William Gainey

Last updated

William J. Gainey
William Joseph Gainey.jpg
Nickname(s)Fighting Joe
Born (1956-05-27) May 27, 1956 (age 68)
Jacksonville, Florida
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1974–2008
Rank Command Sergeant Major
Battles / wars Iraq War
Awards Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (8)
Army Commendation Medal (8)
Army Achievement Medal (2)

William Joseph Gainey (born May 27, 1956) is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the first senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Contents

Early life

Gainey was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 27, 1956.

Military career

Gainey enlisted in the United States Army under the Delayed Entry Program in 1974 and entered basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky on June 17, 1975. Thereafter, he served in a number of enlisted leadership positions, from gunner to command sergeant major. [1]

Gainey's assignments include: driver, loader, gunner, and tank commander in the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor (Tiger Brigade), 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas; gunner, tank commander, and platoon sergeant in the 4th Battalion, 73rd Armored, 1st Infantry Division, Böblingen, Germany; platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; drill sergeant and senior drill sergeant in the 19th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade, Fort Knox; platoon sergeant and Operations Sergeant in the 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; platoon sergeant and first sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Airborne, Joint Readiness Training Center, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas; Senior Enlisted Armor Advisor, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. [2]

Gainey served as the command sergeant major for the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; Eagle Base, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk; 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart; 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk; The United States Army Armor Center, Fort Knox; and as the command sergeant major for the III Corps and Fort Hood at Fort Hood, Texas. [3]

Gainey served in Operation Joint Endeavor (IFOR), Operation Joint Guard (SFOR 3) and Operation Joint Forge (SFOR 8) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served as the command sergeant major for the Combined Joint Task Force 7 (CJTF-7) and as the command sergeant major of the Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I) in Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

Gainey attended numerous military schools and training programs to include: the Drill Sergeant School; Airborne School; Jumpmaster School; Air Movement Officer's Course; Observer Controller Course; First Sergeants Course; Pathfinder School; and the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 41. Gainey holds an Associate of Applied Science degree from Vincennes University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Touro University International and a Master of Arts degree in Education and a Master of Science in Leadership from Trident University International.

On October 1, 2005 Gainey was appointed the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a newly created position established to advise the Chairman on matters of professional development of enlisted personnel assigned to joint billets. [4]

Retirement

Since his retirement from the army, Gainey has taken a board member position at Trident University International. [5]

Awards and decorations

Combat Action Badge.svg
Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Valor device.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg Silver oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg Silver oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg
Army Good Conduct ribbon 11.jpg National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg
Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg NCO Professional Development Ribbon.svg Award numeral 4.png Army Service Ribbon.svg
Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg Award numeral 4.png NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg GER DOSB Sports Badge ribbon bar.png
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Pathfinder.gif US Army Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Generic.png
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg
Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg Army Superior Unit Award ribbon.svg
Insignia USA Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment V2.svg 3 Corps Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.svg DrillInstructBadge.gif
Service stripe.jpg 11 Service stripes
ArmyOSB.svg 2 Overseas Service Bars

Gainey is also a recipient of:

Saintgeorge crest.gif Gold Medallion of the Honorable Order of Saint George, United States Armor Association
Order of Saint Barbara medallion.jpg Silver Medallion of the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara, Air Defense Artillery Association
Schutzenschnur in Bronze (Plakette).jpg German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship (Schützenschnur in Bronze)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galen B. Jackman</span> American military officer

Galen Bruce Jackman is a retired United States Army Major General. His last assignment in the Army was serving in the Pentagon as the Army's Chief Legislative Liaison. Prior to that assignment, he was the first commanding general of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR), a dual-hatted role combined with commanding the Military District of Washington (MDW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the "Fighting Eagles", is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The 8th Infantry participated in the Mexican War, American Civil War, Philippine Insurrection, Moro Rebellion, World War I, World War II, Vietnam War, and Iraq Campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas F. Metz</span> Lieutenant General in the United States Army

Thomas Fredric Metz is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. Metz retired from the Army in Jan 2010 after more than 40 years of active military service. His tour of duty prior to retirement was as the director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization., leading the DOD organization tasked with finding and fielding ways to defeat the IED threat. Previously he was the deputy commanding general and chief of staff, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Previous to that assignment he was commanding general of the U.S. III Corps and Fort Hood. He assumed command of III Corps on 7 February 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred D. Robinson Jr.</span> United States Army general

Major General Fred "Doug" Robinson Jr. a native of Bolivar, Tennessee, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army from the University of Tennessee. As of 2007, he was commanding general of Army Research, Development and Engineering Command in the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William H. Brandenburg</span> United States general (died 2024)

William H. Brandenburg Jr. was a major general in the United States Army. He last served as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army, Pacific, August 8, 2003. Prior to his last assignment, he was deputy commanding general for training and readiness, I Corps and Fort Lewis. From November 29, 2004, until December 1, 2005, he deployed to Iraq as deputy commanding general and commanding general, Task Force 134.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Steven Whitcomb</span> United States Army general

R. Steven Whitcomb is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation from the University of Virginia in 1970. In his final assignment he served as Inspector General of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael S. Tucker</span> United States Army general

Lieutenant General Michael S. Tucker is a retired United States Army general who served Commanding General of the First United States Army from 2013 until 2016. He formerly served as the Commanding General of the 2nd Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald M. Campbell Jr.</span> United States Army General

Lieutenant General Donald M. Campbell Jr. is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the commanding general of United States Army Europe. He commanded the United States Army Europe from December 1, 2012, to November 6, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul J. Kern</span> United States Army general

Paul John Kern is a retired United States Army general and businessman. He served as Commanding General of the United States Army Materiel Command from October 2001 to November 2004. He became President and Chief Operating Officer of AM General LLC on August 1, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James C. Yarbrough</span> United States Army general

James C. Yarbrough is a retired brigadier general in the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald H. Griffith</span> United States Army general (1936–2018)

Ronald Houston Griffith was an American general in the United States Army who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (VCSA) from 1995 to 1997. He was born in Lafayette, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Uberti</span> United States Army general

Major General John Uberti is a retired military officer who last served as the deputy commanding general for operations for the U.S. Army's III Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Barreras</span>

Martin Ray "Gunny" Barreras was a US Army Command Sergeant Major who played a crucial role in the rescue of Jessica Lynch in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven N. Wickstrom</span> United States Army general

Steven N. Wickstrom is a retired Army National Guard officer. He attained the rank of major general as commander of the 42nd Infantry Division from 2009 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff W. Mathis III</span> US Army major general

Jeff W. Mathis III was a career officer in the United States Army. A longtime member of the Army National Guard, Mathis attained the rank of major general before retiring in 2014. A veteran of overseas deployment to Africa during the Global War on Terrorism, he was most notable for high profile command assignments including Joint Task Force – Civil Support (2012-2014) and I Corps (2009-2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric D. Little</span> U.S. Army general

Eric D. Little is a United States Army brigadier general who serves as the deputy director for operations of the United States Space Command. He previously served as commanding general of the White Sands Missile Range and deputy commanding general for developmental testing of the United States Army Test and Evaluation Command from May 2021 to November 2023. He has one son currently serving the nation as a PED Platoon Leader in 504th MI BDE, First Lieutenant Brennan Little.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey L. Bannister</span> U.S. Army major general

Jeffrey L. Bannister was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of Operation Joint Guardian (1998), Operation Essential Harvest (2000–2001), Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Freedom Sentinel, he attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal (2), Defense Superior Service Medal (4), Legion of Merit (2), and Bronze Star Medal (3). Bannister was most notable for his service as commander of the 10th Mountain Division from 2015 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederic J. Brown III</span> U.S. Army lieutenant general (1934–2024)

Frederic J. Brown III was a United States Army officer. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he attained the rank of lieutenant general and was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal (2), Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, and multiple awards of the Bronze Star Medal. Brown is best known for his service as Chief of Armor and Cavalry from 1983 to 1986 and command of Fourth United States Army from 1986 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph L. Biehler</span> U.S. Army major general

Joseph L. Biehler is a career officer in the United States Army. A longtime member of the New York Army National Guard, in February 2024 he was promoted to major general as commander of the 42nd Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack A. James Jr.</span> US Army major general

Jack A. James is a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the United States Army and New York Army National Guard, in September 2024 he was promoted to major general and appointed to command the 42nd Infantry Division. James took part in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and Stabilization Force (SFOR) duties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to taking part in Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster.

References

  1. "SEAC(r) William J. "Joe" Gainey | Trident University International". July 14, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  2. "1st SEAC, SGM William Joseph Gainey, U.S. Army Biography (ArmyStudyGuide.com)". Army Education Benefits Blog. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  3. "Mustangs road to Gainey Cup". DVIDS. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  4. "Photos". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  5. "William "Joe" Gainey Scholarship | Trident University International". September 14, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
Military offices
New office Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
2005—2008
Vacant
Title next held by
Bryan B. Battaglia in 2011