Kenneth Preston

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Kenneth O. Preston
Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1975-present
Rank	Sergeant Major of the Army
Battles/wars	Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom
Awards	Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Meritorious Service Medal (4) Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal (5) Army Achievement Medal (3)

Kenneth O. Preston (born February 18, 1957) is the current Sergeant Major of the Army in the United States. He was sworn in as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army on January 15, 2004. SMA Preston has held a variety of leadership positions throughout his career ranging from Cavalry Scout to Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major. He is the highest ranking enlisted member of the United States Army.

Early life

Preston is a native of Mount Savage, Maryland, and entered the Army on June 30, 1975. He attended Basic Training and Armor Advanced Individual Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Military career

As Sergeant Major of the Army, Preston serves as the Army Chief of Staff's personal adviser on all enlisted-related matters, particularly in areas affecting soldier training and quality of life, including the controversial, and somewhat unpopular, adoption of the New Army Service Uniform which phases out the Army Green Uniform in 2014. He is routinely invited to testify before Congress.

Throughout his 30-year career, he has served in every enlisted leadership position from cavalry scout and tank commander to his current position as Sergeant Major of the Army. Other assignments he held as command sergeant major were 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, 3rd "Grey Wolf" Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Armored Division in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, and V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany.

His most recent assignment was as the command sergeant major for Combined Joint Task Force 7 serving in Baghdad, Iraq.

Military education

His military education includes Basic Noncommissioned Officer's Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer's Course, First Sergeant's Course, M1/M1A1 Tank Master Gunner Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer's Course, and the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy.

Awards and decorations

	Legion of Merit (with one bronze oak leaf cluster)
	Bronze Star Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Army Commendation Medal (with four oak leaf clusters)
	Army Achievement Medal (with two oak leaf clusters)
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with oak leaf cluster)
	Meritorious Unit Commendation
	Army Good Conduct Medal (with 11 awards)
	National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze service star)
	Southwest Asia Service Medal (with bronze service star)
	Kosovo Campaign Medal (with bronze service star)
	Iraq Campaign Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	NCO Professional Development Ribbon (with award numeral 4)
	Army Service Ribbon
	Overseas Service Ribbon (with award numeral 5)
	NATO Medal for Kosovo
	Kuwait Liberation Medal
	Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle and Pistol bars
	3 Overseas Service Bars
	Army Staff Identification Badge
	11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
	10th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

• 11 Service stripes.

References

• US Army Site
• SMA tours Iraq with message of Transformation

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: [1]

• Sergeants Major of the Army. CMH Pub. 70-63-1. By CSM Daniel K. Elder, et al. Describes the origin and growth of the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army. Includes biographies of each of the Sergeants Major of the Army.