Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Incumbent Sergeant Major Ronald L. Green since February 20, 2015
Formation	May 23, 1957
First holder	Wilbur Bestwick
Website	www.HQMC.Marines.mil

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (officially abbreviated to SgtMajMC;^[1] unofficially as SMMC^[2][3]) is a unique non-commissioned rank and billet in the United States Marine Corps.

History

In 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 to handle 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 with a protocol equivalency of a lieutenant general.^[4]

Although not officially considered a Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, when Archibald Sommers was appointed to the grade of Sergeant Major 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 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 commonly Sergeant Major.

The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is selected by the Commandant 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, 17 different Marines have filled this post.^[7]

On January 20, 2015, Commandant Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. announced that Sergeant Major Ronald L. Green would relieve Sergeant Major Micheal P. Barrett and serve as the 18th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on February 20, 2015.^[8]

Insignia

• SgtMajMC insignia timeline
• 

  1957-1970, became Sergeant Major

• 

  1970–present

Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps

#	Picture	Name	Tenure from	Tenure to
1		Wilbur Bestwick[9]	May 23, 1957	September 1, 1959
2		Francis D. Rauber[10]	September 1, 1959	June 29, 1962
3		Thomas J. McHugh[11]	June 29, 1962	July 17, 1965
4		Herbert J. Sweet[12]	July 17, 1965	August 1, 1969
5		Joseph W. Dailey[13]	August 1, 1969	February 1, 1973
6		Clinton A. Puckett[14]	February 1, 1973	June 1, 1975
7		Henry H. Black[15]	June 1, 1975	April 1, 1977
8		John R. Massaro[16]	April 1, 1977	August 16, 1979
9		Leland D. Crawford[17]	August 16, 1979	June 28, 1983
10		Robert E. Cleary[18]	June 28, 1983	June 27, 1987
11		David W. Sommers[19]	June 27, 1987	June 28, 1991
12		Harold G. Overstreet[20]	June 28, 1991	June 30, 1995
13		Lewis G. Lee[21]	June 30, 1995	June 29, 1999
14		Alford L. McMichael[22]	June 29, 1999	June 26, 2003
15		John L. Estrada[23]	June 26, 2003	April 25, 2007
16		Carlton W. Kent[24]	April 25, 2007	June 9, 2011
17		Micheal P. Barrett[25]	June 9, 2011	February 20, 2015
18		Ronald L. Green[26]	February 20, 2015	Incumbent

Timeline

See also

• Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
• Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau

References

General

• "The Official Web Site of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2014-07-19.

Specific

1. "MCO P1070-12K (IRAM)" (PDF). United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
2. "ALMAR 016/09: 2009 Sergeants Major Symposium". United States Marine Corps. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
3. SMMC on TheFreeDictionary.com
4. Order of Precedence – OPNAVINST 1710.7J (NOTES: 7)
5. "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
6. Estrada, John L. "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps". 15smmc.com. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
7. "Previous SMMC". hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
8. "NEXT SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE MARINE CORPS ANNOUNCED". January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
9. "Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
10. "Sergeant Major Francis Drury Rauber, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
11. "Sergeant Major Thomas J. McHugh, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
12. "Sergeant Major Herbert J. Sweet, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
13. "Sergeant Major Joseph W. Dailey, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
14. "Sergeant Major Clinton A. Puckett, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
15. "Sergeant Major Henry H. Black, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
16. "Sergeant Major John R. Massaro, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
17. "Sergeant Major Leland D. Crawford, USMC (Deceased)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
18. "Sergeant Major Robert E. Cleary, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
19. "Sergeant Major David W. Sommers, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
20. "Sergeant Major Harold G. Overstreet, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
21. "Sergeant Major Lewis G. Lee, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
22. "Sergeant Major Alford L. McMichael, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
23. "Sergeant Major John L. Estrada, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
24. "Sergeant Major Carlton W. Kent, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
25. "Sergeant Major Michael P. Barrett, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
26. "Sergeant Major Ronald L. Green, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 2015-02-21.