Sergeant Major of the Army - wikipedia Sergeant Major of the Army For the British Army equivalent, see Army Sergeant Major. For the Danish Army equivalent, see Sergeant Major of the Army ( Denmark ). For the Australian Army equivalent, see Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army ( Australia ). For the South African Army equivalent, see Sergeant Major of the Army ( South Africa ). United States Sergeant Major of the Army Incumbent Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey since 30 January 2015 Formation 11 July 1966 ; 51 years ago ( 1966 - 07 - 11 ) First holder William O. Wooldridge Salary Based on Pay scale Website https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/?from=wiki The Sergeant Major of the Army ( SMA ) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted member of the Army unless an Army Sergeant Major is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in which case he would be the most senior enlisted man and the SMA will be the second-most senior enlisted member of the Army. The SMA is appointed to serve as a spokesman to address the issues of enlisted soldiers to all officers, from warrant officers and lieutenants to the Army 's highest positions. As such, he is the senior enlisted advisor to the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. The exact duties vary depending on the chief of staff, though much of the SMA 's time is spent traveling throughout the Army, observing training and talking with soldiers and their families. Kenneth O. Preston held the rank from 15 January 2004 through 28 February 2011, the only incumbent to serve longer than four years. SMA Raymond F. Chandler III was succeeded by Command Sergeant Major Daniel A. Dailey, on 30 January 2015. While the SMA is a non-commissioned officer, protocol places the SMA higher than all lieutenant generals. Contents 1 History 2 Pay grade 3 Insignia 4 Positional color 5 List of Sergeants Major of the Army 6 See also 7 References 8 External links History The rank and position were based on those of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps ( established in its current incarnation on 23 May 1957 ). The Chief of Staff of the Army created the position in 1966 after asking leaders of the major commands for a personal recommendation. He asked that it not be considered a near - retirement type assignment. He listed seven duties and functions he expected the Sergeant Major to perform, including service as a personal adviser and assistant on matters pertaining to enlisted soldiers. From 4,700 proposed candidates, 21 nominees were selected. Finally chosen was the only one then serving in Vietnam, Sergeant Major William O. Wooldridge of the 1st Infantry Division. The other services later followed, creating the positions of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force in 1967, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 1969, and Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman in 2005. These six positions are collectively referred to as `` senior enlisted advisors '' ( `` SEAs '' ). Pay grade The Sergeant Major of the Army base pay is $7,844.70 a month ( $94,136.40 per year ) Insignia SMA insignia timeline 1966 -- 1968, the only authorized insignia for all sergeants major 1968 -- 1979, became Command Sergeant Major 1979 -- 1994 1994 -- 2015 2015 -- present Sergeant Major of the Army branch of service collar insignia Sergeant Major of the Army cap device The sergeant major of the army, like counterparts in the other branches, wears a unique rank insignia, including a unique collar insignia ( `` brass '' ). The collar insignia of the SMA is the shield portion of the collar insignia of an aide - de-camp to the Army Chief of Staff ( less the surmounting eagle ), placed upon an enlisted collar disk of gold color, one inch in diameter. The insignia worn by SMA Wooldridge was hand - soldered by Colonel Jasper J. Wilson from the cannibalized insignia and enlisted collar brass of an aide. The insignia was approved on 4 July 1966. Originally, the SMA would wear the device on each collar, but he now wears the standard `` U.S. '' disk on his right collar as do all enlisted soldiers. This insignia is also worn in place of a unit insignia on the SMA 's beret, garrison cap, and pull - over sweater. The collar insignia of the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman ( `` SEAC '' ) of the JCS, approved 2 February 2006, is based directly upon that of the SMA, and features the shield of an aide de camp to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff ( without the surmounting eagle ), on a gold - colored disk. The SMA 's cap device, worn on the front of the blue service cap ( and, formerly, the white service cap ; and, until 2011 the green service cap ) is a gold - colored rendering of the United States ' coat of arms, surrounded by a wreath. The cap device for all other U.S. Army enlisted soldiers is a gold - colored rendering of the United States ' coat of arms on a gold - colored disk ( males ) or surrounded by a gold colored ring ( females ). The chief master sergeant of the Air Force has the same cap device as the SMA, but in silver - colored metal. Positional color The Sergeant Major of the Army, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman are the only members of the United States armed forces below the rank of brigadier general / rear admiral, lower half to be authorized a positional color ( flag ). First considered in 1992, the SMA 's color has been authorized since 22 March 1999. It is based on the design of his collar insignia and the positional flag of the Chief of Staff, Army. Like the SEAC 's collar brass, the SEAC 's positional color was patterned after the SMA 's color. List of Sergeants Major of the Army # Photo SMA Tenure 1. William O. Wooldridge July 1966 -- August 1968 2. George W. Dunaway September 1968 -- September 1970 3. Silas L. Copeland October 1970 -- June 1973 4. Leon L. Van Autreve July 1973 -- June 1975 5. William G. Bainbridge July 1975 -- June 1979 6. William A. Connelly July 1979 -- June 1983 7. Glen E. Morrell July 1983 -- July 1987 8. Julius W. Gates July 1987 -- June 1991 9. Richard A. Kidd July 1991 -- June 1995 10. Gene C. McKinney July 1995 -- October 1997 11. Robert E. Hall October 1997 -- June 2000 12. Jack L. Tilley June 2000 -- January 2004 13. Kenneth O. Preston January 2004 -- March 2011 14. Raymond F. Chandler March 2011 -- January 2015 15. Daniel A. Dailey January 2015 -- Present See also War portal Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps 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 Army Staff Senior Warrant Officer References Jump up ^ https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/military-pay-charts.html Jump up ^ https://www.dfas.mil/dam/jcr:4a30221a-c554-4f01-b9f4-9e22378aa0ef/MilPayTable2018_2.pdf Jump up ^ `` Sergeant Major Kenneth O. Preston - Sergeant Major Army ''. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` Dailey assumes role as 15th sergeant major of Army ''. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Jump up ^ Department of the Army A Guide to Protocol and Etiquette for Official Entertainment, 5 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps ''. HQMC. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 29 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Sergeants Major of the Army ''. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Jump up ^ Sergeants Major of the Army, Center for Military History, 3rd edition, online document here Jump up ^ `` The end of the Green Service Uniform : 1954 - 2015 ''. 5 May 2016. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Jump up ^ Elder, Daniel K. ( 2003 ). The Sergeants Major of the Army ( Revised ed. ). Washington, DC : United States Army Center of Military History. p. 7. Jump up ^ Army Regulation 670 - 1, paras 28 - 4b, 28 - 9i ( 4 ), 28 - 10b ( 32 ). Jump up ^ AR 670 - 1, paras 28 - 22d ( 1 ), 28 - 22f ( 3 ). Jump up ^ AR 670 - 1, para 28 - 3b ( 3 ). Jump up ^ AR 670 - 1, para 28 - 3b ( 4 ). Jump up ^ Elder, Daniel K. ( 2003 ). The Sergeants Major of the Army ( Revised ed. ). Washington, DC : United States Army Center of Military History. p. 40. Jump up ^ U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2013... Jump up ^ `` Former Sergeants Major of the Army ''. Retrieved 22 September 2007. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sergeants Major of the United States Army. Official website United States enlisted ranks Pay grade → Branch of service ↓ E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 Army PVT PV2 PFC SPC -- CPL SGT SSG SFC MSG -- 1SG SGM -- CSM -- SMA Marine Corps Pvt PFC LCpl Cpl Sgt SSgt GySgt MSgt -- 1stSgt MGySgt -- SgtMaj -- SgtMajMarCor Navy SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO SCPO -- CMDCS MCPO -- CMDCM -- FORCM, FLTCM -- MCPON Air Force AB Amn A1C SrA SSgt TSgt MSgt -- 1st Sgt SMSgt -- 1st Sgt CMSgt -- 1st Sgt -- CCM -- CMSAF Coast Guard SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO SCPO MCPO -- CMC -- Area CMC, CGRF - MC -- MCPOCG United States Army Leadership Secretary of the Army Under Secretary of the Army Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff 4 - star generals Army Staff Senior Warrant Officer Sergeant Major of the Army House Armed Services Committee ( House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces ) Senate Committee on Armed Services ( Senate Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces ) Components and commands Regular Army Army Reserve Army National Guard Active Units Reorganization plan of United States Army Army commands Forces Training and Doctrine Materiel Service components Africa Central Europe Pacific North South Special Operations Surface Deployment and Distribution Space and Missile Defense Cyber Command Direct reporting units Second Army Medical Intelligence and Security Criminal Investigation Corps of Engineers Military District of Washington Test and Evaluation Military Academy Reserve Acquisition Support Center Installation Management War College Field armies First Second Third Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Branches Acquisition Corps Adjutant General 's Corps Air Defense Artillery Branch Armor Branch Aviation Branch Army Band Chaplain Corps Chemical Corps Civil Affairs Corps Corps of Engineers Dental Corps Field Artillery Branch Finance Corps Infantry Branch Inspector General 's Corps Judge Advocate General 's Corps Logistics Branch Medical Corps Medical Service Corps Medical Specialist Corps Military Intelligence Corps Military Police Corps Nurse Corps Ordnance Corps Psychological Operations Quartermaster Corps Signal Corps Special Forces Transportation Corps Veterinary Corps Installations United States and Overseas Germany Kosovo Kuwait South Korea Training Basic Training BOLC ROTC ( ECP ) OCS WOBC WOCS Military Academy ( West Point ) MOS Uniforms and insignia Awards and decorations Badges Branch Officer Warrant Enlisted World War I World War II Uniforms Equipment Individual weapons Crew - served weapons Vehicles Premier ensembles Army Field Band Army Band Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps West Point Band History and traditions History Continental Army Union Army National Army Army of the United States Center of Military History Institute of Heraldry America 's Army Army Art Program Flag National Museum West Point Museum Rangers U.S. Army Regimental System Soldier 's Creed `` The Army Goes Rolling Along '' Division nicknames Draft Service numbers Portal Military Senior enlisted advisor posts Australia Warrant Officer of the Air Force Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army Warrant Officer of the Navy Canada Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Chief Warrant Officer of the Air Force Denmark Sergeant Major of the Army Chief Master Sergeant of the RDAF New Zealand Warrant officer of the Navy Singapore Sergeant Major of the Army Master Chief Navy Air Force Command Chief South Africa Master at Arms of the Navy Sergeant Major of the Army Sergeant Major of the Air Force United Kingdom Army Sergeant Major Chief of the Air Staff 's Warrant Officer Warrant Officer of the Naval Service Royal Marines Corps Regimental Sergeant Major United States Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Sergeant Major of the Army Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sergeant_Major_of_the_Army&oldid=825610263 '' Categories : Military ranks of the United States Army United States military enlisted ranks Senior Enlisted Advisor Sergeants Major of the Army Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from May 2014 Official website not in Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Русский Svenska Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 14 February 2018, at 10 : 58. 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Question: when was the sergeant major of the army established
Answer: 1966