SMA Ken Preston and CSM Troy Welch coming by on 5/16 for a live Q&A. What questions do you have for us?

*RP Staff Will Be Monitoring This Discussion*

From RP Staff: RallyPoint is honored to host a live Q&A with both SMA Kenneth Preston and CSM Troy Welch. Thanks to AUSA, these two leaders have offered to stop by RP Tuesday afternoon, May 16th, to discuss leadership, the Army, AUSA, and more. Please post your questions below!

The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a 501(c)3 educational nonprofit organization dedicated to the professional success of our Army. For over 66 years, AUSA has gathered tens of thousands of loyal members across 119 chapters in a mission to serve our Soldiers as they advance the security of our nation. Strengthen their force and join today. http://www.ausa.org/join

About CSM Welch:
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Troy Welch entered active duty in June, 1977. He enlisted as a Food Service Specialist (94B later changed to 92G). Welch served in every leadership position from First Cook, Shift Leader, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant and Command Sergeant Major. After serving 30 years, CSM Welch retired in July, 2007. His last tours of duty included Command Sergeant Major, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, United States Forces Korea and Eighth United States Army, and the first Army G4 Sergeant Major. CSM Welch is the first Food Service Specialist to serve at the Major Command Level.

About SMA Preston:
Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston served as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army from January 15, 2004 to March 1, 2011. He retires as the longest serving Sergeant Major of the Army with more than seven years in the position.

As Sergeant Major of the Army, Preston served as the Army Chief of Staff's personal adviser on all Soldier and Family related matters, particularly areas affecting Soldier training and quality of life. He devoted the majority of his time in this position to traveling throughout the Army serving as a force provider for leaders at all levels of responsibility, overseeing Soldier and unit training, manning and equipping challenges, and talking to Soldiers and their Families to understand their needs, personal hardships and challenges serving a Nation at war.

Preston is a native of Mount Savage, Md. He entered the Army on June 30, 1975. He attended Basic Training and Armor Advanced Individual Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Throughout his 36-year career, he served in every enlisted leadership position from cavalry scout and tank commander to his final position as Sergeant Major of the Army. Other assignments he held as a command sergeant major were with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division; 3rd "Grey Wolf" Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division; 1st Armored Division in Bad Kreuznach, Germany; and V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany.

His most recent assignment prior to serving as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army was as the command sergeant major for Combined Joint Task Force 7 in Baghdad, Iraq.

His military education includes the Basic Noncommissioned Officer's Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer's Course, First Sergeant's Course, M1/M1A1 Tank Master Gunner Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer's Course, and the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. Preston holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Trident University International.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Good Conduct Medal 11th award, National Defense ribbon with bronze star, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NCOES Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon 5th award, the NATO Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait), the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with bronze star, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Department of the Army Staff Badge.

He continues to support military service members and their families through his volunteer work serving on the Board of Directors for the United Services Organization (USO); Homes for Our Troops, a national non-profit organization assisting severely injured Veterans and their families by raising money, building materials and professional labor, and by coordinating the process of building a home at no cost to the Veterans and their families; the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, the Armed Forces Benefit Association, the Army Historical Foundation, and the Armor and Cavalry Historical Foundation. He volunteers as the parish treasurer for Saint George’s Episcopal Church in Mount Savage, MD.

He serves as the vice-chairman of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) and is a member of the Army and Air Force Exchange Retiree Council. He continues to support soldiers and their families as the Vice President of Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier Programs at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).