Senior enlisted advisor

A senior enlisted advisor (SEA) in the United States Armed Forces is the most senior enlisted service member in a unit, and acts as an advisor to the commanding officer. Formally, E-9 billets for the senior enlisted advisor are established at service unit (e.g., battalion, wing, or higher), command, major command, force, or fleet levels to the SEAs/CSELs of DoD Agencies and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. SEAs are also known as command senior enlisted leaders (CSEL). Always a non-commissioned officer, the SEA is the main link between the commanding officer and the enlisted service members under his or her charge.

The SEAs from each branch at the 2009 Commander in Chief's Ball

Current senior enlisted advisors in the US military

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Service senior enlisted advisors
Position insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date
  Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman   SEAC
Troy E. Black
 
U.S. Marine Corps
November 3, 2023
  Sergeant Major of the Army   SMA
Michael R. Weimer
 
U.S. Army
August 4, 2023
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps   SMMC
Carlos A. Ruiz
 
U.S. Marine Corps
August 10, 2023
  Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy   MCPON
James Honea
 
U.S. Navy
September 8, 2022
  Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force   CMSAF
David A. Flosi
 
U.S. Air Force
March 8, 2024
  Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force   CMSSF
John F. Bentivegna
 
U.S. Space Force
September 15, 2023
  Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard   MCPOCG
Heath B. Jones
 
U.S. Coast Guard
May 19, 2022
  Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau   SEA
John T. Raines III
 
U.S. Army
November 8, 2024
Senior enlisted advisors, Unified Combatant Commands
 
U.S. Africa Command
United States Africa Command
 
SgtMaj
Michael P. Woods
 
U.S. Marine Corps
May 1, 2023
 
U.S. Central Command
United States Central Command
 
FLTCM
Derrick A. Walters
 
U.S. Navy
 
U.S. Cyber Command
United States Cyber Command
 
CMSgt
Kenneth M. Bruce Jr.
 
U.S. Air Force
September 8, 2023
 
U.S. European Command
United States European Command
 
CSM
Robert V. Abernethy
 
U.S. Army
June 7, 2022
  United States Indo-Pacific Command
 
FLTCM
David L. Isom
 
U.S. Navy
August 2021
 
U.S. Northern Command
United States Northern Command
 
CMSgt
John G. Storms
 
U.S. Air Force
June 14, 2024
 
U.S. Southern Command
United States Southern Command
 
SgtMaj
Rafael Rodriguez
 
U.S. Marine Corps
September 6, 2023
 
U.S. Space Command
United States Space Command
 
CMSgt
Jacob C. Simmons
 
U.S. Space Force
August 7, 2023
 
U.S. Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
 
CSM
Shane W. Shorter
 
U.S. Army
August 2022
 
U.S. Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command
 
SgtMaj
Howard L. Kreamer
 
U.S. Marine Corps
September 2021
 
U.S. Transportation Command
United States Transportation Command
 
CMSgt
Brian P. Kruzelnick
 
U.S. Air Force
June 7, 2023

In the United States Army, the SEA for a battalion or larger-sized unit is usually a Command Sergeant Major. For Marine battalions and larger, a sergeant major typically takes the role. Navy ships and other commands will usually have a command, fleet, or force master chief petty officer (known as the Chief of the Boat on a submarine), while an Air Force or Space Force command chief master sergeant serves at Wing, Delta, Numbered Air Force, Field Operating Agency (FOA), Major Command, Field Command or at "Joint," DoD Agency levels.[citation needed]

In the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, the senior enlisted advisor at the company or battery level (or other unit at similar echelon) is a first sergeant. In the Air Force and Space Force, the senior enlisted member of units smaller than those listed above for command chief master sergeant is either a chief master sergeant or a senior master sergeant and may also include a separate first sergeant authorization. In the Air Force a first sergeant can be an E7, E8 or E9, depending on size and mission of the unit, and is a temporary, special duty assignment.[citation needed]

International equivalents

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Australia

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In Australia the equivalent positions within the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) are Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N), Regimental Sergeant Major-Army (RSM-A) and Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF) respectively. On 20 June 2023 the Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell announced the creation of the position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force (SEAC) and that the outgoing Joint Operations Warrant Officer, Warrant Officer Ken Robertson would assume the position effective 1 July 2023.

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date
  Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force   Warrant Officer
Ken Robertson[1]
  Royal Australian Air Force July 1, 2023
  Warrant Officer of the Navy   Warrant Officer
Andrew Bertoncin[2] OAM
  Royal Australian Navy December 16, 2022
  Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (Australia)   Warrant Officer
Kim Felmingham
NSC, OAM
  Australian Army July 1, 2022
  Warrant Officer of the Air Force   Warrant Officer
Ralph Clifton
  Royal Australian Air Force December 1, 2022

Canada

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The Senior Enlisted advisor of the Canadian Forces is the Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer. The Army, Navy and Air Force each have their own Chief Warrant Officer acting as Senior Enlisted advisor.

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Start date Service branch Ref.
  Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer   Chief Warrant Officer
Bob McCann MMM, MSM, CD
14 April 2023   Canadian Army [3]
  Chief Petty Officer of the Navy   Chief Petty Officer 1st Class
Pascal Harel [4]
May 2024   Royal Canadian Navy [5]
  Chief Warrant Officer of the Canadian Army   Chief Warrant Officer
J. M. Smith MMM, CD
10 June 2021   Canadian Army [6]
  Chief Warrant Officer of the Air Force   Chief Warrant Officer
W. J. Hall MMM, CD
10 June 2021   Royal Canadian Air Force [7]
Senior enlisted advisors Commands
  Canadian Forces Intelligence Command Chief Warrant Officer   Chief Warrant Officer
N.E. Belanger MMM, CD
2019   Royal Canadian Air Force [8]

NATO

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NATO also has a number of Senior Enlisted Advisors taken from NATO members for various posts, including Senior Enlisted Advisor - NATO Allied Command Transformation

New Zealand

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In New Zealand the equivalent positions within the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) are Warrant officer of the Navy (New Zealand) (WON), Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) and Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOAF) respectively. there is also the Senior position within HQNZDF of the Warrant Officer of the Defence Force (WODF) WODR

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date
  Warrant Officer of the Defence Force (New Zealand)   Warrant Officer class 1
Wiremu Moffitt[9]
  New Zealand Army May 22, 2024
  Warrant officer of the Navy (New Zealand)   Warrant Officer Diver
Lance Graham
  Royal New Zealand Navy January 29, 2021
  Sergeant Major of the Army (New Zealand)   Warrant Officer class 1
  New Zealand Army -
  Warrant Officer of the Air Force (New Zealand)   Warrant Officer
Kerry Williams[10]
  Royal New Zealand Air Force

Singapore

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Singapore has a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Sergeant Major (SAFSM), as well as Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA), Master Chief Navy (MCN), Air Force Command Chief (AFCC) and Chief Expert, Digital and Intelligence Service (CXDI).

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date
  SAF Sergeant Major   Chief Warrant Officer
Chua Hock Guan
  Singapore Army March 30, 2022
  Sergeant Major of the Army   Chief Warrant Officer
Sanjee Singh s/o Saraina
  Singapore Army May 5, 2023
  Master Chief Navy   Military Expert 6
Goh Leng Yan
  Republic of Singapore Navy September 30, 2015
  Air Force Command Chief   Military Expert 6
Ng See Lye
  Republic of Singapore Air Force May 25, 2021
  Chief Expert, Digital and Intelligence Service   Military Expert 6
Noh Kok Tiong
Digital and Intelligence Service October 28, 2022

South Africa

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South Africa has a Warrant officer of the Defence Force, as well as Sergeant Majors of the Army, Air Force and Medical Services. The Navy equivalent is the Master at Arms of the Navy

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date Reference
  Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force   Master Chief Warrant Officer
Mothusi Kgaladi
  South African Army October 2012 [11]
  Master at Arms of the Navy   Senior Chief Warrant Officer
Matee Molefe
  South African Navy February 1, 2018 [12]
  Sergeant Major of the Army (South Africa)   Senior Chief Warrant Officer
Ncedakele Mtshatsheni
  South African Army February 1, 2017
(Acting from October 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017)
[13]
  Sergeant Major of the Air Force   Senior Chief Warrant Officer
Colin Stanton-Jones
  South African Air Force December 1, 2018 [14][failed verification]
  Warrant Officer of the South African Military Health Services   Senior Chief Warrant Officer
South African Military Health Service

United Kingdom

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The Royal Navy has the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy, the British Army has the Army Sergeant Major, the Royal Air Force has the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer and the Royal Marines the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. In 2018, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee was introduced.

Service senior enlisted advisors
Rank insignia Position Photo Incumbent Service branch Start date
  Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee   Warrant Officer Class One
Glenn Haughton[15] OBE
  British Army November 1, 2018
  Warrant Officer of the Naval Service   Warrant Officer Class One
Carl Steedman[16][17]
  Royal Navy January 31, 2020
  Army Sergeant Major   Warrant Officer Class One
Paul Carney[18]
  British Army August 3, 2021
  Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force   Warrant Officer
Jake Alpert[19][20] MBE
  Royal Air Force October 2019
  Corps Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Class One
Richard Angove[21]
  Royal Marines July 2020

References

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  1. ^ "New Role Gives Personnel Direct Line to Chief". Royal Australian Defence Organisation. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Warrant Officer Andrew Bertoncin, Warrant Officer of the Navy". Royal Australian Navy. n.d. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer – Biography". Canadian Government. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  4. ^ https://www.cmfmag.ca/policy/22nd-royal-canadian-navy-command-chief-petty-officer-announced/
  5. ^ "Chief Petty Officer of the Navy". navy-marine.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Chief Warrant Officer J.M. Smith, MMM, CD". army.gc.ca. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force". rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Chief Warrant Officer N.E. Belanger, MMM, CD". Government of Canada. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  9. ^ https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/structure-and-leadership/warrant-officer-class-one-wiremu-moffitt-2/
  10. ^ https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/structure-and-leadership/warrant-officer-kerry-williams/
  11. ^ "Mothusi Victor Kgaladi new WO SANDF". DefenceWeb.
  12. ^ Wingrin, Dean (February 2, 2018). "New Master-At-Arms for the Navy". Defenceweb. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  13. ^ "Mtshatsheni is new SA Army sergeant major". Defenceweb. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  14. ^ "New commander for 515 Squadron". March 12, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "WO1 Glenn Haughton OBE has been appointed as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee (SEAC)". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  16. ^ @SEAC_Defence (30 January 2020). "Congratulations to the newly appointed Warrant Officer of the Naval Service @WOCarlSteedman . And welcome to the world of Twitter! Give him a follow, I look forward to regular sea stories and shenanigans from the @RoyalNavy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ First Sea Lord [@AdmTonyRadakin] (31 January 2020). "But as one WONS steps down, another steps up. Welcome to WO Carl "Speedy" Steedman, who takes up the role from today. Looking forward to working with him. Please do follow him on Twitter @WOCarlSteedman" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ "Ground View". Soldier Magazine. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer". Royal Air Force website - Senior Commanders. RAF.mod.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force Families Federation. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  21. ^ @AdmTonyRadakin (31 July 2020). "Thank you, WO1 Mason, for your magnificent service and all that you have done for @RoyalMarines and @RoyalNavy. Congratulations on an exemplary career. And welcome to WO1 Richard Angove as the new Corps RSM. Well done on your appointment, and looking forward to working with you" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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