Which rank is typically the highest ranking non-commissioned officer within a brigade's command structure?

• A. First Sergeant
• B. Master Sergeant
• C. Command Sergeant Major
• D. Sergeant Major

Answer: (C)

The main idea is recognizing who serves as the senior enlisted adviser at the brigade level. In a brigade, the top non-commissioned officer is the Command Sergeant Major, who acts as the brigade commander’s principal NCO and oversees enlisted issues across the entire brigade. This role makes the Command Sergeant Major the highest-ranking NCO within the brigade’s command structure. The other ranks fit at lower levels or different roles: a First Sergeant is the senior NCO in a company, a Master Sergeant is an E-8 often in staff or battalion-level roles, and a Sergeant Major is typically the senior NCO at battalion level or higher but not the brigade’s senior enlisted adviser.