Sergeant Major
A top-tier US Army noncommissioned officer, E-9 and NATO OR-9, serving as the senior enlisted advisor at battalion level.
Overview
Sergeant Major wears three chevrons over three rockers with a star at center and is the senior enlisted soldier of a battalion or equivalent organization. After two decades or more of service, a sergeant major advises the commander on enlisted matters, manages discipline policy, and oversees the NCO support channel that runs beneath the command chain. The title dates to the eighteenth century, when the sergeant major was the senior sergeant of a regiment. The rank crowns the enlisted ladder below special appointments at brigade and above.
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