Company Sergeant Major
Encyclopedia
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
in the armies of many Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
to the company. He also oversees the distribution of other supplies such as water or food; although that responsibility mainly is the company quartermaster sergeant
Company Quartermaster Sergeant
Company quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment.-Canada:A Company Quartermaster Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as deputy to the Company Sergeant Major and is the second most senior NCO...
's (CQMS), and evacuating the wounded and collecting prisoners of war.
For military units of the same level as company, the equivalent may be squadron sergeant major (SSM) or battery sergeant major (BSM). In the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
, squadron corporal major (SCM) is the equivalent. First sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
and Hauptfeldwebel
Hauptfeldwebel
In the German military, the appointment of Hauptfeldwebel was the German equivalent of a Commonwealth Company Sergeant Major or American Company First Sergeant. There was one such non-commissioned officer in every infantry company, artillery battery, cavalry squadron, etc...
are the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and German Heer
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
equivalents respectively.
Canada
In the Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, the CSM appointment is normally held by a Master Warrant Officer
Master Warrant Officer
Master warrant officer is a senior military rank in the Canadian Forces, Singapore Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces.-Canadian Forces:...
(MWO). The appointment is sometimes held by a Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
(WO), responsible for a smaller number of personnel.
In the Canadian Forces, the SSM/BSM/CSM is referred to as "Sir/Ma'am" by subordinates, or as "Sergeant Major". Superiors refer to him/her generally as "Sergeant Major" or "CSM". If the position is held by a Warrant Officer, subordinates address the CSM as "Warrant".
Singapore
In the Singapore Armed ForcesSingapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
, the CSM appointment is usually held by a Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
, Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
(the usual rank for a CSM of a non-HQ company) or Second Warrant Officer
Second Warrant Officer
Second Warrant Officer is a Warrant Officer rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. It was the most junior of the Warrant Officers until the rank of Third Warrant Officer was brought into effect on 01 April 2010....
(the usual rank for a CSM of a battalion HQ company). He may be addressed as "CSM" by superiors, and as "Sergeant Major" (for a Staff Sergeant or Master Sergeant) or "Sir" (for a Second Warrant Officer) by subordinates. The CSM is often respectfully addressed by all as "Encik", Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
for "Mister", but the permission for junior enlisted men to do so should not be taken for granted.
Training schools sometimes refer to companies as "wings"; instead of a CSM, the wing has a Wing Sergeant Major (WSM). In the case for Officer Cadet School
Officer Cadet School (Singapore)
Officer Cadet School is one of the several training establishments within the SAFTI Military Institute camp complex. Its role is to train officers of all three services of the Singapore Armed Forces...
, WSMs are second or first warrant officers (2WO or 1WO), likely due to the greater experience required for the appointment.
The CSM is the senior Specialist
Specialist (Singapore)
In the Singapore Armed Forces , Specialists are the group of ranks equivalent to non-commissioned officers in other armed forces. This term was introduced in 1993, for a more "positive" rank classification. In the SAF, Warrant Officers are not considered Specialists.Like many other modern...
in the company. He is in charge of the welfare and discipline of the Specialists and enlisted men within, and is usually has the company commander's ear. Drill and ceremonies is the CSM's responsibility. He supervises the instruction of drill by the Platoon Sergeant
Platoon Sergeant
In many militaries, a platoon sergeant is the senior enlisted member of a platoon, who advises and supports the platoon's commanding officer in leading the unit.-Singapore:...
s, and will conduct company rehearsals for parades prior to actual parade rehearsals. On the parade square, the CSM carries a black pace stick
Pace stick
A pace stick is a long stick usually carried by warrant officer and non-commissioned officer drill instructors in the British and Commonwealth armed forces & police forces as a symbol of authority and as an aid to military drill....
.
As an experienced senior Specialist, the CSM is expected to be an expert in the weapons and equipment employed in the company, and will assist in instruction where necessary. During exercises or operations, the CSM, aided by the Company Quartermaster Sergeant
Company Quartermaster Sergeant
Company quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment.-Canada:A Company Quartermaster Sergeant in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a company who is in charge of supplies. The CQMS also serves as deputy to the Company Sergeant Major and is the second most senior NCO...
and Company Medic, is in charge of organizing the company's logistics, manpower, and medical treatment and evacuation. If necessary, he can be tasked to lead a detachment, usually comprising recoilless rifles and machine guns, to accomplish an identified task.
United Kingdom
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, CSM is an appointment held by Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s Class 2 (WO2) in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
.
A CSM, BSM or SSM is generally addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by subordinates, or "Sergeant Major". However, a cavalry SSM is often addressed as "Mr (surname)" by officers, and as "Mr (surname), Sir" by his subordinates, with the salutation "Sergeant Major" being reserved for Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
s. Typically for the British Army, protocol can vary widely between units, creating a minefield for outsiders, new recruits, and soldiers serving outside their parent regiments.
The most famous fictional example is perhaps Battery Sergeant Major Tudor Brynne 'Shut Up' Williams, portrayed by Windsor Davies
Windsor Davies
Windsor Davies is a British actor, well known for playing the part of Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the 1970s/1980s British sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum.-Early life and career:...
in the 1970s sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
It Ain't Half Hot Mum was a British sitcom about the adventures of a Royal Artillery Concert Party, broadcast on the BBC between 1974 and 1981, and written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army...
.