History Main / SergeantRock

* VideoGame/TransformersRiseOfTheDarkSpark: Although he isn't a sergeant by rank, Onslaught leads the five Combaticons by assertively issuing his orders to his men. And they listen, not just because they don't have a better combat plan of their own, but because that his orders usually wins the battle.

* I pity these pretenders! [[Series/TheATeam Sergeant B.A. Baracus]] is THE real example, FOOL!

* [[Wrestling/JimCornette Cornette's Army]] had its own [[Wrestling/{{Jacqueline}} Sergeant Rock]] to help with its Wrestling/{{Smokey Mountain| Wrestling}} campaign.[[/folder]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'", Grandpa Simpson is portrayed as a Sergeant Rock; the DVD commentary even notes that World War II-era Abe Simpson was directly based on the Trope Namer.

Sergeant Rock is what TheNeidermeyer dreams he is. However, Sergeant Rock differs from TheNeidermeyer in that he may be a bully and a blowhard, but he gets the job done while ''never'' ordering his troops to do anything he would not be willing to do himself, and thus the troops respect him, while not necessarily being too fond of him personally. Also, unlike the Neidermeyer, [[HiddenHeartOfGold even if he'd never tell them]] he usually [[FatherToHisMen cares deeply about the soldiers he's in charge of]]. Only out of simple necessity does he invoke WeHaveReserves.

If TheSquad is only the size of a squad, he may be the man in charge. Otherwise, he's either helping EnsignNewbie learn the ropes, or making sure whatever ColonelBadass needs done ''gets'' done (sometimes both). Either way, [[CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough he's usually a lot rougher around the edges than the officer he serves under]]. Whatever the situation, you can be sure Sergeant Rock is right in the middle of the firefight, whatever the odds, and whatever ordnance is being tossed around.

Has a very, ''very'' high chance of being MadeOfIron and also a badass.

* In the later ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'' books, Patrick Harper takes on this role. Interestingly averted when {{Sharpe}} himself attained the rank - he spent his days as a Sergeant as an armory assistant in Seringapatam, then an intelligence officer' adjutant, and then as part of Arthur Wellesley's staff. He fits this trope in all but rank later on.

* Sgt Rock's nearest TransAtlanticEquivalent was actually an officer: [[https://web.archive.org/web/20130812163716/http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/c/caphurr.htm Captain Hercules Hurricane]], Royal Marines commando and possible metahuman. He's not always the easiest guy to work with, having quite the HairTriggerTemper and very little patience for anyone who can't meet his high standards, but when it all kicks off he leads from the front. Especially when he has [[UnstoppableRage a "ragin' fury"]].

->'''Private Cole''': Why is it us? Why us?
->'''Colour Sergeant Bourne''': Because we're 'ere, lad. Nobody else. Just us.

* ''VideoGame/Wildstar'' has literal examples where the sizable numbers of battle-hardened NCOs on the Exiles are Granoks, who are basically [[SiliconBasedLife rock-like]] [[ProudWarriorRace warriors]].

* Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel In ''VideoGame/Fallout4''. Should you progress along the Minutemen quest line, Ronnie Shaw becomes this for all Minutemen.

* Earl Swagger from Stephen Hunter's novels served with distinction in the United States Marines during [=WWII=] and won the Medal of Honor for his heroism. He then returns to civilian life and becomes an Arkansas State Trooper, where he continues his tradition of badass antics.

* Big Joe (Telly Savalas) from ''Film/KellysHeroes'' is a veteran sergeant who's got de facto leadership of his platoon thanks to the captain being a lazy idiot who spends more time profiteering than leading. Unlike the captain, Big Joe has earned every ounce of respect he gets from his men.

* Combat Kelly was another Marvel character who qualified.

* Ronin from ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}''.

* Color-Sergeant Bourne in ''Film/{{Zulu}}'' is practically the trope codifier.
* Sgt. Apone from ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' is also a textbook example.

* Duke from ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''.

* Sgt Kinnie (James Whitmore) in ''Battleground''

* Pretty much every sergeant in the ''Literature/McAuslan'' series. But particularly Regimental Sergeant-Major Mackintosh, who served twelve years in the Scots Guards and then in the Commandos during WWII, and is utterly unflappable.
** Although Sergeant Baxter is TheNeidermeyer among them.

* "Jelly" Jelal of ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' was a sergeant and fit the trope of getting the job done, whether the troops liked him personally or not.
** [[DrillSergeantNasty Sgt. Zim]] also counts, once [[spoiler:he takes to the field and captures the Brain Bug.]]

* Jubal Branch in the ''Company Z'' series by Creator/JTEdson.
** And Billy Jack from the ''Civil War'' series.

* Sgt. Hietanen and corporals Lahtinen and Rokka in ''Literature/TheUnknownSoldier''.

* Sgt. Chip saunders (Vic Morrow) in ''Series/{{Combat}}''
* Sergeant Major Jonas Blaine, NCOIC of Alpha Team, ''Series/TheUnit''.
* Master Sergeant Ronald Greer is rapidly on his way to becoming this in ''Series/StargateUniverse''.

* Plenty of these guys appear in minor roles on ''Series/{{JAG}}''. Not surprising considering the fact that the [[Creator/DonaldPBellisario creator and showrunner]] was a former Marine.
** Gunnery Sgt. Victor Galindez is an example of a recurring character on the show who exhibits this trope. Both in the office and after he requests a transfer back to combat duty post-9/11.
* Buffer and Duchy from ''Series/SeaPatrol'' are the ships Bosuns.
* CPO Miles O'Brien in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''.

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* Elite Agent Rotor in ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG''.
[[/folder]]

* Sgt. Rita Torres in ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad''.
* Duke from ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe''.

* This is the policy for unit commanders in the Israeli army. The head of the unit is the first guy in and the last guy out.

* A Troperiffic, although RealLife example: Sergeant [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Max Wolff]] Filho was a WWII Brazilian Sergeant Rock, down to the [[PreAssKickingOneLiner gung-ho sound bites]]. His [[FamousLastWords last known words]] (to a soldier who asked him for a knife) "[[NicknamingTheEnemy Krauts]] [[NeverBringAKnifeToAGunFight aren't]] [[DeadpanSnarker fowl]]". This was [[{{Retirony}} 17 days before V-E day]], no less. Still, it was [[NotAfraidToDie probably his own fault]] that [[NothingCanStopUsNow he didn't quite managed]] to be [[AnyoneCanDie the last casualty in the ETO]]; [[GenreBlindness he should have known better]] than to [[IfWeGetThroughThis speak about returning home]] [[FatalFamilyPhoto to his little daughter]]. For his deeds, not only was the Brazilian Army's Sergeants' School (among others) named after him, but also a Distinguished Service medal for Sergeants and Ensigns.

* Plenty of these guys appear in minor roles on ''Series/{{JAG}}''. Not surprising considering the fact that the [[DonaldPBellisario creator and showrunner]] was a former Marine.

* Subverted with Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow from ''Film/ThreeKings''. Although he ''is'' a trained and capable Sergeant in his own right. He's every bit as fallible as the rest of his squad, and addresses his troops in a more polite, nonchalant manner, as oppose to the more stern and harsh way that is common for this trope. He also isn't exactly gung-ho about going into battle, and is the most reluctant about wanting to continue on with the heist after a botched first attempt.

* Sykes from ''Film/{{Oblivion 2013}}'' . Complete with one-liners, JackBauerInterrogationTechnique, and BigDamnHeroes moment.

* Sgt Rolf Steiner from the book and movie versions of Cross of Iron. Slightly subverted, as the character was inspired by real-life NCO Johann Schwerdtfeger, who had the oakleaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, making him even more highly decorated than the nonetheless bemedalled Steiner played by James Coburn in the film. In both the book and the movie, Steiner drives the action and is often the only one still calm when things turn bad. All the soldiers in his platoon look to him for leadership and guidance, and fall apart when he absents himself from them.

* Colour Sergeant Anderson in ''[[Series/SoldierSoldier Soldier, Soldier]]'' was an early role for Robert Glenister - later the non-nonsense old-school policeman in ''Series/LifeonMars''.
* Plenty of these guys appear in minor roles on ''Series/{{JAG}}''. Not suprising considering the fact that the [[DonaldPBellisario creator and showrunner]] was a former Marine.

* ''The Mercenary'' and its sequels, set in the Literature/CoDominium universe, has Sergeant Major Calvin, right-hand man to soldier-turned-[[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenary]] ColonelBadass John Christian Falkenberg.

* {{Babylon5}} has this in the one-shot character Sergeant Major Plug. He comes aboard as the chief enlisted Marine in a battalion of several thousand, and is first seen arresting several Marines for brawling, regardless of who had the moral high-ground. He shouts constantly, seems to treat his men like trash and likes phrases like "mutant maggots," but, at the end of the episode, is decent enough to give a female Marine a minute to give her lover a kiss goodbye as they head off for combat.