208:) 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".
243:
In the Royal
Marines, regimental sergeant major was an actual rank (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 (although the term
134:
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).
203:
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
69:". The RSM is primarily responsible for assisting their commander in maintaining standards and discipline amongst the non-commissioned members and acts as a parental figure to their subordinates, sometimes referred to by the mantra "Drill, Dress and Discipline".
89:. They are known as the regimental sergeant major regardless of whether the unit is a regiment or battalion. The RSM has leadership, discipline and welfare responsibilities of up to 650 soldiers, as well as the maintenance of their equipment.
240:). The rank of regimental sergeant major existed in the British Army until 1915, when RSMs (who already held warrant officer status) were regraded as warrant officers class I and RSM became an appointment of that rank.
170:
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.
200:
and lieutenants). In fact, the RSM may conduct "subalterns' parades" – private sessions for junior officers to perfect their foot and sword drills away from the critical eyes of the other ranks.
181:
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.
244:
continued to be used interchangeably for warrant officers class I until at least 1981). The most senior warrant officer in the Royal
Marines holds the appointment of
163:
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.
151:. 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.
916:
639:
In the
British Armed Forces the plural is "regimental sergeant majors" and not "regimental sergeants major" – the earliest usage of "sergeant majors" in
911:
93:
196:, is "king" as he has authority over all soldiers and even has the power to order punishment for subalterns (junior commissioned officers such as
875:
926:
177:(reserve equivalent) battalions which often have national service junior sergeants fast-tracked for promotion holding the RSM appointment.
931:
921:
896:
272:
115:. Due to the integrated nature of the Canadian Forces, however, it is not impossible for an air force chief warrant officer or a naval
645:
was in 1822, and the last of the (very occasional) usages of "sergeants major", except when referring to
American NCOs, was in 1938.
901:
192:
in the instruction of drill, and is in charge of the organization of formal parades. On the parade square, the RSM, with his
128:
906:
717:
124:
109:
759:
560:
495:
490:
443:
438:
397:
392:
120:
119:
to rise to that post, especially in units with a high number of support trades personnel; examples might include a
594:
65:, making them the senior warrant officer; in a unit with more than one top-ranked WO, the RSM is considered to be
747:
620:
265:
245:
85:
and holds a special position within a regiment or battalion as the senior non-commissioned adviser to the unit's
20:
666:
523:
174:
116:
613:
387:
619:
Unlike many countries, sergeants major in the United States are not classified as warrant officers, as
609:
258:
250:
936:
413:
879:
831:
771:
225:
82:
46:
197:
160:
148:
528:
480:
465:
460:
418:
112:
851:
811:
791:
382:
86:
285:
50:
8:
514:
856:
836:
816:
796:
776:
590:
518:
369:
66:
54:
612:, as the senior enlisted adviser to the regimental commander. The billet is held by a
755:
229:
548:
205:
189:
543:
538:
475:
470:
428:
423:
597:. The rank of regimental sergeant major existed in the United States Army during
553:
503:
485:
433:
311:
105:
78:
34:
565:
377:
185:
184:
In camp, he is the master of drill, parades and ceremonies. He supervises the
890:
405:
221:
144:
42:
532:
451:
228:(WO1), is addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by his or her subordinates. In the
217:
38:
743:
598:
509:
281:
360:
280:
193:
108:, the appointment of regimental sergeant major is normally held by an
641:
62:
58:
49:
and former
Commonwealth nations. It is also an actual rank in the
608:, as opposed to rank, of regimental sergeant major exists in the
92:
The most senior warrant officer in the
Australian Army is titled
605:
57:. Only one warrant officer holds the appointment of RSM in any
692:
307:
131:
CWO appointed to the position in a communication regiment.
718:"Chief of Army Staff donates vehicles to sergeant majors"
693:"COAS COMMISSIONS OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF 1 DIVISION RSM"
53:, and formerly in the British Army, Royal Marines and
744:Shoulder to shoulder: our national service journal
888:
601:. The rank was phased out in the early 1920s.
159:Like most Commonwealth forces, the RSM in the
147:, the appointment of RSM is usually held by a
876:"The Role and Tasks of the South African RSM"
266:
780:(Supplement). 30 August 1960. p. 5960.
917:Military appointments of the Royal Marines
840:(Supplement). 16 April 1981. p. 5671.
273:
259:
33:) is an appointment that may be held by a
912:Military appointments of the British Army
850:
830:
810:
790:
770:
659:
224:, the RSM, who always holds the rank of
690:
889:
621:warrant officers in the United States
254:
129:Communications and Electronics Branch
94:Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army
927:Military ranks of the Royal Marines
524:Air specialist (class 1) technician
77:A regimental sergeant major in the
13:
932:Military ranks of the British Army
922:Military appointments of Australia
897:Military ranks of the Commonwealth
14:
948:
868:
211:
860:. 2 December 1881. p. 6467.
697:Nigerian Army | Official Website
584:
121:Royal Canadian Logistics Service
902:Military appointments of Canada
800:. 17 August 1973. p. 9905.
748:Ministry of Defence (Singapore)
633:
302:
246:Corps Regimental Sergeant Major
45:, and the armies of many other
21:Sergeant major (disambiguation)
844:
824:
820:. 17 March 1981. p. 3791.
804:
784:
764:
736:
710:
684:
123:CPO1 being appointed RSM of a
1:
667:"Australian Army Other Ranks"
652:
117:chief petty officer 1st class
154:
72:
16:Military rank or appointment
7:
907:Military ranks of Singapore
691:Ayodeji (25 January 2022).
589:The equivalent rank in the
10:
953:
610:United States Marine Corps
138:
18:
623:hold a different status.
292:
234:regimental corporal major
99:
27:Regimental sergeant major
626:
519:Air specialist (class 1)
515:Air specialist (class 2)
166:Exceptions to this are:
724:. Nigeria. 22 July 2021
496:Warrant officer class 1
491:Warrant officer class 2
444:Warrant officer class 1
439:Warrant officer class 2
398:Warrant officer class 1
393:Warrant officer class 2
282:Ratings and other ranks
226:warrant officer class 1
186:company sergeants major
83:warrant officer class 1
742:Koh B. P., Lee G. B.,
595:command sergeant major
161:Singapore Armed Forces
149:master warrant officer
232:, the appointment is
113:chief warrant officer
286:British Armed Forces
67:first amongst equals
51:Irish Defence Forces
19:For other uses, see
388:Chief petty officer
857:The London Gazette
837:The London Gazette
817:The London Gazette
797:The London Gazette
777:The London Gazette
591:United States Army
298:
127:, or an air force
87:commanding officer
55:United States Army
581:
580:
576:
575:
571:
570:
230:Household Cavalry
190:platoon sergeants
125:service battalion
944:
937:Warrant officers
883:
878:. Archived from
862:
861:
848:
842:
841:
828:
822:
821:
808:
802:
801:
788:
782:
781:
768:
762:
740:
734:
733:
731:
729:
714:
708:
707:
705:
703:
688:
682:
681:
679:
677:
663:
646:
637:
549:Chief technician
303:
295:
294:
275:
268:
261:
252:
251:
175:National service
952:
951:
947:
946:
945:
943:
942:
941:
887:
886:
882:on 24 May 2009.
874:
871:
866:
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849:
845:
829:
825:
809:
805:
789:
785:
769:
765:
741:
737:
727:
725:
716:
715:
711:
701:
699:
689:
685:
675:
673:
671:Australian Army
665:
664:
660:
655:
650:
649:
638:
634:
629:
587:
582:
577:
572:
564:
561:Warrant officer
554:Flight sergeant
552:
522:
517:
504:Royal Air Force
486:Colour sergeant
484:
434:Colour sergeant
374:not applicable
288:
279:
214:
157:
141:
106:Canadian Forces
102:
79:Australian Army
75:
35:warrant officer
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
950:
940:
939:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
885:
884:
870:
869:External links
867:
864:
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763:
735:
709:
683:
657:
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631:
630:
628:
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614:sergeant major
586:
583:
579:
578:
574:
573:
569:
568:
566:Master aircrew
558:
556:
546:
541:
536:
529:Lance corporal
526:
512:
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493:
488:
481:Staff sergeant
478:
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468:
466:Lance corporal
463:
458:
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312:Service branch
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585:United States
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406:Royal Marines
403:
402:
399:
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383:Petty officer
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145:Nigerian Army
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81:is usually a
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68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
43:Royal Marines
40:
36:
32:
28:
22:
880:the original
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795:
786:
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738:
726:. Retrieved
722:The Guardian
721:
712:
700:. Retrieved
696:
686:
674:. Retrieved
670:
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618:
603:
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452:British Army
450:
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233:
218:British Army
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165:
158:
142:
133:
103:
91:
76:
47:Commonwealth
39:British Army
37:(WO) in the
30:
26:
25:
852:"No. 25044"
832:"No. 48587"
812:"No. 48555"
792:"No. 46054"
772:"No. 42131"
599:World War I
510:Air recruit
370:Able seaman
891:Categories
653:References
361:Royal Navy
194:pace stick
642:The Times
338:OR-5/OR-6
155:Singapore
73:Australia
63:battalion
728:19 April
702:19 April
544:Sergeant
539:Corporal
533:RAF Regt
476:Sergeant
471:Corporal
457:Recruit
429:Sergeant
424:Corporal
366:Recruit
310:grade /
198:captains
59:regiment
676:20 June
461:Private
284:of the
216:In the
206:English
143:In the
139:Nigeria
104:In the
758:
754:, 32.
606:billet
535:only)
414:Marine
100:Canada
41:, the
627:Notes
756:ISBN
752:2002
730:2023
704:2023
678:2019
604:The
353:OR-9
348:OR-8
343:OR-7
333:OR-4
328:OR-3
323:OR-2
318:OR-1
308:NATO
220:and
188:and
110:army
593:is
238:RCM
173:In
61:or
31:RSM
893::
854:.
834:.
814:.
794:.
774:.
750:,
746:,
720:.
695:.
669:.
616:.
248:.
96:.
732:.
706:.
680:.
563:/
551:/
531:(
521:/
483:/
274:e
267:t
260:v
236:(
29:(
23:.
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