Description

On 1 July 1955, four grades of specialist were established: Specialist Third Class (E-4 or SP3), Specialist Second Class (E-5 or SP2), Specialist First Class (E-6 or SP1), and Master Specialist (E-7 or MSP). The insignia was yellow on a dark blue background. It was the same smaller size as women’s NCO stripes – to differentiate Specialists from NCOs, they were the same shape as NCO stripes – but were inverted to distinguish them, and the General Service Army Eagle was set in the center. The senior specialist ranks of SP2 (E5), SP1 (E6) and MSP (E7) were indicated by one through three yellow “rocker” stripes over the Eagle. In 1956 the Army Green uniform was adopted. The enlisted stripes were changed from yellow on a blue backing to …