Before becoming the Sergeant Major of the Army, he was command sergeant major (CSM) of I Corps and Fort Lewis, Washington.
bᵻfˌoːɹ bᵻkˈʌmɪŋ ðə sˈɑːɹdʒənt mˈeɪdʒɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˈɑːɹmi, hiː wʌz kəmˈænd sˈɑːɹdʒənt mˈeɪdʒɚ sˌiːˌɛsˈɛm ʌv aɪ kˈɔːɹ ænd fˈɔːɹt lˈuːɪs, wˈɑːʃɪŋtən.