U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Instructor Training Group

Sgt 1^st Class Joseph A. Donoghue is a marksmanship instructor for the Instructor Training Group with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Moore, GA.

Donoghue graduated from the University of South Florida in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Science Education.  He served with 4^th Brigade (Airborne), 25^th Infantry Division from September 2012 to September 2015, 2^nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from September 2015 to September 2017, again with 4^th Brigade (Airborne), 25^th Infantry Division from September 2017 to June 2022, then in 2^nd Brigade, 11^th Airborne Division from June 2022 to July 2024.  He has been a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit since July 2024 to present.  The following are some highlights over the course of his career.

Donoghue joined the Army in November of 2011 and attended Infantry One Station Unit Training and U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA.  He was assigned to C Troop, 1^st Squadron, 40^th Calvary Regiment at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK in September 2012, where he served as a Scout Observer, Sniper, and Senior Sniper.  In September 2015, he was assigned to A Company, 4^th Battalion, 23^rd Infantry Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, where he served as a Fire Team Leader, Rifle Squad Leader, and Weapons Squad Leader.  He was assigned to HHC, 1^st Battalion, 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment in October of 2017, where he served as a Reconnaissance Team Leader and the Sniper Section Leader in the Battalion Scout Platoon.  In December 2021, he was assigned to HHD, 4^th Brigade (Airborne), 25^th Infantry Division where he served as the NCOIC of the Brigade Marksmanship Program.  He was assigned to D Company, 1^st Battalion, 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment in April 2022, where he served as a Heavy Weapons Platoon Sergeant.  In July 2024, he was assigned to the Instructor Training Group at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Moore, GA.

Donoghue’s schools include: Airborne School, Combatives level I and II, U.S. Army Sniper Course, Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader’s Course, Basic Leader’s Course, Basic Military Mountaineering Course, Advanced Leader’s Course, Cold Weather Leader’s Course, Senior Leader’s Course, and Jumpmaster Course. 

His awards include: One Meritorious Service Medal, One Army Commendation Medal with “C” Device, ten Army Commendation Medals, two Joint Service Achievement Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, four Army Good Conduct Medals, three Overseas Service Ribbons, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO ISAF Medal, the NATO Balkans Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Superior Unit Award, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with “3” device.  He has earned the Parachutist Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and he was the 484^th Soldier to earn both the Excellence In Competition Distinguished Pistol Shot and Distinguished Rifleman’s Badges.