bᵻfˌoːɹ bˌiːɪŋ ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd æz ðə sˈɑːɹdʒənt mˈeɪdʒɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˈɑːɹmi hiː sˈɜːvd æz kəmˈænd sˈɑːɹdʒənt mˈeɪdʒɚɹ ʌvðə tˈuː dˈiː ˈɑːɹmɚd dᵻvˈɪʒən fˈɔːɹwɚd, ðə θɹˈiː dˈiː ˈɪnfəntɹi dᵻvˈɪʒən mˈɛkənˌaɪzd, ðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. ˈɑːɹmi sˈɑːɹdʒənts mˈeɪdʒɚɹ ɐkˈædəmi, ænd ʌv juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts fˈoːɹsᵻz kɚɹˈiːə.
Before being appointed as the Sergeant Major of the Army he served as command sergeant major of the 2d Armored Division (Forward), the 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized), the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, and of United States Forces Korea.