Master Sgt. Grant Kennedy is a native of Pendleton, Indiana. He enlisted in the Army in August of 1997 and shipped to Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He then attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona as an Electronic Warfare/Intercept Aviation System Repairer. His first assignment was with the 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Meade, Maryland where he deployed to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Forge and then to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian II. He separated from the Army and attended the Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, Colorado to pursue a gunsmithing degree in 2004. In 2009 he reenlisted in the Army and was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Custom Firearms Shop.
Kennedy has graduated from Combat Lifesaver Course, Fort Benning, Georgia (2010); Army Basic Instructor Course, Fort Benning, Georgia (2009); Warrior Leaders Course, Fort Benning, Georgia (2010); Advanced Leaders Course, Fort Lee, Virginia (2011); Senior Leaders Course, Fort Lee, Virginia (2014); Master Leaders Course, Fort Stewart, Georgia (2019).
His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2), Good Conduct Medal (4), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Ribbon, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Developmental Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal (2), Army Superior Unit Award.