Gunnery Sergeant

Gunnery Sergeant insignia
U.S. Marine Corps

Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO). It has a pay grade of E-7.

A Gunnery Sergeant in the infantry is typically in charge of coordinating logistics for a company-sized group of Marines, or about one hundred twenty personnel. Junior Gunnery Sergeants usually serve as platoon sergeant for weapons platoons. A U.S. Army Sergeant First Class shares the same pay grade as a Gunnery Sergeant, but not the same responsibilities. A Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant's job is to be the operations chief of a company of Marines.

Gunnery Sergeants are commonly referred to by the informal abbreviation "gunny." This nickname is usually regarded as a title of esteem and/or camaraderie, and is generally acceptable for use in all situations except formal and ceremonial ones. Use of the term by lower-ranking personnel, however, remains at the Gunnery Sergeant's discretion.

Notable Gunnery Sergeants

*John Basilone
*Robert H. McCard
*Carlos Hathcock
*Jack Coughlin
*William Gary Walsh

In fiction

*Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the television series "NCIS" (portrayed by Mark Harmon)
*Victor Galindez on the television series JAG (portrayed by Randy Vasquez)
*Thomas Highway in the film "Heartbreak Ridge" (played by Clint Eastwood)
*Bob Lee Swagger, created by author Stephen Hunter and portrayed in the 2007 movie "Shooter" by Mark Wahlberg
* Miles Arthur Rutherford in the The Council Wars book series written by John Ringo
* Senior Drill Instructor GySgt Hartman in the film "Full Metal Jacket" played by GySgt R. Lee Ermey [Ermey was medically retired as a Staff Sergeant in 1972, but awarded an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant in 2002.cite web|url=http://www.rleeermey.com/about.php|title=R. Lee Ermey's Bio|accessdate=2007-02-23]
* Senior Drill Instructor GySgt Gerheim (on whom the character of Hartman was based) in the book "The Short-Timers" by Gustav Hasford
*Alva "Gunny" Bricker on the television series "Major Dad" (portrayed by Beverly Archer)
*GySgt Emil Foley in the film "An Officer and a Gentleman" (played by Louis Gossett, Jr., the role for which he won an Academy Award).
* [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Ashleycompare_2.jpg/ Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams] , a character from the role-playing game Mass Effect.
*Vince Carter played by Frank Sutton on "Gomer Pyle USMC"
*Jim Moore played by Jack Webb in the movie "The D.I."
*Gunnery Sergeant Al Apone in 1980s sci-fi classic film "Aliens", played by Al Matthews.
*Gunnery Sergeant [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Erin_Mathias Erin Mathias] , a character in the rebooted [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Portal:Battlestar_Galactica_%28RDM%29 Battlestar Galactica] , played by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0669826/ Eileen Pedde] .
*Lawton "Gunny" in the game is a Gunnery Sergeant.
*Pete Stacker, a UNSC Marine Infantryman in the "Halo" series
*Gena "Mother" Newman, in the books Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow and Hell Island
*Amos Skillings, in the books Mission Compromised, The Jericho Sanction and The Assassins by Oliver North and Joe Musser.
*Leatherneck, a Marine in the G.I.Joe ARAH toyline, comics and cartoon.

Notes

ee also

* U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia
* Comparative military ranks