Fort Bliss, TX –
In the days leading up to the Sergeants Major Academy (SGM-A) class 74 graduation ceremony, another series of ceremonies took place on the campus. Five appointment ceremonies were held, one for each resident department in the academy. During this series of promotions over 360 of the classes 500 students, were appointed to sergeant major. Most of those promoted were active-duty Army or Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Soldiers.
The ceremonies were attended by friends, Family, classmates and academy instructors of the soon to be graduates who were being appointed. Some Family members even had a chance to pin rank insignia on their Soldiers.
According to the SGM-A director, Sgt. Maj. Ceaser Llanez, the importance of this series of appointments for graduates, “marks the transition from SGM-A student to sergeant major. This is the beginning of their journey as they re-enter the force as a sergeant major where they will serve as that senior non-commissioned officer who will serve as a mentor, coach and advisors to their counterpart officers and subordinate leaders.”
These appointments held at the academy differ from the past two classes who left the academy as master sergeants and were promoted based on need and their individual sequence number after reporting to their units. This often led to them filling master sergeant roles for several months to a year until they were promoted to sergeant major. But due to a recent change announced by the Sergeant Major of the Army appointments or frockings will once again be issued upon graduation of the resident Sergeants Major Course (SMC).
This change is intended to better utilize the graduates of the academy, allowing them to immediately fill the sergeant major roles they have spent a year training for without having to return to master sergeant positions while awaiting their actual promotion.
Due to this change Class 74 SGM-A graduates, will leave the academy already appointed to sergeant major and will be able exercise a wider level of influence. “As a result, unit leadership can be assured that each sergeant major reports ready and prepared to assume positions of higher responsibility,” said Llanez.