Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
The sergeant major of the Marine Corps (officially abbreviated to SMMC)[2][3] is a billet, as well as a unique enlisted grade of rank, and is designated a special paygrade above E-9. The position also has a unique non-commissioned grade of rank insignia, in the United States Marine Corps. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted marine in the Marine Corps, unless an enlisted marine is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman, which is the case as of November 3, 2023.
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | |
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![]() Dress uniform insignia of the SMMC | |
since August 10, 2023 | |
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Abbreviation | SMMC |
Reports to | Commandant of the Marine Corps |
Seat | Headquarters Marine Corps |
Appointer | Commandant of the Marine Corps |
Term length | 4 years |
Formation | May 23, 1957 |
First holder | Wilbur Bestwick |
Unofficial names | Sergeant Major |
Salary | $9,786.00 per month, regardless of the incumbent's service longevity[1] |
Website | www |
History
editIn the U.S. Marine Corps, sergeant major is the ninth and highest enlisted rank, just above first sergeant, and equal in grade to master gunnery sergeant, although the two have different responsibilities. A sergeant major typically serves as the unit commander's senior enlisted adviser and handles matters of discipline and morale among the enlisted Marines. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is chosen by the commandant of the Marine Corps to serve as his adviser and is the preeminent and highest-ranking enlisted Marine unless an enlisted marine is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman. The SMMC holds an order of precedence of a lieutenant general.[4]
Although not officially considered a Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, when Archibald Sommers was appointed to Sergeant Major on January 1, 1801, it was a solitary post, similar to the modern billet of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. In 1833, an act of legislation made the rank of sergeant major permanent for the Marine Corps, and by 1899 five Marines held the rank of sergeant major. This continued until 1946, when the rank was abolished, only to be re-introduced in 1954 as part of the Marine Corps rank structure.[5]
The post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was established in 1957 from the order of Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel at Headquarters Marine Corps, Brigadier General James P. Berkeley, as the senior enlisted advisor to the commandant of the Marine Corps,[5] the first such post in any of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces.[6] In 1970, the rank insignia of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was authorized (which features three stripes, the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor flanked by two five-point stars in the center, and four rockers) as opposed to the standard Sergeant Major rank insignia (which features three stripes, one five-point star in the center, and four rockers), which was used for the rank from the post's creation in 1957 to 1970. While "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps" is the full wording of the rank, the verbal address for this is common Sergeant Major.
The commandant of the Marine Corps selects the sergeant major of the Marine Corps and typically serves a four-year term, though his service is at the discretion of the Commandant.[6] Since Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick was appointed the first Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in 1957, 20 different Marines have filled this post.[7]
List of sergeants major of the Marine Corps
editNo. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | Wilbur Bestwick
(1911–1972) |
May 23, 1957 | September 1, 1959 | 2 years, 101 days | [8] | |
2 | Francis D. Rauber
(1901–1991) |
September 1, 1959 | June 29, 1962 | 2 years, 301 days | [9] | |
3 | Thomas J. McHugh
(1919–2000) |
June 29, 1962 | July 17, 1965 | 3 years, 18 days | [10] | |
4 | Herbert J. Sweet
(1919–1998) |
July 17, 1965 | August 1, 1969 | 4 years, 15 days | [11] | |
5 | Joseph W. Dailey
(1917–2007) |
August 1, 1969 | February 1, 1973 | 3 years, 184 days | [12] | |
6 | Clinton A. Puckett
(1926–2002) |
February 1, 1973 | June 1, 1975 | 2 years, 120 days | [13] | |
7 | Henry H. Black
(1929–2012) |
June 1, 1975 | April 1, 1977 | 1 year, 304 days | [14] | |
8 | John R. Massaro
(1930–) |
April 1, 1977 | August 16, 1979 | 2 years, 137 days | [15] | |
9 | Leland D. Crawford
(1930–1993) |
August 16, 1979 | June 28, 1983 | 3 years, 316 days | [16] | |
10 | Robert E. Cleary
(1931–2018) |
June 28, 1983 | June 27, 1987 | 3 years, 364 days | [17] | |
11 | David W. Sommers
(1943–) |
June 27, 1987 | June 28, 1991 | 4 years, 1 day | [18] | |
12 | Harold G. Overstreet
(1944–) |
June 28, 1991 | June 30, 1995 | 4 years, 2 days | [19] | |
13 | Lewis G. Lee
(1950–) |
June 30, 1995 | June 29, 1999 | 3 years, 364 days | [20] | |
14 | Alford L. McMichael
(1952–) |
June 29, 1999 | June 26, 2003 | 3 years, 362 days | [21] | |
15 | John L. Estrada
(1955–) |
June 26, 2003 | April 25, 2007 | 3 years, 303 days | [22] | |
16 | Carlton W. Kent
(1957–) |
April 25, 2007 | June 9, 2011 | 4 years, 45 days | [23] | |
17 | Micheal P. Barrett
(1963–) |
June 9, 2011 | February 20, 2015 | 3 years, 256 days | [24] | |
18 | Ronald L. Green
(1964–) |
February 20, 2015 | July 26, 2019 | 4 years, 156 days | [25] | |
19 | Troy E. Black
(1968/1969-) |
July 26, 2019 | August 10, 2023 | 4 years, 15 days | [26] | |
20 | Carlos A. Ruiz
(1975–) |
August 10, 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 6 days | [27] |
Timeline
edit![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/r7z1gp0tkvjoaytgm4ufsdq2ple8ogd.png)
See also
edit- Sergeant Major of the Army
- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
- Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau
- Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
References
edit- General
- "The Official Web Site of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2016-05-29. Retrieved 2014-07-19.
- Specific
- ^ "Defense Finance and Accounting Service > MilitaryMembers > payentitlements > Pay Tables > Basic Pay > EM".
- ^ "ALMAR 016/09: 2009 Sergeants Major Symposium". United States Marine Corps. 2009-05-13. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ SMMC on TheFreeDictionary.com
- ^ "Order of Precedence – OPNAVINST 1710.7J (NOTES: 7)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-02-27. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ a b "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
- ^ a b Estrada, John L. "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". 15smmc.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Previous SMMC". hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Francis Drury Rauber, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Thomas J. McHugh, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Herbert J. Sweet, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Joseph W. Dailey, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Clinton A. Puckett, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Henry H. Black, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major John R. Massaro, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Leland D. Crawford, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Robert E. Cleary, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major David W. Sommers, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Harold G. Overstreet, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Lewis G. Lee, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Alford L. McMichael, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major John L. Estrada, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Carlton W. Kent, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Michael P. Barrett, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Ronald L. Green, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Archived from the original on 2019-07-28. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Troy E. Black, USMC". Marines.Mil. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ^ "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Relief and Appointment Ceremony". DVIDS. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
External links
edit- Media related to Sergeants Major of the United States Marine Corps at Wikimedia Commons