Sergeants Major Course

Sergeants Major Course
Name	Sergeants Major Course
Type	Senior non-commissioned officer professional development
Established	1970s
Location	Fort Bliss, Fort Bliss, Fort Bliss
Administered by	United States Army, United States Army Combined Arms Center, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Duration	variable (approximately 12 weeks)
Prerequisites	Master Sergeant, First Sergeant, Command Sergeant Major positions

Sergeants Major Course The Sergeants Major Course is a senior-level professional development program for senior non-commissioned officers administered by the United States Army and overseen by institutions such as the United States Army Combined Arms Center and United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. Designed to prepare senior enlisted leaders for strategic-level duties alongside leaders from organizations like the Department of Defense, the course interfaces with doctrine promulgated by the Army War College and operational concepts tested at centers like Joint Forces Command and U.S. Central Command. Its evolution reflects lessons from conflicts including the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and operations in Iraq War and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and it aligns with talent-management initiatives from the Department of the Army and force-design efforts championed by figures such as General Raymond T. Odierno and General Mark A. Milley.

History

The program traces roots to senior enlisted education movements of the 1970s and reforms after the Vietnam War, adapting through doctrinal shifts following the Goldwater–Nichols Act and lessons from the First Battle of Fallujah and Battle of Ramadi. Institutional milestones include consolidation at professional schools affiliated with the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy and curriculum modernization influenced by studies from RAND Corporation, policy guidance from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and training doctrine authored by the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). NATO interoperability demands driven by partnerships with North Atlantic Treaty Organization members and missions involving the Multinational Force in Iraq further shaped course content and delivery.

Purpose and Curriculum

The course aims to prepare senior enlisted leaders for responsibilities in formations ranging from brigade combat team staff to headquarters such as United States European Command, United States Indo-Pacific Command, and joint staffs like Joint Staff (United States); curriculum areas cover leadership studied alongside case studies such as the Battle of Mogadishu (1993), operational planning frameworks used in Operation Enduring Freedom, ethical instruction referencing standards from the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and personnel management concepts tied to programs like the Noncommissioned Officer Education System. Academic components interact with military publications such as ADP 6-0 and FM 7-0 and incorporate lessons from events including the Siege of Kunar and stabilization efforts after the Hurricane Katrina response.

Eligibility and Selection

Candidates typically are promoted to grades such as E-8 (United States) and E-9 (United States) and hold billets like First Sergeant (United States Army) or Command Sergeant Major (United States Army). Selection processes involve records reviewed by boards influenced by models from Department of Defense human-capital initiatives and use tools akin to evaluation reports such as the Enlisted Evaluation Report (United States Army), with assignments coordinated through systems including Human Resources Command (United States Army). International students from partners such as United Kingdom Armed Forces, Canadian Armed Forces, and Australian Defence Force attend under exchange agreements comparable to those used by Foreign Military Sales (United States) and bilateral security cooperation.

Course Structure and Phases

The course is organized into resident and non-resident phases, incorporating practical exercises at venues like the National Training Center (Fort Irwin), leader professional development seminars influenced by models from the United States Naval War College and Air University, and distance-learning modules compatible with platforms used by the Army University Press. Phases include foundational doctrine instruction, staff procedures mirroring formats used in Operations Order (United States) development, electives on subjects such as interagency coordination with United States Agency for International Development and coalition leadership briefings reflecting NATO Standardization Office guidance.

Assessment and Graduation

Assessment combines written examinations aligned with standards from Department of the Army Pamphlet 600-3 and performance evaluations in capstone exercises resembling war-games conducted by the Combat Training Center (United States) programs. Graduation ceremonies often occur with senior leaders from commands like FORSCOM and TRADOC presiding, and graduates are assigned to senior billets within formations such as III Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps, with career implications tracked via systems managed by Military Personnel Management offices.

Notable Alumni and Impact

Alumni have included senior enlisted leaders who served alongside commanders like General David Petraeus, General Stanley McChrystal, General Martin Dempsey, and General Joseph Dunford, influencing operations from Operation Iraqi Freedom to multinational missions such as ISAF. Graduates have shaped doctrine adopted in publications like ADRP 1 and advised policymakers in institutions including the National Security Council (United States) and congressional panels such as the Senate Armed Services Committee. International alumni from militaries including the Indian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Brazilian Army have contributed to multinational training partnerships and capability development initiatives across theaters like Africa Command and Southern Command (U.S.).

Category:United States Army training