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I am going to beak it down for everyone how to address these spacific individuals: If a Master Sergeant has the diamond he is a First Sergeant and addressed as such or TOP because he is the highest enlisted Soldier in your unit. If there is a Master Sergeant without a Diamond they are addressed as Sergeant (not MSG, only if you are talking to someone else and specifying them by rank held). If there is a Sergeant First Class and they are acting as a First Sergeant they are addressed and Sergeant, not First Sergeant because they do not hold that specific rank, also acceptable for SFC is TOP because he is the highest enlisted Soldier in your unit if they are acting in that position. This Military Customs and Courtesies class is complete.
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1SG
1SG
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 62
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There is a big difference between "acting" and "assigned". If you are an acting 1SG as a SFC then you should most definately be refered to as Sergeant. As acting 1SG, to me that means the assigned 1SG is away on leave or somehting short term, where someone would need to step in to fill his shoes. If you are assigned as the Company 1SG then I think it would be up to that Senior NCO in how he wants to be addressed by his company, by no means will others outside the Company/Battalion have any idea what position he holds so others of course would refer to him as Sergeant. I for one am currently assigned as an Operations SGM, most all in the Battalion refer to me as Sergeant which is perfectly fine as I have not earned the rank of SGM; however many times the S3 or the XO will call me SGM as a sign of respect for the job that I currently hold, I don't ask for it nor request it. There is no right or wrong answer as long as the respect for your rank and the position you hold are there with those that serve under you.
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<p>SFC Boulanger,</p><p> </p><p>I have to disagree with you on this. AR 600-20 Table 1-1 shows no rank or position referred to as "TOP". It is not a military rank and should not be used when addressing ANY NCO.<br><br>I am willing to look at any regulation presented that states otherwise.</p>
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GySgt Greg Messer
Being called TOP is not a matter of disrespect , rather its RESPECT given to the rank.
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SFC William Swartz Jr
Well MSG, if you didn't make an issue of it then, no that doesn't make you a douchenozzle, however downgrading my response kinda does....but that's my opinion. I should have clarified my response to include the part of his that stated "...should not be used when addressing ANY NCO." To me that is a personal opinion. Having utilized that term quite often over the course of my career,be it wrong in your or any others' eyes, as a term of respect for 1SGs and MSGs who have held the 1SG title/rank and having learned that tradition from some damn fine NCOs since 1987, I see nothing wrong with it. Maybe it was a Combat Arms tradition or simply a tradition within the Armor community itself, but it was and is a tradition that I followed, as well as a lot of NCOs, Soldiers and a few Officers followed.
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SFC (Join to see)
AR 600-20 Table 1-1 clearly states that a First Sergeant will be addressed as "First Sergeant". There is no NCO addressed as "Top" in the regulation.
If someone can show me regulatory guidance that states otherwise and I will accept "top" as an acceptable address.
It is what Army Regulation 600-20 states on how to address a First Sergeant, this is not an opinion. It is in black and white, and it is difinitive.
I was raised by the 2-14 Infantry NCOs that pulled the Rangers out in Somalia in September 1993. If I ever refered to anyone as "top" I would have had attended the school of the soldier with extra classes. So it is not a combat arms thing to call the First Sergeant, or anyone else, "Top". It is AGAINST what the regulation states. Saying you follow it out of tradition is not the standard I can adhere to myself. I don't wear starched BDUs because the fine NCOs I knew wore them. I change and conform to standards put forth by the Department of the Army.
I can only provide the information I read. It is your choice to follow it or not. I can remember when the black web belt was removed from being authorized to wear. I was unaware of the change and continued to wear it, but when a fellow NCO took the time to make the on the spot correction, I thanked her and I fixed my deficiency.
Once again if you can show me regulatory guidance that states something in addiditon to AR 600-20 Table 1-1. I am willing to conform to standard.
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Well I read through most of these and have not seen anyone talk about calling a SFC in the ARTILLERY world, SMOKE,, not to forget his lil buddy "Gunny"...... c'mon man,, ya can't forget "Smoke"!!! boom boom,, yes, no,, anyone? lol<br>
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SSG (Join to see)
Hq ncoic is vague, if he is the hq psg then sm could call him smk but thats an artillery expression and hq sm who arent artillery wont refer to him as smk, if he is just an ncoic then that doesnt warrant the title or term smk any nco can be an ncoic, same with 88m and the term Truck.
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<P>There are a lot of good points brought up here. Just some food for thought from an old guy:</P>
<P>1) A SFC filling the position of a 1SG is addressed as Sergeant per reglatory guidance. In my unit they are addressed as 1SG, they are giving the position, the responsibility, and the authority. They are given the title. </P>
<P>2) They are not allowed to put 1SG/USA on their email as that is reserved for a hard stripe wearing 1SG. They can put SFC/USA 1SG CO A XXXX-XXX</P>
<P>3) There is no such position as "Top". This is an Armor/Mech term (similiar to the way FA uses the terms Smoke, and Chief). As an Airborne guy who jumped back and forth, I was shocked the first time someone called me Top. That is a huge no-go in the Airborne Infantry community. </P>
<P>4) Detachment Sergeants are exactaly that, with the execption of the few LRSD detachments that are authorized E-8s, they are a SFC position in both rank and title. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>The easiest way to think about this is what is their MTOE duty position that is on their NCOER. If it is 1SG they are a 1SG, if it is MSG, they are Sergeant, if it is SFC they are Sergeant. </P>
<P>1) A SFC filling the position of a 1SG is addressed as Sergeant per reglatory guidance. In my unit they are addressed as 1SG, they are giving the position, the responsibility, and the authority. They are given the title. </P>
<P>2) They are not allowed to put 1SG/USA on their email as that is reserved for a hard stripe wearing 1SG. They can put SFC/USA 1SG CO A XXXX-XXX</P>
<P>3) There is no such position as "Top". This is an Armor/Mech term (similiar to the way FA uses the terms Smoke, and Chief). As an Airborne guy who jumped back and forth, I was shocked the first time someone called me Top. That is a huge no-go in the Airborne Infantry community. </P>
<P>4) Detachment Sergeants are exactaly that, with the execption of the few LRSD detachments that are authorized E-8s, they are a SFC position in both rank and title. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>The easiest way to think about this is what is their MTOE duty position that is on their NCOER. If it is 1SG they are a 1SG, if it is MSG, they are Sergeant, if it is SFC they are Sergeant. </P>
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I know this is an old post and I have not read all the responses. However, I want to point out that I WAS a company 1SG as a SFC. I was not acting as a 1SG. I failed acting class horribly, and the army is not the place to be acting, especially as the snior enlisted person in a company. I was in an infantry company and at no time did it cross one of my Soldier's minds to not call me 1SG. My fellow 1SG's as well as the CSM referred to me as 1SG or Top. Even the garrison CSM and Commander referred to me as 1SG.
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I am a Detachment Sergeant and I am responsible for 130 Soldiers and NCO's. Most detachment are very small in numbers but for the most part can flex due to attached personnel. Now the last time I looked at my duties and responsibilities as a Detachment Sergeant were no different then the duties and responsibilities as those appointed to the positions of First Sergeant because they are a Sergeant First Class (promotable) or a Master Sergeant who have appointed. In my two years of being a SFC (Detachment Sergeant). I still get the wire brush taken to my backside by the BN/BDE CSM's as well as the BN/BDE Commander as a "Diamond" wearing 1SG. Whether a SFC in a true 1SG Slot or a Detachment Sergeant. They are the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of the Detachment or Company. Some of my Soldiers refer to me as 1SG, some refer to me as Top and some say "Sergeant. I have never required any thing but what regulation says you must address me as. If anyone who is holding the positions and you are worried about what you are being called. Then your duties and responsibilities are of least importance to you. I believe that if someone whether Soldiers, junior NCO's and fellow Sr. NCO refer to your as 1SG then it is sign of respect from those acknowledging the job your are doing. It is not just a term of endearment. It can be a Staff Sergeant who could be selected by the BDE CSM to take that slot/position as the "1SG" or "DET SGT" and he/she would still deserved the same courtesy and respect that we would give the person whose rank is required of that positions by MTOE and or TDA.
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My detachment MSG has the same exact responsibilities as a 1SG. He is in charge of less people yes, but the duties are the same. We have our own UIC, we have all the additional duties of a company and everything a company does just less people. So in turn I address him as MSG because of his position in our detachment as a sign of respect for being the senior enlisted.
No disrespect intended SFC, but I find it odd that you would say not to address an E8 as MSG, but you think it is ok to address him as Top neither of which is in any AR. MSG is actually used in official communications but Top is not.
E5-E8 with the exception of 1SG are officially addressed as Sergeant in person or in correspondence by specific rank (Sergeant, Staff Sergeant and so forth).
So if you think that calling a 1SG a "nickname" (top) is ok then why is calling a MSG a "nickname",which happens to be his actually rank, not ok? Again no disrespect just curious.
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SGT (Join to see)
Still has the same responsibilities Sir when it comes to the detachment as a 1SG does to a company just on a smaller scale as I stated earlier.When i was at fort hood our platoon was at one point 8 soldiers strong. The maintenance company at the time was 25 strong, that did not mean my PSGs responsibilities were any less, easier perhaps, but no less. Same with a MSG
You fall under GSSC or GSC I believe (correct me if im wrong) 56th does not we are our own "company" and handle all of the extra responsibilities of a company between the 16 NCOs on teams, with no extra help from any other company in the BN. As I stated before it is on a much smaller scale but all of the planning, accountability, responsibility is still there. It may not be the case for all Det. MSGs in the Army, but we both know CRD is 1000% different than any other organization in the Army.
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Its First Sergeant or Top! I've had the honor to be both a Joint 1SG and a USAF 1SG and I prefer Top, but either is fine. Not Senior Master Sergeant or as some shorten it as Senior - just not right!
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SGT (Join to see)
1SG
Just curious how a nickname (Top) is ok, but addressing someone by their actually rank is not? Technically both are unacceptable according to (Army) doctrine.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I think he is talking about Senior. I hear people use it all the time and Senior is not an acceptable way to address an Air Force E-8. I have, to be completely honest, never heard anybody use Top. But I haven't spent very much time in a joint environment.
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Thank you SFC Michael B for bringing this up. Kind of like with the Navy and their different rank designations.
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I will only say this after being in a company 1SG position for 15 months I have never expected to be addressed as 1SG. The courtesy was always given from my BDE CSM down. But I for one will always give that same courtesy to any SFC that is willing to preform that role. That SFC will answer the same for anything that happens in his company. I know that all you 1SGs worked very hard to earn your rank and may feel differently and I don't blame you I know how hard your job is.
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