Who do we address as First Sergeant?

I called all my 1SGs "Top" from PVT to SFC where I am today... Mostly, I built a special relationship with them to do so. Whether it was having personal footprints in his office, or my awesome cadence calling, I only addressed them as such after I've gotten to know them.

I suggest that SFC Boulanger do some more research. TOP is an acronym that dates back to the 1850's and stand for Trainer of Personnel and was bestowed upon the Regimental CSM

I served in an official paragraph and line number First Sergeant Position in accordance with the Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA) for a year and a half. I speak from firsthand experience when I say how the United States Army addresses Enlisted Soldiers is often relative to their Chain of Command and Non-Commissioned Officer Support Channel.

My Command Sergeant Major was located at our Headquarters 360 miles away from our Troop Medical Clinic. The Company Commander and the Command Sergeant Major would spend long periods of time on the phone with one another. The Company Commander would often fly up commercially and spend weekends and leave with the Command Sergeant Major.

I can go on and on while regretfully many of us have been done dirty while I simply wanted to set the stage of me having served in a First Sergeant Position as a Sergeant First Class. Let me make it clear that AR 600-20 Army Command Policy clearly stipulates how to properly address United States Army Ranks whereas no one is required to address a Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, or Master Sergeant utilizing any other title than Sergeant.

The term Top is unofficial, but quite often depends on the leadership's tolerance of such while normally not just everyone is permitted to address a First Sergeant in this manner. This term is normally at the First Sergeants will and pleasure unless it is the Command Sergeant Major, Company Commander or a senior ranking officer addresses him or her as such. As a Sergeant First Class in a First Sergeant position I was addressed as "First Sergeant", "Sergeant", and "Top"!

Private (PVT/E-1), Private Two (PV2/E-2), Private First Class (PFC/E-3) are all addressed as "Private".

Specialist (SPC/E-4), (not a Non-Commissioned Officer) are addressed as "Specialist".

Corporal (CPL/E-4) are addressed as "Corporal" while this is the first time in the enlisted rank structure that the Soldier is considered a Non-Commissioned Officer in spite of them not yet receiving official Non-Commissioned Officer Evaluation Reports.

Sergeant (SGT/E-5), Staff Sergeant (SSG/E-6), Sergeant First Class (SFC/E-7), Master Sergeant (MSG/E-8) are addressed as "Sergeant" with a couple exceptions such as "Drill Sergeant", Senior Drill Sergeant", "Gunner" and "Smoke".

First Sergeant (1SG/E-8) addressed as "First Sergeant".

Sergeant Major (SGM/E-9) and Command Sergeant Major (CSM/E-9) addressed as "Sergeant Major"

NOTE:

When addressing or identifying one's self officially on the phone it is most appropriate to use full rank. If a third party refers to a Soldier such as in an award ceremony it is most appropriate to refer to their entire rank in this instance as well.

NOTE:

If your respective branch of services addresses all service members by their full rank such as marines do they should not be encouraged to discontinue addressing United States Army Soldiers by their full rank. There are too many POS E-1’s through E-9’s who correct Sailor’s, Marines and others who address United States Army Staff Sergeants, Sergeants First Class, and Master Sergeants by their full rank. Those POS's who are often POG's are no more than oxygen thieves only encouraging disrespect and making our Soldiers look like dirt bag's! If you are one of these rank mongers who believe that you are better than any service member you outrank you have lost sight of the fact that our rank does not define us. If the shoe fit's wear it and let me add that Sergeant First Class through Command Sergeant Major are all Senior Noncommissioned Officer's worthy of the same level of respect and honors bestowed upon our most senior enlisted members throughout all branches of service.
At some point our most senior enlisted members will step up to the plate and put the backbone back into our Non-Commissioned Officer Corps!

SFC Michael Boulanger - that's absolutely center mass, first - time go on target, SFC.

Hmm I guess the 6 months that I spent as the HHB First Sergeant all the troops were wrong in calling me that. Might have something to do with them screwing my barracks up really bad and then moving on to the Basketball courts with all furniture in February at FT. Carson. You know after a month with all the extra duties fire guard, security, ect they never tried me again. I never asked them too but all of them called me First Sergeant and a couple that I still see on occasion still do.

"Do I look like I spin on my head?"

1SG Terry Wrona upon being called "Top." lol

Know this post is a little old but I wanted to add a little scenario that happened to me recently. Before I say what happens t just want to add that this person in the most toxic leader I have personally encountered in my 10 years in the Army.

I walked into the MSG's office and said " excuse my sergeant have they put out what time close out formation is today". One hour later I was being read a 4856 for disrespect to a Senior NCO for not addressing him by MSG. When I informed him what the regulation says about the subject, he enlightened me by saying " eagles and chickens do different things, I'm an eagle and my work requires me to be addressed by my rank".

I brought this up in a impromptu sensing session with a SGM and was told that you can add to the regulation but you can't take away.

I don't understand how the Army has not figured out a way to identify this kind of ignorance and hold Soldiers accountable for their actions. I firmly believe that by time you make it to the senior ranks and you have not figured out leadership, and your using your rank as a weapon, reprimand should be swift and fitting of the responsibility you have been given and are getting paid to do.

I served as a Detachment Sergeant for 18 months.  My unit was a mixture of military and civilians and everyone in the detachment called me Sergeant, not 1SG.  The only person that called me 1SG was the Bn CSM.  I didn't like being called 1SG because that wasn't my job.  I was the Detachment NCOIC sure, but the 1SG, not such much.  

Im curious as to the 2 1SG's and MSG who gave you a thumbs down and why? Is that not correct?

So much easier in the Marine Corps everyone is addressed by their full rank although Top can be used for a MSgt and of course Gunny for a Gunnery Sergeant.  Calling all E-5s and above Sgt would confuse everyone.