In the chain of command, who is the senior enlisted advisor to the Battalion commander?

• A. Platoon Sergeant
• B. First Sergeant
• C. Staff Sergeant
• D. Command Sergeant Major

Answer: (D)

The senior enlisted advisor to the Battalion commander is the Command Sergeant Major. This position is the battalion’s top enlisted leader, serving as the principal advisor to the commander on all enlisted matters—training, discipline, readiness, and morale—and ensuring policies and guidance reach the NCOs and soldiers effectively. The platoon sergeant leads a platoon and reports up through the company structure, not to the battalion commander. The first sergeant is the senior NCO of a company, the level below the battalion, while the staff sergeant is a lower-ranking NCO. For a battalion, the Command Sergeant Major is the appropriate senior enlisted advisor.