We don’t talk enough about how impressive it is that Bucky earned his rank of sergeant in about a year and a half (or even less) and at such a young age—between 25 and 26—with no prior military experience. During World War II, promotions to non-commissioned officer ranks were faster than usual due to the massive expansion of the Army, but that didn’t mean the rank of sergeant was given to just anyone. Typically, preference was given to men with more time in service and greater maturity. For a young man to reach that rank in a relatively short time, he had to clearly stand out: demonstrating reliability, maturity, and leadership skills above the average of his peers. Commanders were looking for people they could trust to lead and train other soldiers. And that is exactly what the rank of sergeant entails: it is the first major step in the noncommissioned officer ranks. A sergeant leads his squad or team, is responsible for their training, discipline, and well-being, and is the closest commander to the men in day-to-day operations and in combat. It is not a ceremonial rank. The fact that Bucky, as the youngest member of his unit, rose to the rank of sergeant during that time speaks volumes about how his superiors and fellow soldiers viewed him. The Smithsonian panel featured in TFATWS actually states that it was Bucky and Steve together (not just Steve) who led the Howling Commandos, and the book Marvel Studios: Visual Dictionary highlights what a great strategist Bucky is and how he helped Steve plan the attack on Hydra's bases. Bucky isn't given enough credit for what an incredible leader he is 🥹💖