First Sergeant Major of Kazakh Armed Forces Takes Office

Added: (Wed Nov 24 2004)

Pressbox (Press Release) - First Sergeant Major of Kazakh Armed Forces Takes Office, Heralds New Era of Professional Military

WASHINGTON, November 23 - Serik Abdulin, the first ever Sergeant Major of the Kazakh Armed Forces took office on November 22 in a major ceremony in Astana. It heralded a new era of continued reforms designed to create a completely professional volunteer military within the next several years.

The naming of Abdulin, who won a competition with 10 other candidates for the job, capped years of multi-pronged efforts by the Kazakh military to introduce master sergeants in the entire vertical structure of the military and make them into what they essentially are in the U.S. military: a strong support for their commanders and the pinnacle of professionalism and integrity. In the past, in the Soviet tradition, sergeants were in existence in the armed forces of Kazakhstan, but only at the level of platoon sergeant.

Introducing Sergeant Major Abdulin, Defense Minister Army General Mukhtar Altynbayev said: "I have asked commanders and deputy commanders to build new relations [with sergeants] because they are their primary assistants. They need to respect and trust them and help them, especially in the initial stages."

The new Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces will have oversight of 9,000 sergeants in all units, ranging from the smallest unit on to divisions and armies.

Abdulin, 35, had combat experience in Afghanistan in the 1980s, and has a bachelor’s degree. In fact sergeants of the new generation are all getting special training in the Cadet Corps, in existence since 1996 and based in Schuchinsk.

Earlier this year, the Defense Minister said 38.5 percent of all enlisted personnel and NCOs in the armed services are professionals doing voluntary service. By the end of this year, that figure is expected to reach 65 percent and by the end of next year the military should be 85 percent volunteer professionals.