CSM Tips

[ufcfootballfan]

Hello, i am the Command Sergeant Major of my JROTC Battalion. I am a Sophomore, in which i am the youngest Command Sergeant Major in my schools history. I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips or advice, Thank you.

[-BuLL-]

Why are you the C/CSM as a Sophmore? Sounds a little high for a LET 2(guessing you are a LET 2). Are there any specific things you would like advice on (I'm currently a LET 3 C/CSM)? Just in general, know the regulations for everything (Be the go to guy if a cadet has a question). Be approachable but don't let people think they are your "BFF" when it gets to be time for business. Know how to march, call commands, call cadence and be proficient at them all. Be the person the rest of the enlisted cadets (and officers) want to be like. You should be a role model for your battalion. Make sure your uniform is always squared away and you are on time to everything you are required to be at. Make sure your C/1SG's are doing there job properly. Be on the same page with your BC, XO, and the rest of the staff. If you are in charge of any special teams make sure they are proficient and running smooth. Just basically be a high speed cadet and strive to make your battalion just as high speed. Good luck to you. Any other questions feel free to pm me or keep this thread going.

[ufcfootballfan]

Yes, am a LET two. I am having some problems with color guard. We (me and the Battalion Commander) are having trouble finding a efficient way of teaching the ways of the color guard to the cadets. Also as you know i am supposed to maintain a close relationship with the Battalion Commander, the issue is me and my battalion commander do not see "eye to eye" all of the time. Any Suggestions?

[-BuLL-]

Yes, am a LET two. I am having some problems with color guard. We (me and the Battalion Commander) are having trouble finding a efficient way of teaching the ways of the color guard to the cadets. Also as you know i am supposed to maintain a close relationship with the Battalion Commander, the issue is me and my battalion commander do not see "eye to eye" all of the time. Any Suggestions?

At the end of the day the BC has the final say. You get your input time but if he (generic) doesn't want to execute that plan then it won't be executed. You are the senior advisor to the BC. You get to tell him the way you see it and how you think it should be done. He will tell you how he thinks it should be done. If they are the same, then easy choice, but if not you have to do what your commander wants you to. You just get to suggest other ways of doing things (basically just an enlisted perspective on things). As for the color guard, what is not efficient about it. I'm not completely in charge of my color guard. We still have a color guard commander. Me and her are just always on the same page and know what is going on with the multiple guards. I pretty much leave most of it up to her because she is excellent and knows what she is doing. I just make sure we have color guards for all of our events and competitions and assist her if needed (I also command the Armed Regulation drill team). If you want to pm me or reply to this thread and tell me what things you need help on while training color guards I would be delighted to answer. Pretty sure some other CG commanders on this forum would be happy to shed some light and give some assistance to you.

[Sanguinary]

Why are you the C/CSM as a Sophmore? Sounds a little high for a LET 2(guessing you are a LET 2). Are there any specific things you would like advice on (I'm currently a LET 3 C/CSM)? Just in general, know the regulations for everything (Be the go to guy if a cadet has a question). Be approachable but don't let people think they are your "BFF" when it gets to be time for business. Know how to march, call commands, call cadence and be proficient at them all. Be the person the rest of the enlisted cadets (and officers) want to be like. You should be a role model for your battalion. Make sure your uniform is always squared away and you are on time to everything you are required to be at. Make sure your C/1SG's are doing there job properly. Be on the same page with your BC, XO, and the rest of the staff. If you are in charge of any special teams make sure they are proficient and running smooth. Just basically be a high speed cadet and strive to make your battalion just as high speed. Good luck to you. Any other questions feel free to pm me or keep this thread going.

This depends on your battalion and how it is run. In my battalion C/CSMs are always LET 2s.


Yes, am a LET two. I am having some problems with color guard. We (me and the Battalion Commander) are having trouble finding a efficient way of teaching the ways of the color guard to the cadets. Also as you know i am supposed to maintain a close relationship with the Battalion Commander, the issue is me and my battalion commander do not see "eye to eye" all of the time. Any Suggestions?

I know this may sound silly, but watch the movie We Were Soldiers and see how the Battalion Commander and the SGM treat the other. I don't have much to tell you other than that. I guess you just need to find out why he thinks a certain way on something. Possibly one of you could have a very good reason for something but you just are not communicating it thoroughly. l

[-BuLL-]

This depends on your battalion and how it is run. In my battalion C/CSMs are always LET 2s.

So you have cadets jump from C/PFC to C/CSM. Do they not have to learn how to be a squad leader first? What about the platoon and company levels? Either your battalion is very small or your C/CSM must not have to do much because it sounds like you just shove someone in that position to fill a hole. How does a cadet that has only operated on the squad level as a squad member ready to lead the battalion? I would like more information because in my opinion the C/CSM should NOT be a LET 2.

[Sanguinary]

So you have cadets jump from C/PFC to C/CSM. Do they not have to learn how to be a squad leader first? What about the platoon and company levels? Either your battalion is very small or your C/CSM must not have to do much because it sounds like you just shove someone in that position to fill a hole. How does a cadet that has only operated on the squad level as a squad member ready to lead the battalion? I would like more information because in my opinion the C/CSM should NOT be a LET 2.

Actually, most LET 1s are C/SGTs by the end of their LET 1 year. Most of these cadets are assigned and rotated as Platoon SGTs, allowing them to get experience at the platoon level. My battalion is neither small nor do we "just shove someone in that position to fill a hole". I will quote several of my posts from another part of this forum to help show you how my battalion is run.

I would like to add promotion boards to this. This is something I typed for another forum.
A promotion board is a board formed by voting cadets in order to review a cadet a of a lower rank for possible promotion.

In my BN we do a monthly promotion board held for 2 days consecutively composed of our 2 C/1SGs and our BN C/CSM. This purpose of our board is as stated and applies only to cadet enlisted though. Cadet Officers are appointed by the SAI and BN Commander/BN XO accordingly.

If you would like more information on this please contact me. I was the former BN C/CSM and a former C/1SG. I’m now the Senior Cadet Adviser of the promotion boards. I essentially make sure new C/1SGs and C/CSMs know how to properly do the process and give tips and tricks to it. I also sit in on the promotion boards if any members of the board are missing or unable to attend.



Our BN C/CSM and C/1SGs are chosen by the SAI with recommendations from the previous holders of those positions along with cadet officers. This allows us to have a system of "checks and balances" so to speak. This allows people who earn the positions, to get them. Every document including promotion papers require multiple signatures(usually three) to get promoted or denied.

I did forget to mention that only C/CPL - C/MSG goes to promotion board. This is a group where promotions take place the most often. Usually our battalion runs with enlisted being LET 1s and LET 2s and officers being LET 3s and LET 4s. This allows everyone to get to see both sides and how they work while also making sure we have experienced cadets at the helm, so to speak. Our unit has a problem with retaining cadets for their Junior and Senior years. This makes us have a smaller population of cadets within that officer bracket. This makes the need for an officer promotion board go down a lot. Most positions cycle out at semester time so that is where many promotions happen.

As far as logistics go, it is actually fairly easy once it has been established. promotion board was actually started a year before I entered the program. Since then it has been refined and refined to get to where it is today. Most of the paperwork has changed and became adequate for the situation. It is hard for me to tell you how another unit would do it logistics wise. I can tell you though, that once it is in place, it becomes much easier on everyone.

I love talking about promotion boards as it is something I have put a lot of time and effort into. If you have any more questions, let me know.

As you can see from the quoted posts, We have system that essentially guarantees the people that fill the positions are the best.

[Drill for life]

C/Command Sergeant Major(I spelled it out because it is a Position of Authority and because is deserves respect as a Position), is in my opinion the best Position in a Battalion. It teaches you more than any other Enlisted Rank and Officer Rank(except Battalion Commander and Executive Officer). It is that rank that makes you strp up to your true Leadership potential. Be proud to wear those Stripes man!!!!:D
C/1stLt Drill for life

[El Supremo]

Hello, i am the Command Sergeant Major of my JROTC Battalion. I am a Sophomore, in which i am the youngest Command Sergeant Major in my schools history. I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips or advice, Thank you.

Understand, that you are also responsible for the colorguard at all ceremonies regarding your unit.

[El Supremo]

C/Command Sergeant Major(I spelled it out because it is a Position of Authority and because is deserves respect as a Position), is in my opinion the best Position in a Battalion. It teaches you more than any other Enlisted Rank and Officer Rank(except Battalion Commander and Executive Officer). It is that rank that makes you strp up to your true Leadership potential. Be proud to wear those Stripes man!!!!:D
C/1stLt Drill for life

I would like to point out that, C/CSM or for that matter CSM, is not an enlisted rank. A C/CSM is a cadet NCO.

[-BuLL-]

The rank of C/CSM or CSM for that matter IS an enlisted rank. E-9 ring a bell?

[El Supremo]

The rank of C/CSM or CSM for that matter IS an enlisted rank. E-9 ring a bell?

Soldiers and cadets alike, cease being enlisted upon the promotion of Corporal. Once they offically become "stripe wearers" they drop the titles of enlisted, and are officially Non-commissioned Officers (NCO's). Pay grade has nothing to do with being enlisted, specialist, NCO, Warrant, or Officer, other than traditional base pay.

Definitions: www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define (US enlisted, US NCO, US Warrant, US CO). Back cited by Wikipedia, Goarmy.com, worldnet.princeton, Jagextreme.com, Wiktionary.com, Meriamwebster.com, agd.tx.us

U.S. Enlisted Soldier: A Soldier who has enlisted in a branch of the military, not as an Officer, or Warrant Officer, and whose mission is to execute the orders of the NCO's and Officers appointed over him.

U.S. NCO: A Soldier who has not recieved a Commission from his/her Sovereign Government he/she serves to command a unit. But has recieved orders to run (efficiently) a unit (Sometimes large) by the Officer appointed over him/her.

U.S. Warrant Officer: A Soldier who has not recieved a commission from his/her sovereign government, but has recieved a Warrant from the Secretary of his/her service to (most commonly) specialize in a specific field, and in some cases command a unit.

U.S. Commissioned Officer: A Soldier who has recieved a commission from his/her sovereign government to command unit's within his/her branch of service.

[armysc_25b]

Soldiers and cadets alike, cease being enlisted upon the promotion of Corporal. Once they offically become "stripe wearers" they drop the titles of enlisted, and are officially Non-commissioned Officers (NCO's). Pay grade has nothing to do with being enlisted, specialist, NCO, Warrant, or Officer, other than traditional base pay.
Site your source that states that once you are promoted to a NCO Rank that you are no longer enlisted. Links to external sites can only be to those on the .mil domain (or in the case of JROTC, their respective OFFICIAL homepage, such as usarmyjrotc.com) since those will be the ONLY pages that contain Regulations, Field Manuals, Directives, etc. that are published by the service and kept the most current.

[Armed Drill Addict]

Soldiers and cadets alike, cease being enlisted upon the promotion of Corporal. Once they offically become "stripe wearers" they drop the titles of enlisted, and are officially Non-commissioned Officers (NCO's). Pay grade has nothing to do with being enlisted, specialist, NCO, Warrant, or Officer, other than traditional base pay.

Wrong, the E in E-9 stands for enlisted. There are three divisions of pay grade: enlisted, warrant officer, and officer. All NCo's and SNCO's are still enlisted.

[JohnP]

A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. The NCO corps includes all the grades of sergeant and, in some militaries, corporals and warrant officers. The naval equivalent includes some or all grades of petty officer, although not all navies class their petty officers as NCOs.

Don't ever let your Top Sergeant hear you say that you're not an enlisted man after becoming a non-commissioned officer. You'll be doing push-ups until Florida disconnects from the mainland.

[ufcfootballfan]

An NCO is part of the enlisted ranks. As it was stated above, the "E" in pay grade does mean enlisted. So yes, NCO is part of enlisted. Also, does anyone have any tips on how to run Color Guard practices, etc.

[Drill for life]

Post a new Thread if you want to know how to Run Color Guard Practices.

[ufcfootballfan]

This thread is CSM Tips. Color Guard is part of CSM, so it fits into this thread just the same.

[Drill for life]

But how to Run Practices is totally diferent than C/CSM tips. I'll start a New thread okay.

[C/SSGT Seifer]

Yes, am a LET two. I am having some problems with color guard. We (me and the Battalion Commander) are having trouble finding a efficient way of teaching the ways of the color guard to the cadets. Also as you know i am supposed to maintain a close relationship with the Battalion Commander, the issue is me and my battalion commander do not see "eye to eye" all of the time. Any Suggestions?

Wow a LET 2 c/csm. In my school there are only Senior c/csm and battalion commanders. The Battalion XO is usually reserved for a senior however last year the XO is this years current BC. Honestly, I think that you should take people from the armed team to do your color guard. They already know rifle movements so all you need to show them is casing, uncasing, sling, and unsling, as well as the new flag bearers (which you could just pick a company guidon bearer since the already know.) As far as the whole not seeing eye to eye thing, that is bound to happen. Especially with such a gap in experience (I am guessing the BC is a senior.) Honestly I would try to come up with a compromise and most importantly, don't argue in front of your subordinates. As previously stated the BC has the final word and no matter what you say he will win, making you seem pathetic.

[ufcfootballfan]

According to my AI, the CSM has the final word when it comes to Color Guard decisions.