Ray Chandler, 14th Sergeant Major of the Army, here for a live Q&A. What questions do you have for me?

Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III was sworn in as the 14th Sergeant Major of the Army on March 1, 2011. SMA Chandler held a variety of leadership positions throughout his career ranging from tank crewman to command sergeant major. As Sergeant Major of the Army, Chandler served as the Army Chief of Staff's personal adviser on all enlisted‐related matters, particularly in areas affecting Soldier training and quality of life. He devoted the majority of his time to traveling throughout the Army observing training, and talking to Soldiers and their Families. He sat on a wide variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting enlisted Soldiers and their Families and is routinely invited to testify before Congress. Chandler was born in Whittier, California and entered the Army in Brockton, Massachusetts in September 1981. Chandler attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and graduated as a 19E Armor Crewman.

SMA Chandler served in all tank crewman positions and had multiple tours as a troop, squadron and regimental master gunner. He served in the 1st Infantry Division (FWD), 2d Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 3d Armor Division, 2d ACR, 3d ACR, U.S. Army Armor School, and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. Chandler served as a 1SG in four different detachments, troops and companies. As a Sergeant Major, he served as Operations SGM in 1/2 ACR and as CSM in 1/7 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (OIF II 2004‐2005), United States Army Garrison Fort Leavenworth, KS and the United States Army Armor School CSM. Chandler was assigned as the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy CSM in December 2007. In June 2009, Chandler became the 19th Commandant of USASMA and the first enlisted commandant in USASMA history. SMA Chandler's military and civilian education included all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System, M60A3 and M1/M1A1 Tank Master Gunner Course, Battle Staff NCO Course, First Sergeant Course, Basic Instructor Training, Total Army Instructor Trainer Course, Small Group Instructor Trainer Course, Video Tele‐Training Instructor Trainer Course, Army Management Staff Course, Garrison Command Sergeant Major Course and various other professional development courses. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration from Upper Iowa University.

In February 2015, SMA (R) Chandler was appointed By Senator Jack Reed D-RI to serve on the National Commission on the Future of the Army (http://www.ncfa.ncr.gov/) as a commissioner. The commission submitted its report to President Obama and to the 114th Congress on January 28, 2016 and was released from commission duty on April 28, 2016. On June 1, 2015 SMA Chandler was hired by Lockheed Martin as a business development principal analyst and live in Orlando, Florida. Chandler continues to serve after retirement on various boards and councils. They include the Camaraderie Foundation (camaraderiefoundation.org), the First Data Corporation Military Advisory Council (firstdata.org) and American Securities (american-securities.com). SMA Chandler spends his free time travel, sampling craft beers and good bourbon.