Regimental sergeant major
Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by a
Australia
A regimental sergeant major in the
The most senior warrant officer in the Australian Army is titled Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army.
Canada
In the
RSMs are generally address as "RSM" or "Mr" or "Ms" by officers, and as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by subordinates (which applies only to regimental sergeant majors who are army or air force CWOs; naval CPO1s are universally addressed as "Chief", regardless of any appointments held).
Nigeria
In the Nigerian Army, the appointment of RSM is usually held by a master warrant officer. The RSM, during any visit from a general officer, marches slowly in front of the military procession with a brightly coloured and decorated wooden stick.[2][3]
Singapore
Like most Commonwealth forces, the RSM in the Singapore Armed Forces is usually the most senior warrant officer in the unit. Depending on the size of the unit, RSMs can be third, second, first, master, or senior warrant officers.
Exceptions to this are:
- In the presence of another warrant officer; however even under these circumstances, the RSM is treated as the senior warrant officer of the unit while the other warrant officers are recognised as officers.
- In National service(reserve equivalent) battalions which often have national service junior sergeants fast-tracked for promotion holding the RSM appointment.
During exercises and operations, the role of the RSM is to organize the battalion for movement, and to assist the unit S1 (manpower officer) in manpower administration.[4]
In camp, he is the master of drill, parades and ceremonies. He supervises the
Senior officers may address them simply as "RSM", while, as a warrant officer, they are addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by those junior in rank. Traditionally, all warrant officers, with or without an appointment as RSM or CSM, are addressed as "Encik" ("mister" in English) by officers and other ranks although this is an informal right which is not to be assumed. Sometimes, lower ranked NCOs who are not warrant officers but who are holding the appointment of CSM may also be given the honour of being addressed as "Encik." Nevertheless, all specialists and warrant officers holding sergeant-major appointments should be addressed as "sergeant-major".
United Kingdom
In the
In the Royal Marines, regimental sergeant major was an actual rank[5] (and equivalent to warrant officer class I in the Army) until the Royal Marines themselves re-adopted the ranks of warrant officer classes I and II (which had been abolished in the Royal Marines in 1920) in 1973[6] (although the term continued to be used interchangeably for warrant officers class I until at least 1981[7]). The most senior warrant officer in the Royal Marines holds the appointment of Corps Regimental Sergeant Major.[a]
United States
The equivalent rank in the
The billet, as opposed to rank, of regimental sergeant major exists in the United States Marine Corps, as the senior enlisted adviser to the regimental commander. The billet is held by a sergeant major.
Unlike many countries, sergeant majors in the United States are not classified as warrant officers, as warrant officers in the United States hold a different status.
Notes
- ^ In the British Armed Forces the plural is "regimental sergeant majors" and not "regimental sergeants major"[8][9] – the earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in The Times was in 1822, and the last of the (very occasional) usages of "sergeants major", except when referring to American NCOs, was in 1938.
References
- ^ "Australian Army Other Ranks". Australian Army. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ Ayodeji (25 January 2022). "COAS COMMISSIONS OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF 1 DIVISION RSM". Nigerian Army | Official Website. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- ^ "Chief of Army Staff donates vehicles to sergeant majors". The Guardian. Nigeria. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- ISBN 981-04-6931-4
- ^ "No. 42131". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 August 1960. p. 5960.
- ^ "No. 46054". The London Gazette. 17 August 1973. p. 9905.
- ^ "No. 48555". The London Gazette. 17 March 1981. p. 3791.
- ^ "No. 48587". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 April 1981. p. 5671.
- ^ "No. 25044". The London Gazette. 2 December 1881. p. 6467.
External links
- "The Role and Tasks of the South African RSM". Archived from the original on 24 May 2009.