The CSM Creed was created by CSM (Ret) Art Larson, a great soldier with an excellent sense of humor.

RULE # 1-- The Command Sergeant Major is always right.

RULE # 2-- If the occasion arises as to the Impossible Hypothesis that a subordinate may be right; Rule # 1 becomes operative immediately.

RULE # 3-- The Command Sergeant Major does not sleep; He rests.

RULE # 4--The Command Sergeant Major is never late; He is delayed.

RULE # 5 -- The Command Sergeant Major never leaves his work; His presence is required elsewhere.

RULE # 6-- The Command Sergeant Major never reads the newspaper in his office; He studies current events.

RULE # 7-- The Command Sergeant Major never fraternizes with the Secretary; He provides close attention to her professional development.

RULE # 8-- Whoever may enter the Command Sergeant Major's domain with an idea of his or her own, must leave the domain with The Command Sergeant Major's idea.

RULE # 9-- The Command Sergeant Major is always The Command Sergeant Major, even in bathing togs.

RULE # 10 – The Command Sergeant Major is not missing from the four-mile morning run; He is called away and engaged in more pressing business of the organization.

RULE # 11 – The Command Sergeant Major does not play golf on Wednesday afternoons; He participates in alternative physical fitness programs.

RULE # 12 – The Command Sergeant Major does not “close up the club;” He epitomizes leadership in the “first in – last out” model.

RULE # 13 – The Command Sergeant Major is exceedingly generous; He allows others to pay for his food and beverages and golf only so that they may also build character by knowing the inner satisfaction of sharing with others.

RULE # 14 – The Command Sergeant Major will have a jeep and a driver; the Maintenance Officer does not need his assigned jeep because he should be spending his time in the shop fixing vehicles and not gallivanting around.

RULE # 15 – The Command Sergeant Major’s driver was not selected because she is single and drop-dead gorgeous; He selected her as the best qualified from among many, many applicants.

RULE # 16 – The Command Sergeant Major is not involved in numerous photo opportunities using his driver as the camera person; He is an active and practicing supporter of US Army Information Policy.

RULE # 17 – The Command Sergeant Major is fully capable of writing position papers on the state of the noncommissioned officer corps in his organization; He allows his driver to write them as a means of attending to her professional development.

RULE # 19 - The final and most noteworthy rule of all, and must be learned by all who can decipher this document, is as follows: A CSM lifts buildings and then walks under them; He kicks speeding locomotives off their tracks; He catches speeding bullets in His teeth and chews them; and He freezes water with a single glance.