Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph W. Wilson hails from Flint, Michigan and entered the U.S. Army on November 18, 1994. He graduated from Infantry One Station Unit Training in March 1995.
Wilson has held every infantry duty position from rifleman to command sergeant major as well as drill sergeant and senior military science instructor. He served with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, Fort Drum, New York; 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, Fort Wainwright.
He was the command sergeant major for 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, Fort Wainwright; 2nd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; Operations Group (WARHOG), Joint Multi-National Readiness Center, Hohenfels, Germany; Mission Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and U.S. Army Pacific, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. He was also the executive sergeant major to the sergeant major of the Army.
Wilson deployed to Bosnia, Egypt, and multiple times to Afghanistan.
His military education and training include all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System, Pre-Command Course, Drill Sergeant Course, Rappel Master Course, Basic Airborne Course, Air Assault Course, and the Infantry Basic Course among others.
Wilson’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (2nd award), Bronze Star Medal (3rd award), Meritorious Service Medal (4th award), Army Commendation Medal (3rd award), Army Achievement Medal (3rd award), Presidential Unit Citation-Navy, Good Conduct Medal (7th award), Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 6, NATO Medal with Bronze Star, Overseas Ribbon with Numeral 2, and the Multi-National Forces/Observer Egypt Medal. He has earned the Drill Sergeant badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Master Combat Infantryman Badge.