Email   Print   Share By Command Sgt. Maj. Archie L. Davis Jr.

Facebook Digg Delicious July 29, 2010 | Editorial

On July 15 the selections of sergeants major were announced. I congratulate each and every one of you who were selected. The next selection board for sergeant major is arriving soon, and I would like to share the process of this selection so that senior noncommissioned officers and their commanders are knowledgeable about the selection process.

That process will change under the new rules for “Select-Train-Promote,” whereby academy graduates will be frocked or promoted and assigned to an initial tour as a sergeant major within their military occupational specialty for a minimum one-year tour.

During that initial tour, these sergeants major will be eligible to compete for a battalion command sergeant major position or key billet. These Soldiers must complete a year in a sergeant major position before they will be assigned to a command sergeant major key position, if selected. With this change in the process, sergeants major will be able to compete on equal terms across the Army for command sergeant major positions in Germany or Fort Drum, for example. In the past, it may not have been equal, but now there will be a central board selecting command sergeants major. The overall change in the program will help the Army to grow experience and will open up command sergeants major selection opportunities to lower density MOSs in the Army inventory.

Following appointment, a new command sergeant major selectee will be paired with their new commander where, as a team, it’s anticipated they will attend a pre-command course at Fort Benning, Ga., (in the case of infantrymen), or Fort Leavenworth, Kan., prior to moving into their respective positions. After a command sergeant major has completed a centrally-selected position, they will be eligible to compete again for a battalion command sergeant major or brigade command sergeant major potition. While commanders normally serve only once at the battalion and brigade levels, command sergeants major have the opportunity to serve multiple tours.

Skill levels will also change. Under the current system both master sergeants and sergeants major hold skill-level five. The new rules will incorporate skill levels six, seven and eight into the sergeant major and command sergeant major MOS. Skill-level six will apply to those sergeants major and command sergeants major who serve at lieutenant colonel or equivalent positions. Skill-level seven will apply to those who serve at a colonel or equivalent-level position. They will eliminate 00Z at the battalion and brigade level; that MOS will be awarded at skill-level eight (general-officer level or equivalent).

The command sergeants major board for battalions will meet annually, beginning in October, and will be followed up by the command sergeants major brigade board in January. Prepare yourself for these changes and ensure your peers and subordinates know about them as well.

Phantom Warriors!