Alford L. McMichael (born February 24, 1952) is a retired United States Marine who served as the 14th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 1999 to 2003. He was also the first Staff Non-Commissioned Officer for Allied Command Operations for NATO (2003–2006). McMichael retired from the Marine Corps in 2006 after 36 years of service. Early life and education McMichael was born on February 24, 1952 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and graduated from Hot Springs High School. Military career McMichael enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 27 August 1970, and attended recruit training at San Diego, California. In June 1971, after completing Infantry Training School and Basic Infantry Training at Camp Pendleton, California, McMichael was assigned to Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In May 1973, he was transferred to 2nd Battalion 5th Marines at Camp Pendleton. In December 1973, he returned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego to serve as a drill instructor, series Gunnery Sergeant, and battalion drill master. In December 1975, he was transferred to 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, at Camp Pendleton. In January 1978, McMichael transferred to the 3rd Marine Division, where he served as a shore party chief with the 3rd Division Support Group. In January 1979, he received orders to Marine Security Guard School and, upon completion of the training, was assigned to the American embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. He returned to Quantico, Virginia, in May 1981 to serve as an instructor for the Marine Security Guard School. In May 1983, McMichael was assigned to the University of Minnesota, where he served as the Assistant Marine Officer Instructor for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. In December 1984, after completing the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy Advanced Course, he was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, to serve as the first sergeant of Company C, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. He was ordered to Marine Barracks, Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico, in January 1986 to serve as the barracks's first sergeant. McMichael served as the director of the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California from May 1989 to May 1991, after having served as the school's deputy director since August 1988. In May 1991, McMichael was transferred to Quantico again, where he served as the sergeant major of Officer Candidates School. In June 1994, McMichael returned to Okinawa, Japan, where he served as the sergeant major of the 31st