Thoughts from a (New) Sergeant

I am now in my sixth season of re-enacting. (Has it been that long already?) I spent the first three years as a private, then I served two more years as a corporal. Now I will spend the next season as a sergeant. It's both exciting and a little scary.

For many groups, promotion can be slow in coming, so those of us who aspire to higher rank (like me) often have to wait, then take the opportunity when we can. The hobby has lots of members who have been in it for many years (even longer than me) and have never wanted to be anything above a private, which suits them just fine. Not everyone wants to be an officer, of course, which is also good, because someone has to do the actual fighting. Also, privates (and most corporals) have less responsibility and therefore often have more fun, because they just do what they're told.

Then there is the middle management position known as sergeant. The NCO (non-commissioned officer) has several duties, not the least of which is taking care of the troops and seeing that they do what the senior officers tell them. Having now spent my first event as a sergeant, I must say that I like the position very much. The stripes definitely mean something, and I find myself noticing rank on others' uniforms that much more now that I have "extra stuff" on my own. (Jennifer keeps making popping noises when I mention it, just so my head doesn't get too big.)

I still have a lot to learn about the position, but I know it will come, just like everything else I've learned. We all started out as privates, green and clueless. But now that I'm teaching others the ins and outs, I only hope I do as well as I was taught.