A soldato is the first level of both the American Mafia and the Sicilian Mafia in the formal Mafia hierarchy or cadre. The promotion to the rank of soldier is an elevation in the chain of command from the associate level. The associate must prove himself to the family and take the oath of Omertà. Picciotto (plural: picciotti) is often used to refer to a lower-level mafioso, but it usually indicates a younger, inexperienced soldatoone who is not necessarily a made man. "Picciotti" usually perform simple tasks such as beatings and robbery.