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

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 Tony L. Whitehead	U.S. Air Force	August 25, 2020
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

Australia

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

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

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

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

South Africa

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

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

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.

External links

• Senior Enlisted Advisor on the Dictionary of Occupational Titles
• Senior Enlisted Advisor on TheFreeDictionary.com