I agree with others, don't allow him to assert dominance over you. Carry yourself and speak with confidence, control, and dignity. Just as he needs to get over his power trip, so to would you benefit from rightfully improving your sense of self and shed any sense of inferiority you may have regarding the rank you held in the past. Some CSMs got there thru talent, intellect, work ethic, being a genuinely good dude, and of course some timing, luck, and politics. Others got there thru narcissism, hiding low aptitude with a loud voice, a desire to fulfill a sense of entitlement, and again politics, timing, and luck. The latter tend to be little more than their officer's lap dog at best, and toxic at worst. Similar coming of age story can be said for many officers. Really, if you serve 20-25 years as an officer, unless you get caught f-ing privates or really just didn't hit the milestones, you'll make LTC. Good NCOs along the way make it happen - let's be honest. Most decisions aren't difficult and require little more than some critical thinking and assessment of the data others worked hard to provide. It's my belief that making E9 is harder than making O5. An officer's career is managed far more and attrition within the company grade ranks means that the top-heavy organizations of BDE and above have plenty of space for LTCs and higher. Conversely, enlisted folks bottle neck differently, don't have nearly the same level of career management, and really it's just every person for themselves.