Michael A. Grinston

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Michael A. Grinston
File:Michael A. Grinston SMA.jpg
Grinston in August 2019
Born 1968 (age 56–57)[1]
Indiana[2]
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1987–present
Rank Sergeant Major of the Army
Unit
Battles/wars Gulf War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Operation Inherent Resolve
Awards Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star Medal with "V"

Michael A. Grinston (born 1968) is a member of the United States Army and the current Sergeant Major of the Army.[3][4] Prior to his current position, he served as the senior enlisted leader for the United States Army Forces Command.

Military career

This work incorporates material in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.

Grinston is a native of Jasper, Alabama, and enlisted in the United States Army in October 1987. He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training as an artilleryman at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Grinston's deployments include Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Inherent Resolve, Enduring Freedom, and Kosovo.[5]

Grinston has been assigned to: 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington; 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; two tours at Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany with the 5th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment and 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment; 1st Battalion, 39th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; 1st Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; 319th Field Artillery Regiment; and 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy. His service as a command sergeant major (CSM) includes assignments as a battalion CSM with 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Drum, New York, Observer Controller CSM at Hohenfels, Germany, Brigade CSM 170th Infantry Brigade in Baumholder, Germany, brigade CSM 4th Brigade, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 1st Infantry Division CSM at Fort Riley, Kansas, and I Corps at Joint Base Lewis–McChord, Washington. As the 1st Infantry Division CSM, Grinston served as the senior enlisted leader for the army's first deployment of a division headquarters in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He also served as the command sergeant major for United States Army Forces Command.

Grinston was sworn in as the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army on August 9, 2019. As the Sergeant Major of the Army, Grinston is the Army Chief of Staff's personal adviser on matters affecting the enlisted force. He devotes the majority of his time traveling throughout the army to observe training and interact with soldiers and their families. He sits on a variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting enlisted soldiers and their families and routinely invited to testify before Congress. Grinston is the public face of the army's Non-commissioned Officer Corps, representing the NCO Corps to the American people in the media and through business and community engagements.

Grinston's military education includes all levels of the Non-commissioned Officer Education System. He is a graduate of Ranger School, Airborne School, Drill Sergeant School, Air Assault School, How the Army Runs Course, the Equal Opportunity Leaders Course and the Keystone Course. Grinston holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Grinston will retire in August 2023, after handing over to Command Sergeant Major Michael R. Weimer, formerly Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Special Operations Command.[6]

Personal life

SMA Grinston was born to a black father and a white mother. They divorced when he was three years old.[1] He is married to Alexandra Grinston and they are the parents of two children.

Awards and decorations

Combat Action Badge.svg Combat Action Badge
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger tab
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg Air Assault Badge
60px Expert Marksman Badge with one weapon bar
DrillInstructBadge.gif Drill Sergeant Identification Badge
60px 1st Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
120px German Parachutist Badge in bronze
Service stripe.jpg 11 Service stripes
50px 9 Overseas Service Bars
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Silver oakleaf-3d.svgSilver oakleaf-3d.svg Army Achievement Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Valorous Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation with two oak leaf clusters
54px Army Good Conduct Medal (11 awards)
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
60px11px11px Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
60px11px11px Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
60px11px11px11px11px Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
60pxAward numeral 5.png NCO Professional Development Ribbon with bronze award numeral 5
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 6.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 6
NATO Medal for service with ISAF
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

References

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External links

Military offices
Preceded by Sergeant Major of the Army
2019–present
Succeeded by
Michael R. Weimer
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  6. This Green Beret Will Serve as the Army's New Top Enlisted Leader, Military.com, 2022-12-08