Command Sergeant Major :: Fort Novosel

Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew D. Thomas, 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment

CSM Thomas is a native of Oceanside, CA. He graduated from San Marcos High School in San Marcos, CA in 1996. CSM Thomas enlisted into the Army on July 2003, and attend Basic Combat training at Fort Benning, GA. His follow-on Advance Individual Training at Fort Lee, VA awarded him the MOS of 92G Food Service Specialist in November of 2003 in which he served for the first four years of his career. In 2007 CSM Thomas attended MOS reclassification training at Fort Eustis, VA where he graduated in February of 2008 as a 15G Aircraft Structural Repairer.

CSM Thomas has served in multiple positions including Team Leader, Section Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Aircraft Component Repair Supervisor, Air Movement NCO, Company Training NCO, 1SG, and Brigade Operations Sergeant Major. His assignment history includes 124 Signal BN, 4ID, FT Hood, TX; 4ID DIV STB, FT Hood, TX; 125^th BSB, 1ST Armored Division, FT Riley, KS; 2-1 Aviation Regiment, FT Riley, KS; 3/160^th SOAR (ABN), HAAF, GA; SERE Detachment, FT Rucker, GA; HQ 1st Aviation Brigade, FT Rucker, GA; 603D ASB, 3ID, HAAF, GA; United States Sergeants Major Academy, FT Bliss, TX; 110^th AVN BDE, FT Novosel, AL. CSM Thomas has 10 overseas deployments, five combat deployments to Iraq, four combat deployments to Afghanistan, and one rotation to Germany.

CSM Thomas’ military education includes Warrior Leaders Course, Advance Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course (DH), United States Sergeants Major Academy (CL), Enlisted Green Platoon, Combatives level I, Airload Planners Course, SERE-C, Aviation Accident Prevention Course, Aviation Safety Course, Airborne, Lean Six Sigma-Green Belt, Contracting Officer Representative Course, Battalion Pre Command Course, Commander/1SG Precommand Course, Facilitator/Instructor Course, multiple advanced SERE Courses, Combat Life Savers Course, Personal Security Detail Course and Dense Urban Studies. His civilian education includes ABARIS Advanced Composite courses 1-3, associate degree in general education, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Management. He has been inducted into two Honor Societies for scholastic excellence, Sigma Beta Delta (Business Honor Society) and SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society.

CSM Thomas’ awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal 3^rd, Army Commendation Medal 4^th, Army Achievement Medal 7^th, Army Good Conduct Medal 6^th, National Defense Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal 2^nd, Iraq Campaign Medal 3^rd, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 2^nd, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Senior Aviation Badge, and Parachutist Badge.

CSM Thomas has been married to his wife Kira Thomas for 17 years, they have five children, Madison (22), Bridgette (21), Isaac (20), Ceslie (19), and Gabriella (16).