Command Sergeant Major
Sammy J. Brinson Jr.

Command Sgt. Maj. Sammy Brinson, Jr. served the Army and the Ordnance Corps for 29 years. He joined the Army in 1977 as a Tracked Vehicle Mechanic. Some of his early assignments included Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Stewart, Georgia, Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Korea.

Starting in 1990, Brinson served in several important positions within the training component of the Army. He began by serving as a Small Group Instructor at the Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He served as a mentor to countless noncommissioned officers attending the Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer's courses.

Brinson then served as a Drill Sergeant and First Sergeant at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was a positive role model for all young Soldiers and trained them to be tactically and technically proficient. He introduced an aggressive training program as a First Sergeant to ensure a consistent 100 percent graduation rate.

He next served as a Senior Training Instructor for the 16th Ordnance Battalion at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He instituted new policies and plans to maximize efficiency and to streamline the programs of instruction. He encouraged instructors to combine their practical knowledge and the course material to bring the classes to a new level.

Brinson then began the first of several assignments as a Command Sgt. Maj., first serving with the 143rd Ordnance Battalion at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Once again his attention to detail, concern for Soldiers and innovative training techniques helped ensure the highest achievable training record during his tenure.

He next served as Command Sgt. Maj. of the 7th Corps Support Group in Bamberg, Germany. He was responsible for over 3500 Soldiers both in garrison and during their deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq, he was responsible for the Brigade's Command Center and over $20 million worth of equipment. The Group did not suffer a single loss during their deployment. CSM Brinson prepared and directed a 911 Remembrance Ceremony for the 3rd Corps Support Command a tradition that continues to this day among Sustainment units deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Command Sgt. Maj. Brinson then returned to Aberdeen Proving Ground for his final assignment as the Commandant of the Noncommissioned Officer's Academy. While there he was responsible for over 800 Noncommissioned Officers attending various phases of the NCO Education System. Once again he encouraged his instructors to use their personal experience combined with the program of instruction to ensure that the subject matter was understood and was relevant. He selected only the best Noncommissioned Officer's to serve as Small Group Leader's and thoroughly prepared them to instruct the future of the Ordnance Corps by giving them the best instructional materials and resources. At the time of his leadership the Ordnance NCO Academy was considered one of the toughest in the Army and had a reputation for producing the highest level of technically and tactically proficient NCOs.

Command Sgt. Maj. Sammy Brinson, Jr. retired in 2006 after 29 years of meritorious service. He continues to support the Army and the Ordnance Corps. He regularly attended all NCOA dining outs and speaks regularly to the Soldiers attending the NCOA. Recently he helped close a chapter in the Noncommissioned Officer Academy's history at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He participated in the NCOA discontinuation ceremony by removing the chevrons in front of the academy and was a keynote speaker at the ceremony.