Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
A United States military occupation code, or a military occupational specialty code, is a nine-character code used in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps to identify a specific job. In the United States Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) is used. In the United States Navy, a system of naval ratings and designators are used along with the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system. A system of ratings is also used in the United States Coast Guard.
A Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon is an award presented by the United States Army, Air Force, and Space Force to recognize those noncommissioned officers (NCOs) who have completed a prescribed leadership course at an NCO training school. The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have no equivalent to the Noncommissioned Officer Development Ribbon.
Gene C. McKinney is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the 10th Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA), serving from July 1995 to October 1997. He was the first African American to reach that rank in the United States Army. In 1998, he was court-martialed on a variety of charges including sexual harassment and obstruction of justice. He was convicted of the obstruction of justice charge and demoted to the rank of master sergeant.
Kenneth O. Preston is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the Sergeant Major of the Army. He was sworn in as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army on January 15, 2004. Preston served 7 years and 2 months as Sergeant Major of the Army making him the longest serving Sergeant Major of the Army to date.
Alford L. McMichael is a retired United States Marine who served as the 14th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 1999 to 2003. He was also the first Staff Non-Commissioned Officer for Allied Command Operations for NATO (2003–2006). McMichael retired from the Marine Corps in 2006 after 36 years of service.
The 12th Cavalry is a cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It is currently stationed at Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Hood.
Richard A. Kidd is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the ninth Sergeant Major of the Army. He was sworn in on July 2, 1991, and served until his term expired in June 1995.
Jack L. Tilley is an American businessman and retired United States Army soldier. He served for almost 37 years in the United States Army, culminating in his appointment in 2000 as the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, a post he held until his retirement on January 15, 2004. He was the last Vietnam War veteran to serve in that position.
William G. Bainbridge was a United States Army soldier who served as the fifth Sergeant Major of the Army. He was sworn in on July 1, 1975, and served until June 1979. He was the last World War II veteran to hold the position of Sergeant Major of the Army.
William A. Connelly was a United States Army soldier who served as the sixth Sergeant Major of the Army. He was sworn in on July 2, 1979, and served until June 1983. He is best known for removing the specialist ranks of specialist 5 through specialist 7.
The United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA) was established on 1 July 1972 at Fort Bliss, Texas, and began instruction in January 1973. Its curriculum is designed to broaden the student's current knowledge base. This approach differs from the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) related training at the basic and advanced levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System. The prime educational technique employed throughout the course is the small group participatory learning process.
A bandmaster is the leader and conductor of a band, usually a concert band, military band, brass band or a marching band.
William Joseph Gainey is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the first senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The 1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry Regiment was a unit of the Ohio Army National Guard, with troops in multiple locations throughout northeastern Ohio and has served in the United States of America's major wars and conflicts since 1898 until its inactivation on 31 August 2007.
The 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry squadron of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Ohio National Guard located throughout southwest Ohio.
John Wayne Troxell is a retired United States Army senior non-commissioned officer who served as the third Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC). This position made him the most senior enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces. He enlisted in the United States Army in September 1982, as an armored reconnaissance specialist and graduated from One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Raquel DiDomenico (Steckman) was the first female combat engineer senior sergeant in the United States Army appointed to a sapper company as a first sergeant.
Michael Anthony Grinston is a retired soldier of the United States Army who served as the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army from 2019 to 2023. Prior to his term as Sergeant Major of the Army, he served as the senior enlisted leader for United States Army Forces Command.
Timothy A. Guden is a former United States Army soldier. Over a 33-year career, he served as the Command Sergeant Major for the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, from August 2012 to March 2014, the Command Sergeant Major of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, Georgia, from March 2014 to May 2015, the Command Sergeant Major of the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region from June 2015 to July 2016, Command Sergeant Major of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, from August 2016 to June 2018, and the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command from February 2018 to September 2020. Guden retired from the Army on September 3, 2020.
