Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz has been chosen to serve as the 20th sergeant major of the U.S. Marine Corps, succeeding Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who has held the position since 2019.
The transition will go into effect during a relief and appointment ceremony scheduled for Aug. 8, in which Black will pass the torch to Ruiz, the Marine Corps announced on Friday.
Currently, Ruiz is the command senior enlisted leader for USMC Forces Reserve and USMC Forces South. As sergeant major, he will serve as the commandant of the Marine Corps’ highest-level enlisted advisor with a protocol equivalence of a three-star general officer.
Ruiz’s time with the USMC began in 1993, and his recruit training was completed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. In his early days with the service branch, Ruiz was a warehouse clerk with the 3rd Supply Battalion’s 3rd Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, Japan. Later, he served as an enlisted leader across the USMC in the 1st Service Support Group, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and 4th Marine Logistics Group.
His deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as well as operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Created in 1957, the sergeant major role represents the senior enlisted advisor to the commandant of the USMC. The position was the first of its kind within the military services. Typically, the sergeant major serves for four years, but the length of the term is determined by the commandant.
