Air Force Chief Master SergeantE-9 CMSgt (Previous)
Chief Master Sergeant

Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant

E-9 Noncommissioned Officer, U.S. Air Force
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Air Force Ranks » Command Chief Master Sergeant RankCCM PayCCM Rank History

Rank badge of a Command Chief Master Sergeant E-9 Command Chief Master Sergeant - U.S. Air Force Ranks

Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant
Air Force E-9 Command Chief Master Sergeant Air Force Military Ranks
Class Noncommissioned Officer
Abbr. CCM
Title Chief Master Sergeant (last name)
Paygrade E-9 (DoD Paygrade)
OR-9 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $5,789/mo

Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) is the fourth Non-Commissioned Officer rank in the United States Air Force. It is just above Master Sergeant and below Chief Master Sergeant. Promotion to Senior Master Sergeant is the hardest enlisted promotion to acquire, for less than ten percent of eligible Master Sergeants move up. To be promoted, an airman must have very broad technical skills gained from many assignments, and they typically have a bachelor's degree, or higher, in their specialty. SMSgts are expected to act as mentors and leaders for non-commissioned and junior commissioned officers. At present day, only two perdent of the Air Forces total enlisted force may hold the rank of Senior Master Sergeant.

The rank insignia for Senior Master Sergeant is the same as the Master Sergeant's, three silver, downward pointing chevrons outlined in blue with an encircled star at the point with two curved chevrons below the star, but with two upward pointing chevrons over the downward pointing ones, instead of just one.

Command Chief Master Sergeant is the 10th rank in the United States Air Force , ranking above Chief Master Sergeant and directly below Chief Master Sergeant Of The Air Force. A command chief master sergeant is a Noncommissioned Officer at DoD paygrade E-9, with a starting monthly pay of $5,789.

How do you become a Command Chief Master Sergeant?

A Command Chief Master Sergeant is most often promoted from Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.

Approximately one percent of the enlisted force will be chief master sergeants. It is very difficult to attain this rank. Promotion from senior master sergeant to chief master sergeant is also via a promotion board. Factors include: education obtained, experiences, technical skills, performance reports, and completion of the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Correspondence Course.

Command chief master sergeants must also have been nominated by the Department of Defense.

What is the proper way to address a Command Chief Master Sergeant?

The correct way to address a Command Chief Master Sergeant named Mr. Smith is "Chief Master Sergeant Smith", or written as CCM Smith. In formal situations, a Command Chief Master Sergeant should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Command Chief Master Sergeant earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Command Chief Master Sergeant with Over 10 years of experience is $5,789.10 per month.

A Command Chief Master Sergeant receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Command Chief Master Sergeant's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hazard pay, hostile fire pay, clothing allowance, and more.

For full details on the Air Force's Command Chief Master Sergeant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Pay Chart. A full table of the Air Force's current paygrades are available at the Air Force Pay Chart.

Patch of a Command Chief Master Sergeant Equivalent Ranks to the Air Force's E-9 Command Chief Master Sergeant

To learn more about the Air Force's rank structure, see our complete list of Air Force ranks.

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Command Chief Master Sergeant is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Air Force rank to GS grade conversion table .

To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Air Force and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.