The Sergeants Major of the Army

The Sergeants Major of the Army

Robert M. Mages Mark F. Gillespie Michael B. Kelly

Daniel K. Elder Glen R. Hawkins Preston E. Pierce

Center of Military History

United States Army

The Sergeants Major of the Army

Robert M. Mages Mark F. Gillespie Michael B. Kelly

Daniel K. Elder Glen R. Hawkins Preston E. Pierce

Center of Military History

United States Army Washington, D.C., 2013

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mages, Robert M. The Sergeants Major of the Army / Robert M. Mages, Daniel K. Elder, Mark F.

Gillespie, Glen R. Hawkins, Michael B. Kelly, Preston E. Pierce. -- Revised edition. pages cm

Includes bibliographical references. 1. United States. Army--Non-commissioned officers--History. 2. United States. Army--Non-commissioned officers--Biography. I. Title. UB408.5.S476 2013 355.0092'273--dc23

2013014546

First Printed 1995--CMH Pub 70?63?1

Foreword

Last year, we said good-bye to William O. Wooldridge, our first Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA). I think it is fitting that, as we write a new chapter in the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army, we celebrate those who have come before us. Sergeant Major of the Army Wooldridge was a pioneer, blazing a trail that thirteen of us have traveled. He was instrumental in the creation of this post, and we will always remember his sacrifice and his contributions.

The creation of the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army in July 1966 represented a major milestone in the development of the U.S. Army. For the first time in history, an enlisted soldier assumed the role of adviser to the Chief of Staff on all issues pertaining to the enlisted force. Even after almost forty years, not much has changed. The Sergeant Major of the Army continues to advise the Chief of Staff on all enlisted matters, including quality of life and pay concerns.

The establishment of the SMA position in 1966 reflected the importance then of soldierrelated issues in the Army, and that emphasis continues today. I see myself as a scout for the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Army.

My charge is to share with the enlisted corps concerns that are being worked on at the Army level and to bring back to the Pentagon matters affecting soldiers and their families.

Offices and titles are essential in any large institution, but ultimately people are the key to an organization's success; the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army is no exception. The noncommissioned officers chosen to be Sergeants Major of the Army have been individuals who not only have had extraordinary careers, but who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the welfare of their fellow soldiers. This commitment makes them truly effective advocates and spokesmen on enlisted-related issues.

The careers and life stories of the men who have served as Sergeants Major of the Army are both inspirational and instructive because through them we gain an appreciation for not just the SMAs themselves, but for all the enlisted men and women who over the past two-anda-half centuries have worked, fought, and sacrificed to make the U.S. Army the finest military organization in the world. As we continue to transform the Army to meet the challenges of the next twenty years, it is always appropriate to look back and learn from our history.

RAYMOND F. CHANDLER III Fourteenth Sergeant Major of the Army

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Preface

The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is the premier noncommissioned officer (NCO) of the United States Army and serves as one of the nation's senior soldiers. The office of Sergeant Major of the Army has evolved into a position of great influence and responsibility, largely as a result of the hard work and exemplary service of the soldiers who have occupied the post.

The Sergeants Major of the Army is an important volume in the official history of the United States Army. The first part of this book describes the origin and growth of the Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army. It explains why some saw a need for such an office and tells who supported it in its infancy, who made it work, and why it has succeeded as well as it has.

The second part is a collection of biographical essays that document the personal and professional lives of the soldiers who have occupied this important post. Through these sections, the reader gains insight into the character and motivations of the select group of soldiers who became the Sergeants Major of the Army. Many SMAs came from humble origins, joined the military to serve their country and see the world, and only gradually decided to make the Army their career. Some fought the Germans in World War II. Others saw combat in such diverse locations as Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. All experienced the joys and heartaches of being an ordinary soldier, and over the years all were deeply affected by the men and women with whom they served. Each has used these lessons to help shape the Army.

This essay describes the family life and early career of these exceptional soldiers and highlights the events that molded their points of view and drove their desire to build a better Army. With this perspective in mind, the second half of each biographical chapter examines the achievements of each Sergeant Major of the Army. Lists of duty assignments and decorations are at the end of each chapter. In addition, further readings and an appendix that outlines the Presidents, Secretaries of the Army, and Chiefs of Staff under whom the respective Sergeants Major served provides context and framework.

The history of the Sergeants Major of the Army is more than just an account of bureaucratic institutions and the men that led them. It is also a story of the NCO Corps as a whole. The Army created the Office of the Sergeant Major in part because of important shifts in the nature, structure, and responsibilities of NCOs. During the course of their careers, the SMAs experienced these changes firsthand. They, in turn, helped shape the future of the NCO Corps.

Finally, the history of the Sergeants Major of the Army is a story of the Army itself. The Army has experienced extraordinary and diverse challenges over the past half-century. Interspersed between repeated cycles of war and peace, mobilization and downsizing, have been such momentous developments as the end of the draft, the establishment of the volunteer Army, and the unrelenting advance of technology. Each Sergeant Major of the Army faced these and other potential barriers, as did the dedicated corps of noncommissioned

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officers that makes the Army work. The cadre's trials and triumphs underscore those of the entire Army. Thus this book gives today's soldiers a useful perspective from which to appreciate the past. This past undoubtedly

will shape the Army's future, as the Army once again endeavors to transform itself into an even more effective institution with which to serve the American people in both peace and war.

ROBERT J. DALESSANDRO Chief of Military History

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