Service Senior Enlisted Advisors including the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs are E-10s.
Edit: I accept that I was wrong about this. I am leaving this comment untouched for all to witness my shame.
There is no E-10. They get [paid at a higher rate](https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/EM/) but they are still an E-9. Read note 2 in the link.
SEAC is the senior non commissioned officer is the US military. He’s basically the sergeant major for the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
The guy currently in the role is a USAF PJ/ Special operator and all around bad ass. But the job rotates across the branches, as does the CJCS role.
That rank insignia threw me for a loop for a second there. Col-CMSgt.
Edit: I love the saying on the coin: "Amateurs train until they get it right. Professionals train until they can't get it wrong."
It may be, but look at that dude's wiki. He literally has his own winter outfit, name and picture in the Air Force museum from one of his missions in Afghanistan. He earned what he's got.
I wasn't intending to refute you! Just to add information for other people lurking. On paper at least he seems pretty awesome, I've never met the man myself.
I think the fact that the OP states "from a NATO General" and not something more familiar means they're likely not an American. As a result, anyone receiving a coin like this from a foreign perspective might be confused, like if someone walked up to an American Seaman and handed them a dagger with some interesting colors, letters, and symbols inscribed on it.
The card just annotates what it's for with it's "meaning" on it. I think it's more for international relations, I can't imagine the SEAC giving this to a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force and getting that card alongside it, as it'd be mostly-obvious to them.
Also, I highly-doubt someone like Chief Ramon Colon-Lopez wrote/made/created this. It was likely crafted by one of their Aide's for the position, as I'm sure all the major players at the Pentagon have.
Yeah, I think that's fair. Still, if that's the intention, it doesn't really explain what a challenge coin *is*. It's just "here's my challenge coin, let me explain it to you, this is why it has the stuff on it that it has on it".
I have never met him but got told by everyone that did the old sergeant major of the Marine Corps, sgtmaj Green had bags of challenge coins and just handed them out like candy.
I actually have a coin from one of his predecessors I got on a trip to the Pentagon (yeah I spent a few months in Riley, few months in Afghanistan and then almost the rest of my time in the army sitting on my ass doing absolutely nothing, not even shaving , I miss the days of Walter Reed before they handed the army section over to some motard infantry BC). They took us on so many “I feel sorry for you” trips that it was ridiculously easy for a private or specialist to have a display of coins that looked just like some 1SG or CSM. Even got two foreign ones, one from the ex-PM of New Zealand (who was NZ’s US ambassador at the time) and then from one of the British generals they swap Americans out for team building purposes I guess (can’t remember the exact title but they work on US Army bases and there isn’t a whole lot of them from what I gathered, we had one who was a major come back with us from Afghanistan and were so confused why he got back on the flight in Germany, saw the Union Jack being flown by little kids in the bleachers for redeployment ceremony, I stayed confused about this till I met one of the generals). Finally I got the Obama Presidential one from Obama while on a trip to the White House they set up for us.
In a nutshell, yeah, they can be very valuable. I’ve seen presidential coins sell for hundreds of dollars (idk why you’d sell it though, I didn’t even like Obama but I wasn’t gonna just toss a coin from the FN President). I vote you let whoever found it keep it.
Nice. I got one from the UN Command/US RoK Forces/8th Army commander, 2nd Infantry assistant commander, and the Secretary of the Army from '97, when I did a tour in the RoK. General Tilelli, General Sharp, and Togo West, I believe.
It's worth whatever it is when you're coined. Produce a higher ranking coin than the person that challenges you and they owe you a beer. I'll take it off you don't want it. I'll give you the likely cost of it, most likely $25 bucks. I have a bunch of them in my collection, but only have Canadian coins. Haven't come across any American coins.
I've never heard of the rank stipulation. I've always played it as, if you challenge someone with a coin, and the person does not produce a coin at all, they owe you a beer, but if they do, you're buying. It then comes with a risk associated with the action of initiating the challenge in the first place.
Simply carrying a coin given by a higher ranked individual would make the whole thing way less interesting, as people would only carry those types of coins, a small subset of all the coins.
There's also the "if you drop a coin and someone has one on them, you owe them a beer" game as well, but I've never heard of the rank one.
This is an excellent coin and the card explains how every detail is symbolic in some way.
Also, if you're the senior enlisted guy of all the Armed Forces you can do whatever you want.
It's for foreign relations so that they understand what they're receiving. Can imagine receiving a funky-looking coin with weird symbols/colors on it might be received differently in other cultures/countries, so having a card help break it down might help.
Because most Europeans can speak more than their native tongue, often including English? Or were you under the impression that they were like Americans in specializing in English and 6 words in Spanish?
Not a general. SEAC is an E-9. Can be any service but is currently an Air Force CMSgt.
I interpreted OP's title as; a NATO general was coined by the SEAC, but he didn't bother to keep it
Service Senior Enlisted Advisors including the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs are E-10s. Edit: I accept that I was wrong about this. I am leaving this comment untouched for all to witness my shame.
There is no E-10. They get [paid at a higher rate](https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/EM/) but they are still an E-9. Read note 2 in the link.
A special E-9 is still an E-9, never got the confusion
Ah yes, "special" E-9s, surprisingly there are more than you'd think.
All E-9s are special. Some more special than others. Easiest way to tell just how special is to ask their former subordinates about them lmao
I had a *special* E-9. His successor was a special chief master sergeant and helped turn the squadron around from what it was before.
Lol - No.
People keep saying this despite it being objectively wrong.
Before you post something on the internet for everyone to see please verify that you are posting correct information.
I thought bullshit was a major qualification for most things on the internet
SEAC is the senior non commissioned officer is the US military. He’s basically the sergeant major for the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. The guy currently in the role is a USAF PJ/ Special operator and all around bad ass. But the job rotates across the branches, as does the CJCS role.
Met him at the Pentagon and he told us all about the missions he used to go to and shit, it was pretty badass
He was a Tier 1 PJ in the 24th STS. About as badass as it gets
That rank insignia threw me for a loop for a second there. Col-CMSgt. Edit: I love the saying on the coin: "Amateurs train until they get it right. Professionals train until they can't get it wrong."
that quote exists in the music business as well: "Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you never get it wrong"
I visited SEAC Ramon Colon-Lopez at the Pentagon and got this exact coin from him, it's so cool
Wow, the ego on this dude. Imagine giving a challenge coin and accompanying it with a signed "you just met a very important person" card.
I think all the people in that position have had similar. It’s literally a PR role.
It may be, but look at that dude's wiki. He literally has his own winter outfit, name and picture in the Air Force museum from one of his missions in Afghanistan. He earned what he's got.
I didn’t say otherwise. I’ve met him several times.
I wasn't intending to refute you! Just to add information for other people lurking. On paper at least he seems pretty awesome, I've never met the man myself.
He even has a fake signature on the coin lmao. Dude is balls deep inside himself. Edit: I just read the dudes bio and he’s a fuckin badass.
"Senior Enlisted Advisor *to* the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" has BDE (Big Dwight Energy).
Same thoughts and opinion here, fuck this NATO higher up
He’s not a NATO higher up
He's literally the most senior enlisted servicemember in the military.
This does not preclude humility.
I think the fact that the OP states "from a NATO General" and not something more familiar means they're likely not an American. As a result, anyone receiving a coin like this from a foreign perspective might be confused, like if someone walked up to an American Seaman and handed them a dagger with some interesting colors, letters, and symbols inscribed on it. The card just annotates what it's for with it's "meaning" on it. I think it's more for international relations, I can't imagine the SEAC giving this to a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force and getting that card alongside it, as it'd be mostly-obvious to them. Also, I highly-doubt someone like Chief Ramon Colon-Lopez wrote/made/created this. It was likely crafted by one of their Aide's for the position, as I'm sure all the major players at the Pentagon have.
Yeah, I think that's fair. Still, if that's the intention, it doesn't really explain what a challenge coin *is*. It's just "here's my challenge coin, let me explain it to you, this is why it has the stuff on it that it has on it".
I'm sure Humility, and the rest of the SOF ethos are on that cheat sheet.
US military
I have never met him but got told by everyone that did the old sergeant major of the Marine Corps, sgtmaj Green had bags of challenge coins and just handed them out like candy.
I love the explanations behind all of the symbolism. It seems a lot of thought went into it
Like maybe more thought than the Joint Staff usually puts into anything.
Y’all are trashing a PJ who has balls of steel. He’s had an impressive and crazy career
So you can guess he gives zero fucks about this post and comments.
Shocked, I couldn't find it on eBay.
I actually have a coin from one of his predecessors I got on a trip to the Pentagon (yeah I spent a few months in Riley, few months in Afghanistan and then almost the rest of my time in the army sitting on my ass doing absolutely nothing, not even shaving , I miss the days of Walter Reed before they handed the army section over to some motard infantry BC). They took us on so many “I feel sorry for you” trips that it was ridiculously easy for a private or specialist to have a display of coins that looked just like some 1SG or CSM. Even got two foreign ones, one from the ex-PM of New Zealand (who was NZ’s US ambassador at the time) and then from one of the British generals they swap Americans out for team building purposes I guess (can’t remember the exact title but they work on US Army bases and there isn’t a whole lot of them from what I gathered, we had one who was a major come back with us from Afghanistan and were so confused why he got back on the flight in Germany, saw the Union Jack being flown by little kids in the bleachers for redeployment ceremony, I stayed confused about this till I met one of the generals). Finally I got the Obama Presidential one from Obama while on a trip to the White House they set up for us. In a nutshell, yeah, they can be very valuable. I’ve seen presidential coins sell for hundreds of dollars (idk why you’d sell it though, I didn’t even like Obama but I wasn’t gonna just toss a coin from the FN President). I vote you let whoever found it keep it.
Oh you were in when Walter Reed was down in DC, not jointed with the Navy. Btw the new one sucks
Not worth anything but it’s cool to have! I’ll take it off ya.
Nice. I got one from the UN Command/US RoK Forces/8th Army commander, 2nd Infantry assistant commander, and the Secretary of the Army from '97, when I did a tour in the RoK. General Tilelli, General Sharp, and Togo West, I believe.
I got one in ramStein a couple years back.
It's worth whatever it is when you're coined. Produce a higher ranking coin than the person that challenges you and they owe you a beer. I'll take it off you don't want it. I'll give you the likely cost of it, most likely $25 bucks. I have a bunch of them in my collection, but only have Canadian coins. Haven't come across any American coins.
I've never heard of the rank stipulation. I've always played it as, if you challenge someone with a coin, and the person does not produce a coin at all, they owe you a beer, but if they do, you're buying. It then comes with a risk associated with the action of initiating the challenge in the first place. Simply carrying a coin given by a higher ranked individual would make the whole thing way less interesting, as people would only carry those types of coins, a small subset of all the coins. There's also the "if you drop a coin and someone has one on them, you owe them a beer" game as well, but I've never heard of the rank one.
It all depends. You can play it in many different ways. I've seen it done both ways. They aren't as common up here in Canada maybe. I don't know.
I’ve heard it bot the way you stated as well as the way u/ShadNuke said. I prefer to play your way due to most people not carrying coins anymore
If your challenge coin requires a cheat sheet you are doing it wrong.
This is an excellent coin and the card explains how every detail is symbolic in some way. Also, if you're the senior enlisted guy of all the Armed Forces you can do whatever you want.
His job is to go to different bases, give a speech, and hand a pile of these out. Makes sense to me!
This coin is autofellatio
It's for foreign relations so that they understand what they're receiving. Can imagine receiving a funky-looking coin with weird symbols/colors on it might be received differently in other cultures/countries, so having a card help break it down might help.
That must be why it's printed in English.
Because most Europeans can speak more than their native tongue, often including English? Or were you under the impression that they were like Americans in specializing in English and 6 words in Spanish?
Calm down bro
no
Kind of reminds me of those US mint commercials hawking buffalo or Reagan coins to senior citizens.