When the top enlisted soldier for Army Forces Command retires this fall, he'll be replaced by Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, according to a Thursday release from the Army.
Grinston is currently the command sergeant major of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, the release said.
"Command Sergeant Major Grinston's 29 years of proud Army service at every level and on multiple combat deployments, has prepared him well for the responsibilities of his new position," FORSCOM commander Gen. Robert Abrams said in the release.
Grinston joined the Army in 1987 as a firing battery cannon crewmember, according to his official bio. A career artilleryman, he has served in units at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Schweinfurt, Baumholder and Hohenfels in Germany; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Vicenza, Italy; Fort Drum, New York; and Fort Riley, Kansas.
Before I Corps, Grinston was the top enlisted leader for the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley.
Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, the senior enlisted leader for the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command — Iraq and the commander sergeant major for the 1st Infantry Division, participates in a morning run with Iraqi Army trainees in Besmaya, Iraq. Grinston will take over as CSM at Army Forces Command later this year.
Photo Credit: Master Sgt. Mike Lavigne/Army
He has deployed to Kosovo and in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Grinston also served two tours each during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and five Bronze Stars, two of them with V devices. He also has the Ranger tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, and Combat Action Badge.
The current FORSCOM senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Schroeder, will retire after 34 years in the Army.
"Throughout his career including multiple combat tours, Command Sergeant Major Schroeder has led by outstanding personal example from the front and ensured his troops had the very best training and leadership," Abrams said.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
