Command Sergeant Major Rickey G. Jackson serves as the Command Sergeant Major of the 56th Artillery Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the Army in August 1995 as a Field Artillery Cannoneer. He graduated from Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a 13B Field Artillery Cannoneer.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jackson’s previous assignments include: Section Chief and Gunner B BTRY 4-42 FA, Fort Hood, Texas; Section Chief, C BTRY 1-15 FA, Camp Casey, Korea; Gunnery Sergeant and Section Chief, B BTRY 3-82 FA, Fort Hood, Texas; Drill Sergeant D CO 2-60th, Fort Jackson, South, Carolina; Platoon Sergeant, B BTRY 1-77 FA Battalion, Schweinfurt, Germany; First Sergeant of SVC BTRY then B BTRY, 1-77 FA Battalion, Schweinfurt, Germany; Senior Professional Development NCO, Fort Knox, Kentucky; 3ID DIVARTY Operations Sergeant Major, Fort Stewart, Georgia. He served as Command Sergeant Major for: 1-41 FA Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia; 1ID Forward, Poznan, Poland; 1ID DIVARTY, Fort Riley Kansas; and most recently, the 32nd Commandant of the United States Army Drill Sergeant Academy.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jackson’s stateside tours have included Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Bliss, Texas, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Jackson, South Carolina. His overseas tours include Korea and Germany. He deployed to Afghanistan for twelve months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VII, and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I/II and VII.
His military education includes attendance to the Nominative Leader Course 22-03, resident course at the United States Army Sergeant’s Major Academy Class 66, the Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, Drill Sergeant Course, Senior Leader’s Noncommissioned Officers Course, Advance Noncommissioned Officers Course, the Basic Leader’s Course, Combatives Level I and II, Battle Staff NCO Course, Anti-Terrorism Officer Course, Unit Movement Officer Course, Air Load Planner Course, Master Resiliency Course, and the Combat Life Savers Course. His civilian education includes a bachelor’s degree in psychology from American Military University, a Master of Leadership Studies from The University of Texas at El Paso, and currently completing dissertation for his doctoral degree in Behavioral Health Management from Arizona State University.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jackson’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and NATO Medal. His unit awards include a Meritorious Unit Citation and Superior Unit Award.
He is married and they have two children.