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Company sergeant major

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Company sergeant major

The company sergeant major (CSM) is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for administration, standards and discipline. In combat, their prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company. They also oversee the distribution of other supplies, such as water or food, although that responsibility is mainly that of the company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS), and evacuating the wounded and collecting prisoners of war.[citation needed]

For military units of the same level as a company, the equivalent may be squadron sergeant major (SSM) or battery sergeant major (BSM). In the Household Cavalry, squadron corporal major (SCM) is the equivalent. First sergeant and Kompaniefeldwebel (formerly Hauptfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht and Nationale Volksarmee) are the United States Army and German Heer equivalents respectively.

In the Australian Army, the CSM appointment is the senior warrant officer of a sub-unit (company, squadron or battery) and is normally held by a warrant officer class 2. The CSM is a senior management role focusing on the training, welfare and discipline of a sub-unit of up to 200 soldiers. They also act as senior adviser to the sub-unit commander. The appointment is known as the Company Sergeant-Major (CSM) in all sub-units except for the following:

In the Canadian Forces, the CSM appointment is normally held by a master warrant officer. The appointment is sometimes held by a warrant officer, responsible for a smaller number of personnel.

In the Canadian Forces, the SSM/BSM/CSM is referred to as "Sir/Ma'am" by subordinates, or as "Sergeant Major". Superiors refer to him/her generally as "Sergeant Major" or "CSM". If the position is held by a warrant officer, subordinates will usually still address the individual as "Sergeant Major".

In the Singapore Armed Forces, the CSM appointment is usually held by a staff sergeant, master sergeant (the usual rank for a CSM of a non-HQ company)[dubiousdiscuss] or second warrant officer (the usual rank for a CSM of a battalion or brigade HQ company). He may be addressed as "CSM" by superiors, and as "Sergeant Major" (for a staff sergeant or master sergeant) or "encik" (for a second warrant officer) by subordinates. The CSM is often respectfully addressed by all as "Encik", Malay for "Mister", but the permission for junior enlisted men to do so should not be taken for granted.

Training schools sometimes refer to companies as "wings"; instead of a CSM, the wing has a wing sergeant major. In the case of the Officer Cadet School, WSMs are second or first warrant officers, likely due to the greater experience required for the appointment.

The CSM is the senior specialist in the company. He is in charge of the welfare and discipline of the specialists and enlisted men within, and usually has the company commander's ear. Drill and ceremonies is the CSM's responsibility. He supervises the instruction of drill by the platoon sergeants, and will conduct company rehearsals for parades prior to actual parade rehearsals. On the parade square, the CSM carries a black pace stick.

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