Company Quartermaster sergeants perform the same duty with reference to the company that the regimental sergeant does toward the regiment. He serves under the direction of the company commander and the first sergeant. Company Quartermaster sergeants are authorized for the new artillery regiments and for the cavalry. It is common practice in the infantry to assign Quartermaster duties as extra duty for one of the sergeants in the company. In some cases, especially in volunteer units, in the infantry, company Quartermaster sergeants wear chevrons appropriate to that rank even though it is not an officially recognized rank in the infantry.

Company Quartermaster sergeant procures and receives the fuel and forage for the company, and is responsible for the appropriate distribution to the company. He receives clothing and garrison equipage and assists the first sergeant in its distribution. He also receives all Quartermaster property for the company and sees that it is properly care and accounted for.

In garrison the Quartermaster sergeant has immediate charge of the company store-room. He takes charge of all company wagons and all company property in it. On the march, he attends to the loading and unloading of wagons. He superintends the erection of tents and putting up the picket lines. He sees that the forage is properly distributed and that the public animals are fed. He should be able to identify all the company animals and sees to their proper care. He should report any sick animals to the veterinary surgeon for treatment.

The Quartermaster sergeant makes out requisitions for fuel, forage, and straw for the men for the company commander to sign. He draws these items from the regimental Quartermaster sergeant. The company Quartermaster sergeant maintains the records of all company property and items issued to the men of the company.

The company Quartermaster sergeant must be familiar with drill and may be required in the ranks to perform his part in times of danger. Usually, at such times, his presence is required to look out for the safety of company property.

Company level Commissary sergeants are officially authorized in both cavalry and the new artillery regiments. He is under the command of the company commander and assists the first sergeant in carrying out commissary duties. Although the position of company Commissary sergeant is not formally recognized in the infantry, it is common for regiments of infantry to appoint a non-commissioned officer to carry out these duties.

The company Commissary sergeant makes out provision returns and draws rations for the company. He also superintends the distribution of rations and their cooking. He keeps the Commissary accounts for the company. The Commissary sergeant attends drill except where it interferes with the performance of his duties.

The company Commissary sergeant should exercise great care so that the distribution of provisions is fair, otherwise this will result in discontent among the men. He is responsible for the care of the provisions. He should allow no one but the cooks access to the provisions, and then only under his supervision.

Normally, provisions for only one meal at a time should be issued. The Commissary sergeant should assure that proper allowances are saved for those who are absent so that all in the company may be properly fed.

It is the customary practice for Quartermasters at the regimental and company levels to wear the service branch colors of their units (i.e., light blue for infantry, red for artillery, and yellow for cavalry). Quartermaster officers at the regimental and company level wear their normal rank insignia. Regimental (and battalion) Quartermaster sergeants wear three chevrons with points down and three horizontal ties. Company level Quartermaster sergeants wear three chevrons with points down and one horizontal tie.

Staff Quartermaster officers wear their normal rank insignia on a dark blue field. Non-commissioned staff Quartermasters wear either light yellow chevrons or chevrons from the service branch of their primary unit (i.e. infantry brigade, division, or corps).

Commissary offices at the regimental and company level wear their normal rank insignia. Staff Commissary officers wear their rank insignia on a dark blue field. Although the rank of Commissary sergeant is specified in Army Regulations, there is no specified insignia for non-commissioned Commissaries. Thus there are a several designs of chevron that are used to denote non-commissioned Commissaries. The most common insignia for a regimental Commissary sergeant is three chevrons points down connected by three chevrons points up. It is most common for a company Commissary sergeant to wear either the insignia of a company Quartermaster sergeant or normal sergeants chevrons. The insignia color for non-commissioned staff Commissaries is dark gray.