Kenneth Preston Recognized for Distinguished Military Service

    MOUNT SAVAGE, MD, March 02, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kenneth O. Preston has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Well-regarded for his military leadership, Kenneth O. Preston joined the military after high school with the intent of serving for only four years. However, his plans changed once he fell in love with people and the mission, going on to attain the rank of 13th Sergeant Major of the Army.

Mr. Preston commenced his military service in 1975, holding various leadership roles for more than 35 years, including as a cavalry scout and tank commander. He had been a deputy commandant of the Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Fort Knox, Kentucky between 1994 and 1995 before shifting to command sergeant major. He served in this post for the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division from 1996 until 1998, the 3rd "Grey Wolf" Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division from 1998 to 1999, the 1st Armored Division between 2000 and 2001 and the V Corps and Combined Joint Task Force 7 from 2001 until 2003.

Subsequently, Mr. Preston was honorably appointed as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army, a unique non-commissioned rank and office within the United States Army. In this capacity, he earned distinction as the most senior enlisted member of the Army from 2004 until his retirement in 2011, the longest-serving incumbent to do so since the creation of the office in 1966. Among his duties during this time, Mr. Preston advised the chief of staff of the U.S. Army on all matters of discipline, training and quality of life during a period of intense action abroad in the Middle East. He was also consistently invited to testify before the U.S. Congress regarding these subjects.

Following his retirement from the military, Mr. Preston took on the role as co-chair of the Chief of Staff of the Army's Retired Soldier Counsel from 2011 to 2016 and as the vice president of the non-commissioned officer and soldier programs of the Association of the U.S. Army between 2013 and 2020, which seeks to provide a voice for soldiers and honors those who have provided security on behalf of the nation. Despite the end of his tenure, he has continued to hold a senior fellowship at the nonprofit organization since 2020. In addition, Mr. Preston served as president of Homes for Our Troops from 2012 to 2013. A charitable endeavor that strives to build and donate homes adapted for use by severely wounded veterans at no cost, he has gone on to serve as a board member since 2013.

Outside of the nonprofit sector, Mr. Preston has also dedicated time to working as a military advisor since 2015 for Veterans United Home Loans, a mortgage lender for Veterans Affairs loans that is based in Columbia, Missouri. He has offered his expertise in a similar role for Veterans United Realty. Additionally, Mr. Preston has held numerous leadership roles for other organizations, including the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the Eagle's Watch Foundation and the Army Historical Foundation.

Abundantly educated, Mr. Preston earned an Associate of Arts in vocational education and instruction at the University of Louisville in 1989. Subsequently, he undertook military studies at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in Fort Bliss, Texas from 1995 to 1996. A decade later, he returned to civilian education and attended Trident University, where he attained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2007 and a Master of Business Administration in 2009. In recent years, he has undertaken automotive mechanics technology coursework at the Lincoln College of Technology.

Noted for his myriad achievements in service to the military, Mr. Preston has accrued numerous merits across the span of his enlistment, such as an Army Distinguished Service Medal, a Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and an Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, among many others. He was the first enlisted soldier to receive the George C. Marshall Award from the Association of the United States Army, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the military and the nation.

Mr. Preston attributes his abundance of success to great leaders, however, his exceptional career could not have been achieved without his bravery, passion and sense of duty. Looking toward the future, he plans to remain engaged in military-related endeavors while also dedicating time to his various hobbies, including golf, automotive maintenance and quality time with friends and family.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #