Would you prefer to be addressed as 1SG or Top?

The position of the First Sergeant is one of no
substitute.  When First Sergeants are
great, their units are great regardless of personalities that may get in the
way.  I have always wanted to move up the
ranks and one day serve as a First Sergeant. 
It is the opportunity to coach, mentor and motivate many Soldiers to
include Noncommissioned Officers and officers at that.  First Sergeants hold formations, instruct
Platoon Sergeant through mentorship and guidance, advise the Company Commander
in regards to Soldier issues and UCMJ and assist through supervision in training
all members of the unit.

When dealing with Soldiers issues to include UCMJ
(formal settings), the First Sergeant is what the Soldiers and NCOs of my unit
refer to me as.  When in an informal
setting, TOP will do.  Many First
Sergeants do not like being called “TOP” due to the image of being spun around
like a toy.  I had a First Sergeant once
who did not want to be referred to as “TOP” because he felt that the Soldiers
of the company were “playing” with him. 
When I gave my in-brief to my Soldiers and NCOs, I informed them of my
intent.  To me, TOP is the “Trainer of
Professionals”, the TOP enlisted member of the company.  The First Sergeant has always held a highly visible, distinctive, and sometimes notorious position in the
military unit.

A First Sergeant in the German Army is referred to as the “Father of
the Company.”  He is the wise counselor,
the one who provides and instills discipline in the company, the tough and
unbending foe.  The First Sergeant is a
confident individual, the back bone of the Army, everything that is needed in a
great Leader.  In order for the Commander
to do his/her job, the First Sergeant must be able to lead the company from the
front.

I enjoy being a First Sergeant, even with the long hours, the Soldier
and Family issues, at the end of the day, I am grateful to be afforded the opportunity
to serve as a First Sergeant in this great Army of ours.