The sergeant major of the Marine Corps (officially abbreviated to SMMC)meSMMC on TheFreeDictionary.com is a billet that is distinguished by a unique rank insignia and receives a special pay above the E-9 basic pay. 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 (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In the U.S. Marine Corps, sergeant major is the ninth and one of two ranks that are the highest enlisted ranks, just above first sergeant and master sergeant (both E-8 pay grade), 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 equivalent to a lieutenant general.
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.
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, the first such post in any of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces. 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. The verbal address for the rank is generally "sergeant major", though "sergeant major of the Marine Corps" is utilized in formal situations.
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. Since Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick was appointed the first Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in 1957, 20 different Marines have filled this post.
List of sergeants major of the Marine Corps Portrait Name Term of office Took office Left office Duration 1 Bestwick Wilbur Bestwick (1911–1972) 2 Rauber Francis D. Rauber (1901–1991) 3 McHugh Thomas J. McHugh (1919–2000) 4 Sweet Herbert J. Sweet (1919–1998) 5 Dailey Joseph W. Dailey (1917–2007) 6 Puckett Clinton A. Puckett (1926–2002) 7 Black Henry H. Black (1929–2012) 8 Massaro John R. Massaro (1930–) 9 Crawford Leland D. Crawford (1930–1993) 10 Cleary Robert E. Cleary (1931–2018) 11 Sommers David W. Sommers (1943–) 12 Overstreet Harold G. Overstreet (1944–) 13 Lee Lewis G. Lee (1950–) 14 McMichael Alford L. McMichael (1952–) 15 Estrada John L. Estrada (1955–) 16 Kent Carlton W. Kent (1957–) 17 Barrett Micheal P. Barrett (1963–) 18 Green Ronald L. Green (1964–) 19 Black Troy E. Black (1969-) 20 Ruiz Carlos A. Ruiz (1975–)Incumbent
Timeline
See also Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major of the US Army Reserve 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 Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Reserve Force Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
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