of Quartermaster Sergeant appointments include:
- Battery Quartermaster Sergeant
- Company Quartermaster SergeantCompany Quartermaster SergeantCompany quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment.-Canada:A Company Quartermaster Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as deputy to the Company Sergeant Major and is the second most senior NCO...
- Quartermaster Sergeant InstructorQuartermaster Sergeant InstructorQuartermaster Sergeant Instructor is an appointment held by Warrant Officers Class 2 in the British Army's Small Arms School Corps and Army Physical Training Corps and by some in the Royal Engineers....
- Regimental Quartermaster SergeantRegimental Quartermaster SergeantRegimental Quartermaster Sergeant is a military rank in some militaries, and an appointment in others.-Irish Defence Forces:Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant is a rank in the Irish Army and Irish Air Corps equivalent to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army...
- Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant
In the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
, the designation is replaced with Quartermaster Corporal (QMC), as in Squadron Quartermaster Corporal and Regimental Quartermaster Corporal.
United States
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The rank was just below Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
and just above Ordnance Sergeant
Ordnance Sergeant
Ordnance Sergeant was an enlisted rank in the U.S. and Confederate armies during the American Civil War era. The Ordnance Sergeant ranks just above a First Sergeant, yet below a Quartermaster Sergeant. The rank insignia consists of three inverted chevrons with a 5-pointed star above it.According...
. The same rank insignia was used by both armies. Both armies varied the color of the stripes by assigning red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, and blue for infantry. Some Confederate militia units varied these colors even further and had other colors including black stripes for various units.