Is calling a MSG in the Army “Top” appropriate or only exclusively used for a 1SG?

I’ve always called my 1SG Top.

The first Sgt was the only one I ever called Top. The others I called by their rank.

Personally, I'm with @1SG Anonymous on this one. I call 1SG that I respect Top (unless they tell me not to), but I also refer to MSG as "Master Sergeant" or "Mass-Sarn't." To me, it's a respect thing. If I dont like you, you get no familiarity with me, and you'll only get the stone cold, half-hearted addresses and responses out of me. If I respect you, or I like you, you'll usually get something a little more familiar or more akin to camaraderie from me.

But the caveat to that is that of I am going to address you formally by rank, I would expect the same. If I call you "Top," I got no problems with P, P-A, Petey, Tony, Petri, or anything else. But if you demand a formal address because "oh, I have a rank and I earned it," then all is fair in love and war, I have one of them rank patches too, and I earned it. You may address me accordingly.

I call them by either Master Sergeant and 1st Sergeant. I called very few as Top!

Myself it’s to each it’s own my MSG in my company I address him by his full rank because of respect master sergeant. I hate addressing e5–e8 as sergeant. But my 1sg I say first sergeant my other e8 it’s hey master sergeant ( name)

well msg usually get more respect

That's mostly reserved for 1SG's. BUT, If the MSG is the SENIOR NCO in the Company, then it would apply UNLESS they CURSE you out for you calling them that. You might get a better answer if you do a correspondence course on Military Customs and Courtesy.

Military courtesy prevails. 1SG.

Not as a formal address to the senior enlisted adviser is it appropriate. We are called by rank just as you.

To me, "TOP" referred to the First Sergeant. He is the TOP soldier in that unit. I have never heard a Master Sergeant referred to as TOP, I retired in 2009 and don't know what is happening on active duty today.

No. If you are in an Acting First Sergeant position as a Master Sergeant, you should still be addressed as First Sergeant. Top is an old school word used along the way that was accepted by many as a First Sergeant. Today times have changed.

I wore the diamond 3 times, I never told people to call me Too, or 1SG. Both are a sign of respect. One way to tell how you affected your Troops is what they call you after your change of responsibility.

I was in during the mid 80’s. I always called him 1st sgt. Never top.

I would only use the term Top to refer to a 1SG that I respected. If I did not respect them I would use the formal and correct 1SG when referring to them.

As for say a MSG being the highest NCO in a Joint Task Force, I might refer to them as Top but ONLY if they earn my respect and ONLY if I was assigned under them. Otherwise, I am going to refer to them as MSG.

First Sgt were always addressed by rank, our shop NCOIC was a Master Guns and he was Top. Sgt Majors always addressed by rank as well.

Normally no.

No, that title is only reserved to 1SG Or if you know that person was a 1SG and have recently left that position.

It's based on their role. The top NCO in the company. Usually it's spoken unofficially. I've never heard the term used in formation but informally, yes.

Top is normally reserved for the 1SG. ... but has been used for MSG. In my time it was a sign of respect. My proper title of address (according to AR600-10 at the time) was ‘Master Sergeant’. I was told that was a mouth full. ‘Top’ was a lot easier on their tongue. I didn’t object.

I liked it.......until Soldiers who didn’t know me well started calling me that. I definitely took it as a term of familiarity, but I never got ticked off about it. I just “educated” my younger Soldiers on when it is and isn’t appropriate....ie- don’t assume “Top” is ok for any 1SG at any time.

It’s not for MSG’s.