Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Duane R. Nielsen II was born in Flint, Michigan. He joined the Army in June 2005 and shipped to One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Benning, Georgia. After completion of OSUT, he attended Airborne school. He later deployed to Kirkuk, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. During his deployment, he assisted in over 100 combat patrols and operations.
CSM Nielsen’s assignments include Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Bliss, Texas, Fort Stewart, Georgia, Great Lakes Recruiting Battalion, Salt Lake City Recruiting Battalion, Baltimore Recruiting Battalion, Chicago Recruiting Battalion and Portland Recruiting Battalion. CSM Nielsen has held positions as a Rifleman, Heavy Weapons Team Leader, Squad Leader, Section Sergeant, Recruiter, Assistant Station Commander, Station Commander, First Sergeant and Operations Sergeant Major.
CSM Nielsen has attended numerous military schools and training programs to include Combatives Level 1, Combat Life Savers Course, WLC (Commandants List), ALC, Recruiting School, Station Commanders Course (Distinguished Honor Grad), Company Commanders and First Sergeants Course and the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. CSM Nielsen holds a Master Degree in Leadership Studies with a concentration in Community Engagement from the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) and a Bachelor of Science - Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Post University.
His awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award), Army Commendation Medal (5th award), Army Achievement Medal (11th award), Meritorious Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), National Defense Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 2), Infantryman’s Badge (Master, Combat and Expert), Recruiting Badge (Basic, Gold and Master).