Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Sergeant Major William J. Gainey is the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a newly created position established to advise the Chairman on matters of professional development of enlisted personnel for a joint environment. Sergeant Major Gainey is the first person selected to serve in this position beginning October 1, 2005.
Sergeant Major Gainey enlisted in the Army under the Delayed Entry Program in 1974 and entered basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky on 17 June 1975. Since then, he has served in every leadership position from command group gunner to Command Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Major Gainey's assignments include: Driver, Loader, Gunner, and Tank Commander in the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor (Tiger Brigade), 2nd Armored Division, Ft Hood, TX; Gunner, Tank Commander, and Platoon Sergeant in the 4th Battalion, 73rd Armor, 1st Infantry Division, Boblingen, Germany; Platoon Leader in the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor, 24th Infantry Division, Ft Stewart, GA; Drill Sergeant, and Senior Drill Sergeant in the 19th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade, Ft Knox, KY; Platoon Sergeant and Operations Sergeant in the 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor, 82nd Airborne Division, Ft Bragg, NC; Platoon Sergeant and First Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Airborne, Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Little Rock Air Force Base, AR; Senior Enlisted Armor Advisor, Ft Jackson, SC.
Sergeant Major Gainey has served as the Command Sergeant Major for the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; Eagle Base, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft Polk, LA; 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Ft Stewart, GA.; 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft Polk, LA.; The United States Army Armor Center, Fort Knox, KY; and most recently as the Command Sergeant Major for The III Armored Corps and Fort Hood, Fort Hood, Texas.
Sergeant Major Gainey has served in Operation Joint Endeavor (IFOR), Operation Joint Guard (SFOR 3) and Operation Joint Forge (SFOR 8) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served as the Command Sergeant Major for the Combined Joint Task Force-7 (CJTF-7), Multi-National Force Iraq (MNF-I), and the Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I) in Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Sergeant Major Gainey has attended numerous military schools and training programs to include: the Drill Sergeant School; Airborne School; Jump Master School; Air Movement Officer's Course; Observer Controller Course; First Sergeants Course; Pathfinder School; and the United States Sergeants Major Academy, Class 41. Sergeant Major Gainey holds an Associates Degree in Applied Science from Vincennes University.
His awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star with "V" for valor; Meritorious Service Medal, 7 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Medal, 7 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Army Superior Unit Award; Master Parachutist Badge; Pathfinder's Badge; Combat Action Badge; the Drill Sergeant Badge; the Order of Saint George (Bronze Medallion), and the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara.
Sergeant Major Gainey is married to the former Cindy Chunn and they have a son and daughter. Their son is First Lieutenant Ryan J. Gainey, currently stationed at Fort Lewis, WA; their daughter is Erin E. Gainey-Roberts, currently stationed at Fort Bragg, NC with her husband, Specialist Jeff Roberts.
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