Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"November 21, 2003
Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"
November
21, 2003
Preston named Sergeant Major of the Army
WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee and Chief of Staff of the Army General Peter J. Schoomaker announced Nov. 18 the Army has selected Command Sergeant Major Kenneth O. Preston as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army.
Preston will succeed SMA Jack L. Tilley when he retires Jan. 15, 2004.
The SMA designee has been serving as the command sergeant major for V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany, since April 2001. He is also serving as the command sergeant major for Combined Joint Task Force 7 serving in Baghdad, Iraq.
Preston will be sworn in as the newest Army senior enlisted adviser during ceremonies at the Pentagon on Jan. 15, 2004.
As Sergeant Major of the Army, Preston will serve as the Army Chief of Staff’s personal adviser on all enlisted-related matters, particularly in areas affecting soldier training, noncommissioned officer leader development and well-being for families. The SMA travels extensively throughout the world viewing Army training and operations. The SMA listens to concerns and provides feedback and recommendations to Army and Department of Defense leadership about improvements in quality of life. In addition, he sits on a wide variety of councils and boards that decide issues affecting enlisted soldiers and their families.
The SMA routinely is invited to testify before Congress. Preston is a native of Mount Savage, Md., and was born Feb. 18, 1957. Preston entered the Army on June 30, 1975, and has served in every enlisted leadership position from tank commander to command sergeant major.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, one Bronze Star, four Meritorious Service Medals, six Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, Southwest Asia Service Ribbon, Liberation of Kuwait Ribbon (Saudi Arabia), Kosovo Medal, the NATO Medal and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
He and his wife Karen have three children, Valerie, Kenneth and Michael.