Are E-9s needed?

Yes E-9's are needed in every branch. The way I have seen it they act as the Adviser to those in Officer command. It would seem that on a BN level or higher would not function right with out a E-9. I think a lot of soldiers want to make E-9 for rank and pay but don't have the means to be a good E-9.

SSG V. Michelle Woods My encounters with SGMs and CSMs have all been mostly positive. The CSM is first and foremost the person who expresses to the BN CDR, BDE CDR or Group CDR, DIV CG, CORPS CG, and higher the NCO and enlisted perspective and provides counsel to ensure the NCO mission is accomplished. SGMs provide technical expertise in a variety of fields but as a BDE or Group Operations Sergeant their experience and leadership is imperative. A Joint Forces Sergeant Major with significant experience as a BN and BDE CSM was the SME who taught me about the Unit Status Report or USR the functions it serves and why it is of extreme importance as an OPS NCO that the information which is presented in a USR is accurate and timely. That same SGM taught me about being a solid NCO how to deal with problematic Soldiers and Officers in my role as the Senior NCO advisor to the Commander and was the go to NCO for any regulatory questions. MSGs and 1SGs may have the experience, but they don't have that magic title or chevron.

In the British Royal Army (RA) the SGM is a billet and not a rank. The rank of the person who holds the billet is Warrant Officer. This is a unique situation which most American Soldiers would not understand. But look at it like this, in the RA the SGM is a technical expert and advisor to the Commander. In the US Army it is much the same. Our role as NCOs culminates with a career objective of attaining the leadership responsibility inherent in a CSM billet with the technical and tactical proficiency of a SGM.

I find the kind and type of professional experience which is developed in the twenty four to thirty years it typically takes to make SGM or CSM to be of extreme value for more junior NCOs and Officers alike. If nothing else they truly understand how the Army operates, what the NCO supportive function is to officers at all levels of command, and how to most effectively accomplish the leadership responsibilities of a Senior NCO.

This is simply my perspective. It is based on my personal experience. Please don't get me wrong, I have seen the "bad side" of SGMs and CSMs as well, but the good I have seen and the professionalism to which I have been exposed to far outweighs any negative comments I could make. This is a necessary and needed role to ensure the NCO voice has the weight and professionalism of career NCOs who are truly at the top of our sacred role.

SSG V. Michelle Woods Little Anya's fund is still growing and I need to find someone here for Ohio to get her to Disney, Florida. I am determined to make this happen. They all deserve Make-A-Wish....

SSG V. Michelle Woods, here's a link with a downloadable .pdf. It was done by CSM-Ret. Daniel K. Elder. It will make for a good read as you will see the role of the Sergeant Major goes far back in history and where it has led up today.

http://www.ncohistory.com/files/SGMhistory.pdf

Absolutely. Every command or staff team at every level needs to have an enlisted advisor. It's actually part of army doctrine. Who else will give voice to the command on your (the Soldier's) behalf?

The officer folks are charged with issuing orders and accomplishing the mission given to them by their commanders. The NCO's are tasked with advising the officers how to best fulfill the mission requirements while maintaining unit morale and welfare.

Think of all of these teams like a driver and a navigator. The officer is the driver, the NCO, the navigator. Officer says we need to get from point A to point B, and the NCO gives the driver the best route to get there, with a secondary and/or tertiary route. It is the officers' decision on what path to take, but they (should) make that decision based on the information the NCO has to offer them. It is the NCO's charge to execute the officers decision and make sure that all the standards are met.

That being said, the NCO usually has more experience upon which the officer should, but not always does, draw from. They can say "Hey sir/ma'am, I have been down all of these roads before, and this is the best one." or "This is the best way to accomplish the mission with what we have." It is the duty of the NCO to not only mentor the Soldiers who serve underneath him/her, but to mentor the officer that they work with, so that all involved can make the best decision in their absence.

I have seen firsthand CSM/SGM's that don't do the busy admin work, and will just wander around harassing people and pretty much being clowns, but that is no different than any other job. Some people just work the system. The vast majority are enormous repositories of information which, if you ask, they will probably blow your mind with the amount of expertise they have to offer you. I haven't run into one yet who has been less than impressed by an up-and-comer asking them for mentorship. That is the kind of CSM/SGM you should want, seek, and eventually, become.

SSG V. Michelle Woods , remember my post about establishing and passing on your own legacy of excellence? It seems this is your path, so be excellent. Each rank and position you move up increases your sphere of influence. Use it, spread your excellence around, be the person someone else wants to emulate. Show us why a senior enlisted advisor is necessary.

Needed? At least in the AF? probably not since not every squadron gets one. Should we have them? I good E9 can move heaven and earth to get things done using the E9 mafia.

A Sergeant Major is the pentacle of Enlisted example. A Sergeant Major will stand at attention and not let CPT (Join to see) ever ask the question if he or his contemporaries should "salute", he/ she will advise them BEFORE they ask a newbie question. A Sergeant Major will set training goals for individual, squad, and platoon level tasks (command level specific) that support commanders at all level's needs. A Sergeant Major is the light house for Enlisted members, a motivator, an influencer, a Leader.

Noncommissioned Officers live and work with their Soldiers everyday and are responsible for their health, welfare and safety.

These section and team leaders ensure that their soldiers meet standards in personal appearance and teach them to maintain and account for their individual and unit equipment and property.

The NCO enforces standards and develops and trains soldiers daily in MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and unit mission.

Simply Officers make standards NCOs enforce them! (NCO Creed...Backbone of the Army).

However, nowadays we do both when necessary, as for people in general some don't do their jobs and or fail to get mentored or are to stubborn to be mentees.

The E-9's role is not well understood because most people never make it there. I didn't figure it out until I became a chaplain and then it was clear: the E-9 bridges the gap between the enlisted ranks and the senior staff officers/CO. A First Sergeant or Senior Chief does much the same at Company/Division level but the CSM/CMC has the unenviable task of trying to communicate to an O-6 what is going on in an E-1's head and vice versa -- not an easy job but an absolutely indispensable one.
The E-9 possesses the moral and military authority, and commands the requisite respect from both enlisted and officer alike to give him even greater gravitas that the company commander. The Command Sergeant Major, just like the Command Master Chief is the steel in the spine of the NCO support chain. They are also the foundation of the glue that holds the whole unit together. You can have a crap officer in command but as long as your CSM is solid everything will probably be okay.
Are E-9's needed? Just try and run the military without them!

E-9s threw their men under the bus to become management. Guess What, you are not officers and they don't want you. I wrestled with this when I was offered a commission. I didn't have the decoder ring, I didn't know the secret handshake.