Sergeant major is a senior
non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
History
In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a
general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the army's command structure; he also acted as a sort of
chief of staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
to the army's commander.
In the 17th century, sergeant majors appeared in individual
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...
s. These were
field officers, third in command of their regiments (after their
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
s and
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...
s), with a role similar to the older, army-level sergeant majors (although obviously on a smaller scale). The older position became known as "
sergeant major general
Sergeant major general is a now mostly extinct name of military rank. A prominent example was Philip Skippon in the English New Model Army as organized by Oliver Cromwell.
Over the course of the 17th century, the increasing professionalisation ...
" to distinguish it. Over time, the term ''sergeant'' was dropped from both titles, giving rise to the modern ranks of
major
Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
and
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
.
The full title of sergeant major fell out of use until the latter part of the 18th century, when it began to be applied to the senior non-commissioned officer of an infantry
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
or cavalry regiment. It is about this time that the U.S. and British histories of the title diverge, with the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
.
Commonwealth of Nations forces
A sergeant major is an appointment, not a rank. It is normally held by the senior
warrant officer
Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...
of an army or marine unit. These appointments are made at several levels, for example: the senior warrant officer of a
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...
,
battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
or
squadron; or the senior warrant officer of a
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
or
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...
. The title normally consists of the unit title (e.g. 'company') followed by 'sergeant major', and abbreviated by the initials (e.g. CSM). A sergeant major of a regiment or battalion is known as a
regimental sergeant major
Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australi ...
, rather than a "regiment sergeant major" or "battalion sergeant major".
The sergeant-major of a unit is responsible to the
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...
for advising them on matters relating to non-commissioned members (NCMs) of that unit. Sergeant majors are normally addressed as "sir" or "ma'am" by subordinates, and as "sergeant major", by their full title (or its abbreviation), or as "Mr" or "Ms" by superiors.
In the British Armed Forces, the plural is ''sergeant majors'' and not ''sergeants major'' as it is in the United States.
Australia
The most senior warrant officer in the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), who ...
holds the unique rank of warrant officer (introduced in 1991 and senior to WO1) and the appointment of Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A). The RSM-A is responsible to the Chief of Army, but responsive to all ranks across the Army. The RSM-A is a member of the personal staff of the Chief of Army. The post of RSM-A has existed since January 1983 and was held by a WO1 until 1991. The RSM-A is the equivalent of the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister o ...
's Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N) and the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
's Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF).
The RSM-A's primary role is to represent to the Chief of Army and others, the solicited and unsolicited views, concerns and opinions of soldiers in the army, but also carry the Chief of Army's message down and across the ranks.
Canada
Canadian Armed Forces
The appointment of sergeant major is given to the senior non-commissioned member within sub-units, units and some formations of the Canadian Army. The regimental sergeant-major is the senior sergeant major in a unit, such as armoured, artillery, engineer, and signal regiments, and infantry and service battalions. This appointment is normally held by a
chief warrant officer.
Within sub-units (such as armoured squadrons and infantry companies) the sub-unit sergeant-major generally holds the rank of master warrant officer and is known as a squadron or company sergeant major depending and are addressed as "Sergeant-Major" (i.e. "SSM", "CSM", "BSM", etc.), "Mr", or "Ms" by officers and "Sir" or "Ma'am" by subordinates with the same conventions are used for regimental sergeant majors.
In some unusual cases, a
chief petty officer 1st class
Chief petty officer, 1st class, CPO1, is the most senior non-commissioned member (NCM) rank of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is equivalent to a chief warrant officer (CWO) in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force. It is immediately ...
or
chief petty officer 2nd class
Chief petty officer, 2nd class, {{sc} CPO2, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents, and junior to chief petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents. ...
in the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack subma ...
may succeed to a sergeant major's position, especially in units with a large number of "
purple trades {{unreferenced, date=June 2010
In the Canadian Armed Forces, the purple trades are occupations and careers that are not strongly linked to one of the three major 'environments' or 'elements': sea, land, or air.
Purple trades include – but are ...
", such as
service battalion
A service battalion (Svc Bn; or ) is a unit of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that provides combat service support to a brigade group and its elements.
It is able to fight in a defensive role as well as provide the vital logistical support to su ...
s. The forms of address generally remain the same, except that chief petty officers 1st and 2nd class are never addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am", but as "Chief". Sergeant majors do not form part of the formation, unit, or sub-unit chain of command, as their role is to advise their commander on matters pertaining to the organization's non-commissioned members.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Sergeant major is a rank in the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
. While technically it is the 6th level of rank, below
corps sergeant major and above
staff sergeant major, it, along with the other two, are specialized ranks and not part of the normal progression, which would proceed from staff sergeant to inspector.
Singapore
A sergeant major appointment exists in each military unit from company to division/formation. Their main job is to assist the commander in the discipline and welfare of the enlisted men. Their authority and responsibility at parades and ceremonies extends over even
commissioned officers while on the parade square. In the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...
, two kinds of sergeant major exist, a regimental sergeant major and a company sergeant major. A regimental sergeant major may be placed in charge of a battalion, brigade, division or service level. A regimental sergeant major could also be appointed as RSM for a vocation, i.e.
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
vocation/formation sergeant major. This appointment is usually held by a senior warrant officer or a master warrant officer, although at times a 1st warrant officer may be appointed. A company sergeant major may be a 1WO, 2WO and 3WO. Sometimes, a
master sergeant or a staff sergeant may be appointed. Military Experts of rank ME 3 could also be sergeant majors, in-charge of logistical units or naval units. This practice is also mirrored in the
National Cadet Corps with the master sergeant or staff sergeant being appointed as unit sergeant major. In schools with more than one NCC unit, i.e. having a land as well as a sea unit, an RSM might be appointed from either unit.
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the rank of sergeant major exists in the
Sri Lanka Army and
Sri Lanka Police Service. In the army, a warrant officer 2nd class is known as a sergeant major; while a warrant officer 1st class is a regimental sergeant major. In the police, the most senior non-gazetted officer rank is police sergeant major.
South Africa
As described above, sergeant-major is not a
rank, but an appointment held by a warrant officer class 1 or warrant officer class 2. Regardless of the appointment, the warrant officer is addressed as "sergeant-major".
The rank was established in the
Union Defence Forces in 1913, in a single class. The rank badge was a crown, senior appointments being indicated by a wreath around the badge.
[Radburn, A. (1990) 'South African Military Ranks and Insignia' in ''Militaria'' Vol 20 No 2]
The rank was divided into two classes in 1921. The national coat of arms was assigned as the badge of the 1st class, and the crown was assigned to the 2nd class. In both classes, senior appointments were indicated by a wreath around the badge.
From 1957 to 2002, all warrant officers 1st class wore the wreathed coat of arms, and the warrant officer 2nd class wore the plain coat of arms.
Since 2002, all warrant officers have worn the new national coat of arms, the classes and appointments being indicated by the shape of the surrounding frame, and the addition of stars and crossed swords above the arms.
Up until 1 June 2008, the highest appointment (level 1), that was held by a warrant officer class 1 was the Sergeant-Major of the
South African National Defence Force.
Other senior warrant officer appointments up until 1 June 2008 were:
* Level 2: Sergeant-Major of the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
* Level 3: Formation sergeant-major
* Level 4: Group or base sergeant-major or regimental sergeant-major
The
South African Air Force had a similar structure for its warrant officers who are also addressed as "sergeant-major".
Starting 1 June 2008, the warrant ranks (Army/ Navy/ Air Force) are:
* Master chief warrant officer (formerly level 1)—''e.g. Master Chief Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force''
* Senior chief warrant officer (formerly level 2)—''e.g. Senior Chief Warrant Officer of the South African Army''
* Chief warrant officer (formerly level 3)
* Master warrant officer (formerly level 4A)
* Senior warrant officer (formerly level 4)
* Warrant officer class one
* Warrant officer class two
A company/squadron/battery sergeant major should ordinarily be a WO2.
United Kingdom
In the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
and
Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious warfare, amphibious light infantry and also one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighti ...
, company/battery/squadron sergeant major is an appointment for a
WO2 and regimental sergeant major is a
WO1 appointment.
Due to differences in nomenclature between Regiments and Corps, sergeant majors' titles do vary; squadron sergeant major and battery sergeant major for instance would be found in the
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...
and
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
respectively, and in the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, there are the appointments of artificer sergeant major.
Sergeant major instructor is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the Small Arms School Corps and the Army Physical Training Corps and by some WO1s in the Royal Engineers. It is also an appointment held by some of the civilian adult instructors in the
Army Cadet Force.
A machinist sergeant-major (MSM) is a specialist most often found in the
Corps of Royal Engineers or the
Royal Army Service Corps, and was the title of one of the major characters in the book and the film based on it, ''
Ice Cold in Alex''.
For the use of "sergeant major" as a form of address, see the articles on
regimental and
company sergeant majors, and that on
staff sergeants.
The posts of regimental and squadron corporal major are the
Household Cavalry's equivalent of sergeant majors, as the Household Cavalry traditionally does not have ranks named sergeant.
The Rifles
The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerl ...
use the spelling serjeant major, in common with the spelling used for serjeant and colour serjeant.
A new post of
Army Sergeant Major was created in 2015.
History
The first British use of the term was around 1680 and was applied to the senior sergeant in the colonel's company of an infantry regiment, but it wasn't formalised until 1797, when the sergeant major was added to the battalion or regimental
staff
Staff may refer to:
Pole
* Staff, a weapon used in stick-fighting
** Quarterstaff, a European pole weapon
* Staff of office, a pole that indicates a position
* Staff (railway signalling), a token authorizing a locomotive driver to use a particula ...
. When
chevrons were introduced as badges of rank, he wore four, later under a crown.
In 1813, cavalry regiments introduced the
troop sergeant major
A troop sergeant major (TSM)Note that in the British Army, the plural is "troop sergeant majors" and not "troop sergeants major". The earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in '' The Times'' is in 1822. The last of the (very occasional) usages of " ...
to replace the
quartermaster as the senior NCO of a troop; this required the existing position to be explicitly redesignated the regimental sergeant major. Later, the rise of the
squadron as the principal sub-regimental unit saw the corresponding introduction of the
squadron sergeant major. The infantry, however, hung on to the undifferentiated, one-per-battalion sergeant major until the eve of the First World War, when the introduction of the company sergeant major forced them to adopt the RSM title as well. (As an infantry regiment could be, and usually was, made up of a number of battalions, one would logically expect the new title to be ''battalion sergeant major'' rather than ''regimental sergeant major''. Perhaps the infantry felt this would imply a lower status than their cavalry equivalents.)
In 1881, the cavalry RSM and infantry sergeant major were among a number of senior non-commissioned positions that were confirmed with
warrants, making them
warrant officer
Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...
s. This was extended and rationalised in 1915, with the introduction of the new ranks of warrant officer class I (WOI) and warrant officer class II (WOII). RSM became an appointment of the former, CSM and SSM of the latter.
The Royal Marines continued to use a single rank of sergeant major, equating to warrant officer class I, until after the Second World War, when they adopted the Army system.
The
Royal Flying Corps and its successor the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
used the ranks of sergeant-major 1st and 2nd class instead of warrant officer class I and II until the 1930s, when the RAF adopted the Army-style ranks. The RAF has not used sergeant major as either a rank or an appointment since that time.
France
In France, the rank of ''sergent-major'' (distinct from the rank of
''major'') was created in 1776. He was the highest ranked non-commissioned officer (french: sous-officier) in the infantry
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...
; the equivalent in the cavalry was the
''maréchal-des-logis-chef''. The sergeant-major was charged with the administration of the company. Under the
Ancien Regime, the equivalent at the general staff headquarters of the regiment was the
''adjudant sous-officiers'', a rank which was also established in 1776, who was the senior NCO of the regiment.
Following the reforms of the
Franco-Prussian War of 1870, it became harder to ascend to the officer corps, due to primarily age restrictions. With the addition of an ''
adjudant'' (warrant officer) in each company, the sergeant-major became limited to purely administrative functions.
The rank was replaced with that of ''
sergent-chef'' in 1928. The rank was re-established from 1942 until 1962 between ''sergent-chef'' and ''adjudant'' as the NCO in charge of the accounting responsibility of the company. There were no promotions to sergeant-major after 1964 and the rank was formally abolished in 1971. The last NCO to have held the rank retired in 1985.
Notable soldiers who held the rank of sergeant-major included
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
François Achille Bazaine
François Achille Bazaine (13 February 181123 September 1888) was an officer of the French army. Rising from the ranks, during four decades of distinguished service (including 35 years on campaign) under Louis-Philippe and then Napoleon III, he ...
,
Édouard Husband, and
Henri Tonel.
Indonesia
In the
Indonesian Armed Forces
, founded = as the ('People's Security Forces')
, current_form =
, disbanded =
, branches =
, headquarters = Cilangkap, Jakarta
, website =
, commander-in-chief = Joko Widodo
, ...
, the rank is known as ''sersan mayor'' and is the most senior sergeant rank.
Israel Defense Forces
The רב-סמל מתקדם (''Rav samal mitkadem'', "sergeant major") and the רב-סמל בכיר (''Rav samal bakhír'', "command sergeant major") are both non-commissioned officers (נגדים) ranks in the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
(IDF). Because the IDF is an integrated force, they have a unique rank structure. IDF ranks are the same in all services (army, navy, air force, etc.). The ranks are derived from those of the paramilitary
Haganah
Haganah ( he, הַהֲגָנָה, lit. ''The Defence'') was the main Zionist paramilitary organization of the Jewish population ("Yishuv") in Mandatory Palestine between 1920 and its disestablishment in 1948, when it became the core of the I ...
developed in the
British Mandate of Palestine period to protect the
Yishuv
Yishuv ( he, ישוב, literally "settlement"), Ha-Yishuv ( he, הישוב, ''the Yishuv''), or Ha-Yishuv Ha-Ivri ( he, הישוב העברי, ''the Hebrew Yishuv''), is the body of Jewish residents in the Land of Israel (corresponding to the ...
. This origin is reflected in the slightly compacted
IDF rank structure.
United States
United States Army
In the
U.S. Army, sergeant major (SGM) refers to both a
military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in ...
and a personnel slot, or position title. It is the highest
enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United State ...
, just above
first sergeant and
master sergeant, with a
pay grade of E–9, NATO rank OR–9.
The leadership variation –
command sergeant major (CSM) – is the
senior enlisted advisor to the
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...
. The leadership position carries with it certain ceremonial functions such as caring for the unit's colors (flag). Additionally, CSMs serve as monitors of, and advocates for, the enlisted soldiers in the command. This position mostly exists in units of
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
size and larger.
SGMs and CSMs serving in nominative positions (a position rated by a
general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
or a civilian on the
senior executive service
The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a position classification in the civil service of the United States federal government equivalent to general officer or flag officer rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. It was created in 1979 when the Civil Service ...
payscale) will wear the nominative senior enlisted leader insignia. All other Sergeants Major serving commanders at or below Colonel wear their designated branch insignia.
Both the SGM and CSM are referred to, and addressed as, "Sergeant Major". The
Sergeant Major of the Army is a separate and unique position, but is still addressed as "Sergeant Major".
United States Marine Corps
In the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
, sergeant major is the ninth and highest enlisted rank, just above
first sergeant, and equal in pay grade to
master gunnery sergeant, although the two have different responsibilities. Sergeant major is both a rank and a
billet (job). Marine Corps sergeants major serve as the senior enlisted marine in the Corps' units of battalion, squadron or higher echelon, as the unit commander's
senior enlisted advisor and to handle matters of discipline and morale among the enlisted marines.
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is a separate and unique position.
History
The first official U.S. use of the term was in 1776, when a sergeant major was appointed to the headquarters of each infantry battalion (or regiment, the two designations being used interchangeably) of the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
. The original insignia of rank was an epaulette, or strip, of red cloth sewn on each shoulder of the uniform coat. In the years between 1776 and 1851, the sergeant major rank insignia went through several changes until the "classic" pattern worn during the Civil War and throughout the Indian Wars was adopted. Generally, these styles included either staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO) epaulettes, chevrons, or a combination of both. (During this period, the rank insignia for the several SNCO ranks of sergeant major, quartermaster sergeant, drum major, and fife major were identical.) In 1821, SNCOs received a single yellow chevron, point up, above the elbow on each sleeve. (Company grade officers, including the new officer grade of "adjutant", ranking above captain and below major, and non-commissioned officers or NCOs, viz., sergeants and corporals, all received chevrons of various colors, materials, patterns, and placement as their insignia of rank.) In 1825, the sergeant major chevron insignia was changed to be identical to that of the adjutant, by adding an inverted arc below the chevron (very similar in design to the modern private first class insignia), although in a different color (yellow vice gold or silver) and material (worsted vice lace) than that of the officer rank. In 1832, SNCOs returned to a rank insignia denoted by elaborate epaulettes without the chevrons. All SNCOs and NCOs returned to having chevrons as their rank insignia in 1847, when a completely new system of insignia was introduced. This was the first implementation of the three chevrons over three arcs design (with the chevrons worn point-up) of the "traditional" sergeant major rank insignia. (The quartermaster finally received a distinctive rank insignia—three chevrons over three horizontal bars—and for the first time, the first sergeant, or orderly sergeant, received a distinctive rank insignia—three chevrons surmounting a lozenge.) Finally, in 1851, the Army inverted the SNCO and NCO insignia again to be point-down. (Perrenot, 2011)
The rank was in use by both the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
and the
Confederate Army during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
. At that time, it was the highest enlisted rank, being just above
quartermaster sergeant. The same rank insignia, three point-down chevrons under three arcs, was used by both armies. Both armies varied the color of the stripes by assigning red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, and blue for infantry. Some Confederate militia units varied these colors even farther and had other colors, including black stripes, for various units.
In 1920, with the standardization of the army's enlisted pay grades, it ceased to be a title of rank or grade. However, it survived as the job title of the senior NCO of a battalion and was re-introduced as a rank in 1958 when Congress authorized the E–8 and
E–9 pay grades (P.L. 85-422, 72 Stat. 122). This new iteration of sergeant major as a discrete grade of rank saw the new rank insignia of three chevrons above three arcs with a five pointed star between the chevrons and arcs. In that law (as amended), the authorized daily average number of enlisted members on active duty in an armed force in pay grade E–9 in a fiscal year may not be more than 1.25 percent, respectively, of the number of enlisted members of that armed force, subject to certain exceptions. A new insignia was authorized by DA Message 865848, 28 May 1968, for sergeants major assigned at the principal NCO of battalion and higher level command (viz., command sergeants major). This insignia was the same as the sergeant major insignia except the star was small and a wreath was placed around the star.
The appointment of
Sergeant Major of the Army was created on July 4, 1966, and in 1979 received the unique grade of rank insignia of three chevrons above three arcs with two stars centered between the bottom chevron and the upper arc. In 1994 The insignia for Sergeant Major of the Army was changed to add the Coat of Arms of the United States between the two stars in the center of the insignia. The pin-on insignia is polished gold-plated with a black enamel background.
The U.S. Marine Corps' first sergeant major was
Archibald Sommers, appointed on January 1, 1801. This was originally a solitary post, similar to the modern Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, but by 1899 there were five sergeants major. The title was abolished in 1946, but re-introduced as a rank in 1954. The post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was established in 1957, as the senior enlisted advisor to the
Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Gallery
File:Angola-Army-OR-8.svg,
(Angolan Army
The Angolan Army () is the land component of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA).
History
On August 1, 1974, a few months after a military coup d'état had overthrown the Lisbon regime and proclaimed its intention of granting independence to Angol ...
)
File:blank.svg,
)
( Burundi Army)
File:blank.svg,
( Cape Verdean National Guard)
File:07.CAGF-SGM.svg,
( Central African Ground Forces)
File:Chad-Army-OR-7.svg,
(Chadian Ground Forces The Chadian Ground Forces (french: Armée de terre tchadienne) are the main and largest component of the Chadian National Army (''Armée nationale tchadienne''). Historically Chad has had one of the strongest armies in the Sahara region, larger tha ...
)
File:Colombia-Army-OR-8.svg,
( Colombian National Army)
File:05.DRC-SGM.svg,
( Land Forces of the DR Congo)
File:SargentomayorE.N.svg,
( Dominican Army)
File:El-Salvador-Army-OR-8.svg,
( Salvadoran Army)
File:Guatemala-army-OR-9.svg,
( Guatemalan Army)
File:blank.svg,
(Honduran Army
The Armed Forces of Honduras ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras), consists of the Honduran Army, Honduran Navy and Honduran Air Force.
History Pre-1979
The Armed Forces of Honduras were created through article 44, subsection 4 of the First Consti ...
)
File:Serma pdh ad.png,
( Indonesian Army)
File:Rank insignia of sergente maggiore of the Army of Italy (1973).svg,
(Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
)
File:12-Lithuania Army-SGM.svg,
(Lithuanian Land Force
The Lithuanian Land Forces (LLF) form the backbone of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, capable of acting as an integral part of NATO forces. Lithuanian Land Forces consist of three brigades, the Engineer Battalion, and the National Defence Volunteers ...
)
File:06.Madagascar Air Force-SGM.svg,
( Madagascar Ground Forces)
File:05-Moldovan Army-SGM.svg,
(Moldovan Ground Forces
The Moldovan Ground Forces, known officially as Land Forces Command is the land armed-forces branch of the National Army of the Moldovan Armed Forces. The Moldovan Ground Forces date back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union between 1991 and 1 ...
)
File:07-Moroccan Army-SGM.svg,
( Royal Moroccan Army)
File:Nl-landmacht-sergeant majoor-opperwachtmeester.svg,
( Royal Netherlands Army)
File:Norway-Army-OR-9a.svg,
( Norwegian Army)
File:Army-POR-OR-09.svg,
( Portuguese Army)
File:RO_ARMY_OR-6.png,
(Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...
)
File:04-Rwanda Army-SGM.svg, Sergeant major
( Rwandan Land Forces)
File:blank.svg,
( Army of São Tomé and Príncipe)
File:Nl-landmacht-sergeant majoor-opperwachtmeester.svg,
( Suriname Army)
File:Army-USA-OR-09c (Army greens).svg, Sergeant major
(United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
)
See also
*
Comparative military ranks
*
United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War I
*
United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War II
*
Major (France)
() in France, is a senior superior military rank (french: grade militaire) across various military and security institutions with history dating back well beyond the 18th century.
Typically, the contemporary rank of Major is situated differen ...
References
History of the Sergeant Major (US)by CSM (Ret.) Daniel K. Elder
* Sergeants Major of the Army. , CMH Pub. 70-63-1. By CSM Daniel K. Elder, et al. Describes the origin and growth of the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army. Includes biographies of each of the Sergeants Major of the Army.
External links
Official Site of the Chief Warrant Officer of the Army (Canada)Official Site of the Sergeant Major of the Army (U.S.)Official Site of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (U.S.)Former Sergeants Major of the Army discuss the positionU.S. Army Enlisted Rank Insignia - Criteria, Background, and Images
{{US_enlisted ranks
Military ranks
Military appointments of Canada
Military ranks of the British Army
Military ranks of the United States Army
United States military enlisted ranks
Military ranks of the United States Marine Corps
Military ranks of the Royal Air Force
Military ranks of the Royal Marines
Warrant officers
ja:曹長