Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

For the Royal Marines equivalent, see Corps Regimental Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Dress uniform insignia of the SMMC
Incumbent
SMMC Carlos A. Ruiz
since August 10, 2023
United States Marine Corps
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
Website www.hqmc.marines.mil/smmc

The sergeant major of the Marine Corps (officially abbreviated to SMMC) 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.

History

Current service uniform rank insignia of the SMMC.
Rank insignia of the SMMC from 1957 to 1970; became the rank insignia for a sergeant major afterwards.

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 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.

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. 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. 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

No. Portrait Name Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
1 black & white photograph of Wilbur Bestwick Wilbur Bestwick

(1911-1972)

May 23, 1957 September 1, 1959 2 years, 101 days
2 black & white photograph of Francis D. Rauber Francis D. Rauber

(1901-1991)

September 1, 1959 June 29, 1962 2 years, 301 days
3 black & white photograph of Thomas J. McHugh Thomas J. McHugh

(1919-2000)

June 29, 1962 July 17, 1965 3 years, 18 days
4 black & white photograph of Herbert J. Sweet Herbert J. Sweet

(1919-1998)

July 17, 1965 August 1, 1969 4 years, 15 days
5 black & white photograph of Joseph W. Dailey Joseph W. Dailey

(1917-2007)

August 1, 1969 February 1, 1973 3 years, 184 days
6 black & white photograph of Clinton A. Puckett Clinton A. Puckett

(1926-2002)

February 1, 1973 June 1, 1975 2 years, 120 days
7 black & white photograph of Henry H. Black Henry H. Black

(1929-2012)

June 1, 1975 April 1, 1977 1 year, 304 days
8 black & white photograph of John R. Massaro John R. Massaro

(1930-)

April 1, 1977 August 16, 1979 2 years, 137 days
9 black & white photograph of Leland D. Crawford Leland D. Crawford

(1930-1993)

August 16, 1979 June 28, 1983 3 years, 316 days
10 Robert E. Cleary

(1931-2018)

June 28, 1983 June 27, 1987 3 years, 364 days
11 black & white photograph of David W. Sommers David W. Sommers

(1943-)

June 27, 1987 June 28, 1991 4 years, 1 day
12 black & white photograph of Harold G. Overstreet Harold G. Overstreet

(1944-)

June 28, 1991 June 30, 1995 4 years, 2 days
13 black & white photograph of Lewis G. Lee Lewis G. Lee

(1950-)

June 30, 1995 June 29, 1999 3 years, 364 days
14 color photograph of Alford L. McMichael Alford L. McMichael

(1952-)

June 29, 1999 June 26, 2003 3 years, 362 days
15 color photograph of John L. Estrada John L. Estrada

(1955-)

June 26, 2003 April 25, 2007 3 years, 303 days
16 color photograph of Carlton W. Kent Carlton W. Kent

(1957-)

April 25, 2007 June 9, 2011 4 years, 45 days
17 color photograph of Micheal P. Barrett Micheal P. Barrett

(1963-)

June 9, 2011 February 20, 2015 3 years, 256 days
18 color photograph of Ronald L. Green Ronald L. Green

(1964-)

February 20, 2015 July 26, 2019 4 years, 156 days
19 color photograph of Troy E. Black Troy E. Black

(1968/1969-)

July 26, 2019 August 10, 2023 4 years, 15 days
20 color photograph of Carlos A. Ruiz Carlos A. Ruiz

(1975-)

August 10, 2023 Incumbent 140 days

Timeline

Carlos A. Ruiz Troy E. Black Ronald L. Green Micheal Barrett Carlton W. Kent John L. Estrada Alford L. McMichael Lewis G. Lee Harold G. Overstreet David W. Sommers Robert E. Cleary Leland D. Crawford John R. Massaro Henry H. Black Clinton A. Puckett Joseph W. Dailey Herbert J. Sweet Thomas J. McHugh Francis D. Rauber Wilbur Bestwick

See also