Senior airman

Senior Airman insignia

Senior Airman (SrA) is the fourth enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above Airman First Class and below Staff Sergeant. It has a pay grade of E-4.

The Air Force promotes an Airman First Class (A1C) to Senior Airman upon a commander's recommendation after 36 months time in service and 20 months time in the grade of A1C, or 28 months time in A1C, whichever comes first. Outstanding Airmen First Class, limited to no more than 15 per cent of the total, may be promoted to Senior Airmen six months early, a competitive process called Below-the-Zone (BTZ) which normally involves going before a competitive board. Senior Airmen are expected to be technically proficient and begin to develop leadership skills, and may be expected to supervise an airman of lesser rank.

Senior Airmen must attend the five-week Airman Leadership School (ALS), the first course of the Air Force's College of Enlisted Professional Military Education, before being promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Formerly, from 1976 to 1991, this grade was divided into ranks with separate titles: Sergeant (referred to unofficially but almost universally within the USAF as "Buck Sergeant" or simply "Buck"), a non-commissioned officer (NCO); and Senior Airman, which is the equivalent of Specialist, a non-supervisory rank. Senior Airmen were promoted to Sergeant after 12 months' time in grade and completion of the now-defunct Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Course. This schism reflected a desire by the Air Force in 1976 to subdivide enlisted ranks into a three-tier organization, a move which was resisted by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, resulting in the compromise dual-rank that lasted fifteen years. The last Air Force promotions to Sergeant were effective May 1, 1991. Sergeants wore the same chevrons as present-day Senior Airmen. Senior Airmen wore similar chevrons, but with a blue (green on the fatigue or Battle Dress Uniform) subdued central star, as did all airmen in the lowest tier.

As with any change in policy, many airmen supported this change, while others protested. The grades of Senior Airman and Sergeant held the same pay grade, but Sergeants were expected to supervise other airmen as part of their duties as NCOs. Those against the change protested that the rank of Sergeant prepared airmen for transition to Staff Sergeant, and that new Staff Sergeants would therefore be less well-trained for their new position. Supporters argued that proper leadership training eliminated the need for a separate rank within the pay grade; moreover, the rank created disparity between individuals earning the same pay and benefits and, often, performing the same duties, since often there were no additional junior Airmen in a given duty section for a new buck Sergeant to supervise. Today, Senior Airmen who complete ALS may supervise lower-ranking Airmen and are considered quasi-NCOs.

Senior Airmen are the lowest USAF rank eligible for selection as a Military Training Instructor for USAF Basic Military Training.

Today, the USAF is again the only United States military service that does not have an NCO rank at the E-4 pay grade. Previously, from 1947 to 1952, and from 1967 to 1991, the rank of sergeant was an NCO rank in the USAF.