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Command Sergeant Major

Army Sergeant Major of the Army

E-9 Noncommissioned Officer (Special), U.S. Army
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Army Ranks » Sergeant Major of the Army Rank • SMA Pay • SMA Rank History

How to get promoted to Sergeant Major of the Army History of the Army Sergeant Major of the Army Rank

A Sergeant Major of the Army is a Noncommissioned Officer (Special) in the United States Army at DoD paygrade E-9.

The rank of Sergeant Major of the Army was created in 1966 by the Chief of Staff of the Army after seeking the advice of all the then currently-serving Sergeants Major on the merit of such a position and receiving positive recommendations.

The CSA declared that the SMA would serve from then on as the “senior enlisted advisor and consultant to the Chief of Staff.” Further the SMA was charged with the duties of “providing information on problems affecting enlisted personal and proposing solutions to these problems,” additionally, he was charged with enforcing standards across the ranks, providing the CSA with information on the “standards, professional development, growth, and advancement of NCO’s. Finally, he was charged with monitoring and providing information on “morale, training, pay, promotions, and quality of life for soldiers and family members.”

The CSA purposefully open-ended so that future CSA’s could add duties and responsibilities to the charge of the SMA while also allowing thee SMA to focus on aspects of the Army that he as an enlisted soldier identified as needing the attention of the general officers, especially the CSA, commanding it.

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History of the Army

The Army is the oldest and most senior among the branches. The Army's heritage is traced back to the Revolutionary War, when each State of the Union had its own Army, lended to the command of General George Washington. Almost 250 years have passed, but the organizational structure and naming is largely the same. The Army is still divided into Divisions, Brigades, Regiments, Battalions, Companies, and Platoons.