After just two years in the position, Marine Sgt. Maj. Troy Black will step down from his role as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC), the highest enlisted position in the U.S. military.
While his term will not be extended beyond the initial two years, officials stress that Black is not being fired.
Black’s departure follows a meeting with newly confirmed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Air Force Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine.
According to a U.S. official, Caine has “the greatest respect and admiration” for Black, and the change is part of “a normal turnover change in office.”
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Black is expected to remain in his role through late summer or early fall.
The SEAC position, which rotates among the branches of the military, carries significant prestige as the top enlisted advisor to the chairman.
It is not, however, a command role.
Most previous SEACs have served four-year terms, although the first stepped down after nearly three years.
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Black, the fifth SEAC, was selected for the position by Army Gen. Mark Milley, who retired before Black began serving.
Black initially advised Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., who was dismissed from his chairman post by President Donald Trump in February.
In his time as SEAC, Black became known for his blunt advocacy on issues affecting the health and performance of enlisted personnel.
Most notably, he called for the removal of fast food restaurants from military installations.
“If you want to reduce obesity, serve different types of food at the chow hall,” Black said during an August appearance on the MOPs & MOEs podcast.
“Remove immediately all fast-food restaurants from all installations.”
His focus on improving troops' “human performance” often led him to speak candidly about nutrition and readiness.
But Black also brought a deeply personal element to his leadership.
In an emotional interview on the Zero Blog Thirty podcast, he recalled a 2010 incident in Afghanistan where a Marine under his command was killed by an improvised explosive device.
The Marine had deviated from procedure and accidentally triggered the device with his foot. Black has carried the weight of that loss ever since.
“You’re talking about living with guilt,” he said.
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“The fact of the matter is you don’t know [whose fault the Marine’s death was]. You asked what my biggest failure was: Probably not doing that one more time.”
Before serving as SEAC, Black held the position of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from July 2019 to August 2023.
Though no official reason for his departure has been disclosed, the Joint Staff has already requested nominations from across the services to identify his replacement—someone with “a warrior ethos” and strong critical thinking skills.
Black’s tenure as SEAC may have been shorter than some of his predecessors’, but his impact—marked by advocacy for physical readiness, personal reflection, and accountability—has left a lasting impression.
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