Senior Master Sergeant
A senior US Air Force noncommissioned officer, E-8 and NATO OR-8, one of the two supergrades created in 1958.
Overview
Senior Master Sergeant wears five chevrons pointing down and two pointing up, with a star in the center. The grade was created, together with chief master sergeant, by the military pay legislation of 1958 that added E-8 and E-9 across the armed forces to recognize and retain experienced senior enlisted leaders. Senior master sergeants usually serve as superintendents of flights, sections, or squadrons, managing large numbers of airmen and advising officers on enlisted matters. Promotion is highly competitive and limited by law to a small percentage of the enlisted force, and selection boards weigh leadership record as heavily as technical knowledge.
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