Nomad
a roaming or wandering shepherd; one who leads a wandering life, and subsists by tending herds of cattle which graze on herbage of spontaneous growth. In history, nomads, or nomades, are tribes of men without fixed habitation. The principal nomadic tribes of antiquity were those of southern Russia and the interior of Asia, from whom sprang, in the decline of the Roman empire, many of the tribes which overran western Europe, and, at a later era, those which conquered empires in west- NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, THE, a soldier whose rank is between private and commissioned officer. In the United States a noncommissioned officer is an enlisted man accepted for 7 years, and receives appointment from his superior officer. An officer is commissioned by the President and the Senate must confirm the appointment. Noncommissioned officers in the United States Army are: 1.-Sergeant major, regimental, and sergeant major, senior grade, coast artillery corps; master electrician, quartermaster's department, and master electrician, coast artillery corps, master signaler, chief musician, engineer, coast artillery patrol. 2.- Ordnance sergeant, quartermaster corps, sergeant 1st class, quartermaster corps, 1st class, signal service. 3.- Quartermaster sergeant and commissary Quartermaster sergeant, regimental; electrician geant, 2d class, coast artillery corps; master gunner, coast artillery corps. 4. - Sergeant major, squadron and battalion; sergeant major, junior grade, coast artillery; color sergeant; battalion quartermaster sergeant, engineer and field artillery. 5. - First sergeant; drum ser- NONCONFORMISTS major, chief musician; chief trumpeter; foreman, coast artillery company. 6.- Sergeant; quartermaster sergeant, company; staff sergeant. 7.- Corporal. Noncommissioned officers being called on to serve in more responsible position in emergencies, only the most intelligent are selected. In the United States army every year a number are enabled to obtain commissions.