Command Sgt. Maj. Jackson enlisted in the U.S. Army in November 1989 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
After completing Initial Entry Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he served as a field artilleryman, gunner, and section chief in: Alpha 3rd/3rd FA, 2nd Armored Division, 1st/82 FA, 1st Cavalry Division, Alpha 3rd/320th FA, 101st Airborne Division, and 3rd/82nd FA, 1st Calvary Division.
Jackson separated from active-duty in February 1992 (after Desert Storm) to attend college. He served as a drill sergeant in the Army Reserve in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After college in 1997, Jackson reenlisted into the active-duty Army as a field artilleryman.
Jackson was selected to serve as a detailed recruiter in 2000. He was the Houston Recruiting Battalion’s Top New Recruiter of the Year FY00, Top-Quality Producer for FY01, and Top Regular Army Recruiter and Top-Quality Producer of the Year for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 before he was involuntarily converted in 2004.
Jackson was the first sergeant for Gainesville Company, Jacksonville Recruiting Battalion, in 2011. His team was named Top Company in the Nation for two consecutive years, and Top Company (Quality and Volume Production) in the battalion for two consecutive years. He also received honorable mention for United States First Sergeant of the Year FY12, after earning 2nd Brigade First Sergeant of the Year FY12 and Jacksonville Recruiting Battalion First Sergeant of the Year FY12.
Jackson also served as Battalion Operations Sergeant Major and was instrumental in helping the Houston Battalion achieve Top Battalion in USAREC honors for FY16. As the Montgomery Recruiting Battalion Operations Sergeant Major in Alabama, he helped the battalion go from 30th ranked in USAREC to 3rd.
Jackson is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Guidance Counselor Course, the DA First Sergeant Course, USAREC First Sergeant Course, Senior Leader Course (Honor Graduate), Advance Leader Course (Honor Graduate), Warrior Leader Course (Honor Graduate), Station Commander Course (Distinguished Honor Graduate), and the Army Recruiter Course. In addition to his military education, he has earned a Bachelor of Science from Grand Canyon University.
His awards and decorations include the Air Assault Badge, Gold Recruiting Badge, Glenn E. Morrell Award for Excellence in Recruiting, Meritorious Service Medal with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal with four silver knots, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star device, Global war on Terrorism Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Southwest Asia Medal with three Campaign Stars, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon 5th device, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.