Army’s Top Enlisted Leader Drops Personal Social Media for Official Channels

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer, the Army’s highest-ranking enlisted leader, announced on Thursday that he will close his personal social media accounts and focus all communication efforts on the Army’s official platforms.

“The focus isn't on the name tape.” It is not centered on SMA Weimer. It’s not focused on the individual. “It’s all about the Army,” Weimer stated in a video shared on X. “We’re fully committing to the Army’s social media platforms.”

Master Sgt. Daniel Carter, his spokesperson, clarified that the decision aims to enhance the effectiveness of the Army’s official channels, which currently engage a wider audience. Weimer's personal accounts on X and Instagram will be deleted by the end of the week.

This change signifies a notable shift from Weimer’s predecessor, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston was very active on social media and regularly interacted with soldiers. The Army's evolving social media strategy now features a new initiative called the "Creative Reserve," which seeks to harness the voices of soldiers to convey the Army's narrative in ways that traditional outreach methods cannot achieve.

This change arises as soldiers more frequently utilize social media to express their concerns regarding quality-of-life matters, a trend that Army leadership has found challenging to manage. Although Weimer’s new approach emphasizes warfighting, readiness, and lethality, it is still uncertain whether official Army platforms will tackle these typically overlooked quality-of-life issues.

Through this action, Weimer is highlighting a more centralized, Army-first communication strategy—one that has the potential to transform how the service engages with its personnel and the public.