Michael A. Grinston

Michael A. Grinston (born 1968) is a soldier in 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.

Michael A. Grinston
Grinston in August 2019
Born1968 (age 5253)[1]
Indiana[2]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1987–present
RankSergeant Major of the Army
UnitHeadquarters, Department of the Army
United States Army Forces Command
1st Infantry Division
4th Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
170th Infantry Brigade
2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment
Battles/warsGulf War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Operation Inherent Resolve
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star Medal with "V"

Military career

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.

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.

Awards and decorations

Combat Action Badge
Ranger tab
Master Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Expert Marksman Badge with one weapon bar
Drill Sergeant Identification Badge
1st Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
German Parachutist Badge in bronze
11 Service stripes
9 Overseas Service Bars
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Commendation with two oak leaf clusters
Army Good Conduct Medal (11 awards)
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NCO Professional Development Ribbon with bronze award numeral 5
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 6
NATO Medal for service with ISAF
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

References

  1. "Bringing a discussion about racial bias in the military to social media". CBS News. June 14, 2020.
  2. Howell, Ed (December 20, 2018). "Walker High grad rises to high Army rank". Daily Mountain Eagle. Jasper, AL.
  3. "CSM Michael Grinston selected as 16th Sergeant Major of the Army". army.mil. Washington: U.S. Army. June 11, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  4. Rempfer, Kyle (June 11, 2019). "Meet the next sergeant major of the Army". Army Times.
Military offices
Preceded by
Daniel A. Dailey
Sergeant Major of the Army
2019–present
Incumbent
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