Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Positional colors
Incumbent Tony L. Whitehead, USAF since August 25, 2020
National Guard Bureau
Type	Senior enlisted advisor
Abbreviation	SEA
Member of	Office of the Chief, National Guard Bureau
Reports to	Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Formation	November 2003
First holder	CSM John J. Leonard Jr.
Salary	$9,786.00 per month, regardless of the incumbent's service longevity^[1]
Website	Official Website

The senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau^[2] (abbreviated SEA)^[3] is the top enlisted person in the National Guard of the United States;^[4] which is a joint reserve component of the United States Army and the United States Air Force.

The SEA is designated a special paygrade above E-9. The SEA's responsibilities include advising the chief of the National Guard Bureau on all enlisted matters affecting training and utilization, the health of the force, and enlisted professional development of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen.

Insignia

In 2020, as part of Whitehead's appointment, a unique rank and insignia were created for the position.^[5]

Rank insignia
Special rank for the Air Force

List of officeholders

No.	Senior Enlisted Advisor		Term			Service branch	Ref.
No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length	Service branch	Ref.
1		Leonard, JohnCommand Sergeant Major John J. Leonard Jr.	November 2003	July 2006	2 years, 8 months	U.S. Army	–
2		Hudson, DavidCommand Sergeant Major David Ray Hudson	July 2006	February 2010	3 years, 7 months	U.S. Army	–
3		Jelinski-Hall, DeniseCommand Chief Master Sergeant Denise Jelinski-Hall	February 2010	July 2013	3 years, 5 months	U.S. Air Force	–
4		Brush, MitchellCommand Chief Master Sergeant Mitchell O. Brush	June 2013	June 2017	4 years	U.S. Air Force	–
5		Kepner, ChristopherCommand Sergeant Major Christopher S. Kepner	June 2017	25 August 2020	3 years, 2 months	U.S. Army	^[2]
6		Whitehead, TonySenior Enlisted Advisor Tony L. Whitehead	25 August 2020	Incumbent	3 years, 6 months	U.S. Air Force	^[5]

References

^ "Defense Finance and Accounting Service > MilitaryMembers > payentitlements > Pay Tables > Basic Pay > EM".
^ ^a ^b Gonzalez, Michelle (June 21, 2017). "Kepner named senior enlisted advisor to chief of National Guard Bureau". army.mil. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
^ "Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief, National Guard Bureau Tony L. Whitehead". nationalguard.mil. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
^ [1] 10 USC 10502 Chief of the National Guard Bureau: appointment; adviser on National Guard matters; grade; succession.
^ ^a ^b "Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief, National Guard Bureau Tony L. Whitehead". National Guard. Retrieved February 6, 2021.

United States Air Force

Leadership

Structure

Commands	Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations
Direct Reporting Units	District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy
Major commands	ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA
Numbered Air Forces	First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second
Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol

Personnel and
training

Uniforms and
equipment

History and
traditions

Category

United States enlisted ranks

Pay grade Branch of service	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9	Special
Army	PVT	PV2	PFC	SPC – CPL	SGT	SSG	SFC	MSG – 1SG¹	SGM – CSM	SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	MSgt – 1stSgt¹	MGySgt – SgtMaj	SMMC – SEAC
Navy	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO – CMDCS	MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM	MCPON – SEAC
Air Force	AB	Amn	A1C	SrA	SSgt	TSgt	MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM	SEANGB – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force	Spc1	Spc2	Spc3	Spc4	Sgt	TSgt	MSgt	SMSgt	CMSgt	CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG²	MCPOCG
For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.

v t e Military Senior enlisted advisor posts
Australia	Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Defence Force Warrant Officer of the Air Force Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army Warrant Officer of the Navy
Canada	Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Chief Warrant Officer of the Canadian Army Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Chief Warrant Officer of the Air Force
Denmark	Sergeant Major of the Army Master chief petty officer of the Navy Chief Master Sergeant of the RDAF Command Sergeant Major of the Home Guard
India	Navy Master Chief Petty Officer IAF Master Warrant Officer
Maldives	Sergeant Major of the MNDF
New Zealand	Warrant Officer of the NZDF Warrant Officer of the Air Force Sergeant Major of the Army Warrant officer of the Navy
Singapore	Sergeant Major of the Army Master Chief Navy Air Force Command Chief
South Africa	Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force Master at Arms of the Navy Sergeant Major of the Army Sergeant Major of the Air Force Sergeant Major of the Military Health Service
United Kingdom	Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy Corps Regimental Sergeant Major (Royal Marines) Army Sergeant Major Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force
United States	Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Sergeant Major of the Army Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau

Insignia

List of officeholders

See also

References