Kenneth Preston

Infobox Military Person
name=SMA Kenneth O. Preston
born= birth date and age|1957|2|18
died=
placeofbirth= Mount Savage, Maryland
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears=1975-present
rank= Sergeant Major of the Army
commands=
unit=
battles=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)
relations=
laterwork=

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.

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. He devotes the majority of his time to traveling throughout the Army observing training, and talking to Soldiers and their families. He sits on a wide variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting enlisted Soldiers and their families and 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.

Decorations

His awards and decorations include:

*Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster)
*Bronze Star
*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)
*Good Conduct Medal (nine awards)
*National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star)
*Southwest Asia Service Medal (with bronze service star)
*Kosovo Campaign Medal (with bronze service star)
*Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
*Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
*NCO Professional Development Ribbon (with numeral 4)
*Army Service Ribbon
*Overseas Service Ribbon (with numeral 5)
*NATO Medal
*Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
*Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with oak leaf cluster)
*Army Meritorious Unit Commendation

Personal

He and his wife Karen have three children.

ee also

References

* [http://www.army.mil/leaders/leaders/sma/biography.html US Army Site]
* [http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=7826 SMA tours Iraq with message of Transformation]
*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.