CSM Erick Ochs

CSM Erick Ochs is a native of Reading, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the United States Army in January 1998 as an Infantryman, with an MOS 11B. 


CSM Ochs has served in every leadership position from Team Leader to Command Sergeant Major. Additionally he has served as a Senior Drill Sergeant, an Operations Sergeant, Battalion Operations Sergeant Major, Deputy G3 Sergeant Major for the 82d Airborne Division, Battalion and Brigade Command Sergeant Major, and Task Force Command Sergeant Major for the Army’s first Multi-Domain Task Force.


CSM Ochs’ CONUS assignments include Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Additionally, he has served two OCONUS assignment at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Vicenza, Italy. He has deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan for combat operations.


CSM Ochs’ military education includes the Air Assault School, the Basic Airborne course, Primary Leadership Development Course, the Jumpmaster course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Pathfinder course, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer course, Drill Sergeant School, the Master Resiliency Training course, Modern Army Combatives Course Levels 1 and 2, the First Sergeant course, the Cold Weather Orientation Course, the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy class 65, both Battalion and Brigade Pre-Command and Command Sergeant Major Development Programs, the Senior Commanders Course, and Nominative Leaders Course. His civilian education includes both an Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from Excelsior College, and a Masters of Education through Liberty University.


CSM Ochs’ awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (2nd award), the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (3rd award), the Army Commendation Medal (5th award), the Army Achievement Medal (6th award), the Army Good Conduct Medal (8th award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 stars), the Iraq Campaign Medal (3 stars), the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 6), the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Medal (numeral 5), the NATO medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Valorous Unit Award (2nd award), the Drill Sergeant Identification badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Pathfinder badge, the Master Parachutist badge, the Air Assault badge, the U.S. Army EIC rifleman badge (bronze), Ecuadorian Jump wings, Canadian Jump wings, Israeli Jump wings, French Jump wings, and Australian Jump wings.


CSM Ochs is a member of the Sergeant Audie Murphy club, a Centurion member of the Order of Saint Maurice, and member of the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. He has been inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Regiment of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, he is also a lifetime member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association, and the 173d Airborne Brigade Association.


CSM Ochs resides in Fort Jackson, South Carolina with his wife and their three sons.