Meet Your Army: CSM Troxell, SEAC

Meet the 3rd Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff also known as SEAC. Meet CSM John Wayne Troxell. He sounds pretty interesting.

"Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell is the 3rd senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or SEAC.

Nicknames: John Wayne, The Duke, Trox, The Bull

Hometown: Davenport, Iowa

Favorite thing about hometown: "Small-town atmosphere"

Least favorite thing about hometown: "Small-town atmosphere"

Childhood hobbies: wrestling, football, tabletop sports games
"When I was 10, I wanted to be a pro football player when I grew up."

Current hobbies: Physical Training, watching football and mix martial arts, spending time with my wife

Q: What motivated you to join the Army?

A: "I understood that I wasn't talented enough academically or athletically to earn a college scholarship, but I still wanted to do something with my life. It was when I saw my friends return home from their military training, two from Ranger school and one from Marine Corps Boot Camp, that I made the decision to join the military. I saw that they were physically fit, disciplined, motivated, and carried themselves with pride, and said to myself, 'I want to be on that team.'"

Favorite line from favorite movie: "Any lines from Gunnery Sgt. Hartman from Full Metal Jacket."

Favorite Song: "If you caught me singing in the car, I'd probably be singing Blink-182 "All the small things."

Personal strength: "I think my personal strength is the ability to motivate people through humor, charisma, and by example. I would never ask anyone to do something that I wouldn't do myself. I feel this tangible, genuine approach is something people recognize immediately and respond to positively."

Challenges faced in military: "From a leader's perspective, the most challenging thing I faced during my career was the inherent danger of leading a unit in combat, dealing with the loss of Soldiers as a result of that combat, and finally helping families as they cope with the loss of their loved one."

Q: What do you consider your most significant achievements in the Army?

A: "Two achievements come to mind. First, graduating Ranger school. The second came from when I served as a Striker Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. For 15-months during the Surge in Iraq. Because of 4-2 SBCT's actions during that deployment, I witnessed our area of operation turn from being one of the most dangerous areas in Iraq to one of the safest, with brighter future for the Iraqi people there."

Q: What are the keys to leadership?

A: "Leaders need to find a way to combine the six enlisted desired leader attributes with a positive attitude under the worst conditions. This will allow men and women in your charge to believe that they can win despite the odds."

Q: What do you consider the most important Army value?

A: "Selfless Service. Being successful isn't because of one individual, it's because of a cohesive team bound by a common goal. Selfless Service says, "I don't do it for me. I do it for the team because I want to give back what's been given to me."