Sergeant Major
Kenneth R. Foster Sr.

Sergeant Major Kenneth Ray Foster, Sr., began his career in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) when he enlisted in the Army on February 20, 1951 at Charlotte, North Carolina. Following service in Korea, he was stationed across the country; including Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; U.S. Army Arctic Test Center, Alaska; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Benning and Fort McPherson, Georgia; Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, Sierra army Depot, California, and Fort Leonard wood, Missouri. Sergeant Major Foster was a trailblazer in homeland defense partnership training. The legacy of his efforts has been captured with the myriad of commendations from local police agencies, fire departments, the United States Secret Service, and his commanding officers.

While assigned as EOD Supervisor with the 63rd Ordnance Detachment (EOD) at Fort Leonard wood, he was killed in the line of duty while responding to an act of domestic terrorism. On September 28, 1976, Sergeant Major Foster led a team of EOD Specialists in support of the Secret Service providing security for Senator Bob Dole as he campaigned as the Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate in Quincy, Illinois. That morning Sergeant Major Foster and his team were asked to examine the blast site of three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the Quincy Compressor Division Plant that occurred the night before. Upon arriving at the site the fire department found a fourth IED that had failed to detonate. Sergeant Major Foster and the Illinois State Arson Inspector approached the IED and it detonated, killing Sergeant Major Foster immediately and severely injuring the inspector.

At the time of his death, he was the senior EOD supervisor at Fort Leonard Wood.