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Army Sergeant Major of the ArmyE-9 Noncommissioned Officer (Special), U.S. Army |
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Army Ranks » Sergeant Major of the Army Rank • SMA Pay • SMA Rank History
E-9 Sergeant Major of the Army -
Noncommissioned Officer (Special) -
U.S. Army Ranks
Sergeant Major of the Army Army Military Ranks
| Class | Noncommissioned Officer (Special) |
| Abbr. | SMA |
| Title | Sergeant Major of the Army (last name) |
| Paygrade |
E-9 (DoD Paygrade) OR-9 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $6,371/mo |
Sergeant Major is the highest enlisted rank in the Army, and the base rank required for the leadership position of Command Sergeant Major. A Sergeant Major assists Officers in a battalion-sized force of 300 to 1,000 soldiers, and leads soldiers and junior officers placed directly under his command. A Sergeant Major may also serve as the senior non-commissioned officer at a battallion-sized headquarters unit.
Sergeant Major of the Army is the 13th rank in the United States Army , ranking above Command Sergeant Major and directly below Warrant Officer 1. A sergeant major of the army is a Noncommissioned Officer (Special) at DoD paygrade E-9, with a starting monthly pay of $6,371.
How do you become a Sergeant Major of the Army?
Sergeant Major of the Army is a special / ceremonial rank, so promotions don't occur in the same way as with a a traditional Army rank promotion.
The Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) and the Secretary of the Army, a civilian who answers directly to the Secretary of Defense, personally select the Sergeant Major of the Army from a pool of qualified Sergeants Major.
Sergeants Major who have held the position of Command Sergeants Major and served the required time in service and grade are eligible for nomination and selection.
The selection is done based on the merit of the soldiers eligible for job, as determined by the CSA and the Secretary of the Army.
What is the proper way to address a Sergeant Major of the Army?
The correct way to address a Sergeant Major of the Army named Mr. Williams is "Sergeant Major of the Army Williams", or written as SMA Williams. In formal situations, a Sergeant Major of the Army should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Sergeant Major of the Army earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Sergeant Major of the Army with Over 10 years of experience is $6,370.50 per month.
A Sergeant Major of the Army receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Sergeant Major of the Army's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army Sergeant Major of the Army may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hostile fire pay, personal money allowance, hazard pay, food allowance, and more.
For full details on the Army's Sergeant Major of the Army compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Army Sergeant Major of the Army Pay Chart. A full table of the Army's current paygrades are available at the Army Pay Chart.
Military Occupational Specialties for Army's E-9 Sergeant Major of the Army
 | Psychological Operations Specialist
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 | Technical Engineer
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 | Small Arms/Artillery Repairer
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 | Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Maintainer
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 | Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist
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To learn more about Military Occupational Specialties, see our complete list of MOS job titles.
Equivalent Ranks to the Army's E-9 Sergeant Major of the Army
To learn more about the Army's rank structure, see our complete list of Army ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Sergeant Major of the Army is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Army rank to GS grade conversion table 
.
To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Army and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.