Got this from wikipedia
United States Army
Sergeant Major insignia
(U.S. Army)
In the U.S. Army, Sergeant Major refers to both a military rank and to a specific administrative position. The rank refers to the highest enlisted rank, just above First Sergeant, with a pay grade of E-9.
Command
Sergeant Major insignia
(U.S. Army)
The administrative position, Command Sergeant Major, is the senior enlisted advisor to the commanding officer and carries with it certain ceremonial functions such as caring for the unit's colors. Additionally, they serve as monitors for, and advocates of, the enlisted men in the command. This position exists in units of battalion size and larger.
An alternate usage of Command Sergeant Major is the senior NCO of a headquarters unit at battalion level or above; the soldier filling this position should carry the rank of Sergeant Major, but personnel shortages may, from time to time, force this sergeant major position to be held by a senior First Sergeant.
Sergeant Major of the Army is a unique position.
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History
In the 16th century, the sergeant major was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the army's command structure; he also acted as a sort of chief of staff to the army's commander.
In the 17th century, sergeant majors appeared in individual regiments. These were field officers, third in command of their regiments (after their colonels and lieutenant colonels), with a role similar to the older, army-level sergeant majors (although obviously on a smaller scale). The older position became known as sergeant major general to distinguish it. Over time, the sergeant was dropped from both titles, giving rise to the modern ranks of major and major general.
The full title of sergeant major fell out of use until the latter part of the 18th century, when it began to be applied to the senior non-commissioned officer of an infantry battalion or cavalry regiment.
It is about this time that the U.S. and British histories of the title diverge, with the American Revolutionary War.
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United States
The first official U.S. use of the term was in 1776, when a sergeant major was appointed to the headquarters of each infantry battalion of the Continental Army. In 1920, with the standardisation of the army's enlisted pay grades, it ceased to be a title of rank or grade. However, it survived as the job title of the senior NCO of a battalion, and was re-introduced as a rank in 1958. The appointment of Sergeant Major of the Army was created in 1966. Command Sergeant Major got separate insignia in 1968.
The U.S. Marine Corps got its first sergeant major in 1801. This was originally a solitary post, similar to the modern Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, but by 1899 there were five of them. The title was abolished in 1946 but re-introduced as a rank in 1954; the post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was established in 1957.
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I was pretty sure we had them in '68
Three up
Three down
With a star with a wreath around it in the middle.
DM
