Command Sergeant Major Joseph L. Augustus was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 31st, 1982. He enlisted in the United States Army in January 2005 as a Food Service Specialist, and attended the Army Initial Training at Fort Lee, Virginia. Once he graduated Advance Individual Training, he was assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. CSM Augustus completed three combat tours while stationed at Fort Campbell. His overseas assignments include two tours to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and one tour to Operation Enduring Freedom.
CSM Augustus was then selected for recruiting duty in January 2013. He was assigned to the Nashville Recruiting Battalion, with duty to the Clarksville Recruiting Station. He reclassified to MOS 79R and attended the Station Commander's Course in 2014. In 2015 he was selected for induction into the USAREC Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. In February 2016, He was assigned to the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion. He served as the Burlington Recruiting Station Commander in the Raleigh Recruiting Company and the Station Commander for the Spring Lake Recruiting Station in the Fayetteville Recruiting Company. He won the FY18 2nd Brigade Station Commander of the quarter competition. He was also selected as FY19 Battalion Station Commander of the year. He was the 1st Brigade First Sergeant of the Quarter in FY22. Throughout his career in the Army he has served in numerous leadership positions, to include First Cook, Senior First Cook, Squad Leader, Senior Food Operations Sergeant, Senior Food Operation Management NCO, Section Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Assistant Station Commander, Station Commander, and First Sergeant.
CSM Augustus is a graduate of Warrior Leaders Course, Advance Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, Master Leaders Course, Recruiting Course, Station Commanders Course, Recruiting Company Commander and First Sergeant Course, Master Resiliency Training Course. CSM Augustus is a graduate of class 74 of the Sergeant Majors Course “Live the Legacy", Pre-Command Course, and Battalion Pre-Command Course. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree on May 13, 2013, from Troy University, and he graduated from the University of Louisville with his master’s degree on July 28, 2021.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (4th award), Army Commendation Medal (5th award), Army Achievement Medal (8th award), Army Good Conduct Medal (6th award) the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development ribbon with a 5 device, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Ribbon with 3 campaign star devices. He has also earned the Gold Recruiting Badge, The Glen E. Morel medallion, the prestigious Recruiting Ring, is a Sergeant Audie Murphy member, and has an Expert Marksmanship Badge-Rifle.