Which of the following is an E-9 pay grade rank?

• A. Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
• B. Master Gunnery Sergeant
• C. Sergeant Major
• D. First Sergeant

Answer: (A)

E-9 is the highest enlisted pay grade. In the Marine Corps, there are three ranks that sit at that pay grade: Sergeant Major, Master Gunnery Sergeant, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is a unique position that represents the senior enlisted adviser to the Commandant, and it is always held at the E-9 pay grade. The other two ranks at E-9—Sergeant Major and Master Gunnery Sergeant—are also E-9 but are standard senior enlisted leadership roles at various levels, not the single top adviser position. The First Sergeant, by contrast, is an E-8 rank, so it does not reach the E-9 pay grade. Thus, among the options, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps best represents the E-9 pay grade rank as the top enlisted leadership role.