Col. Sherdrick Rankin enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1994 from his hometown in Evergreen, Alabama. Upon completing basic and advanced individual training he was assigned at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Joint Security Area Korea, and Fort Liberty, North Carolina from private to staff sergeant. He was commissioned in 2001 as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps after attending Officer Candidate School, where he was selected as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Fayetteville State University, master's in business administration in Human Resource Management from Baker College, master’s degree in military arts and science in Operational Art from the School of Advanced Military Studies. He is also a graduate of the Air War College where he received a master's in strategic studies.
Rankin’s previous assignments include duties as Logistics Colonels Human Resource Manager, Senior Leaders Division, Colonels Management Office; Commander of Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Troop Support Europe and Africa; Director of Staff and Plans Officer, Directorate of Logistics & Engineering, United States Central Command; He also worked as the Executive Officer to the CENTCOM J4; Executive Officer and Support Operations Officer in the 601st Aviation Support Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS.
On three separate occasions Rankin held positions in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, he served as J4, Joint Logistics Command and in 2012 as a force management planner, 1st Infantry Division. In 2013 he served as a support operations officer with the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade. He also deployed to Iraq in 2008 as Company Commander, HHC, 10th Sustainment Brigade.
Rankin’s awards include three Bronze Star Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, three Army Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and seven Army Achievement Medals.