YPG Command Sergeant Major
Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Holthus
CSM Holthus hails from Gaylord, Michigan. He enlisted in the United States Army as a Field Artillery Cannon Crewmember (13B) attending One Station Unit Training at Fort Sill, OK in 1999. His first duty station was 2-17 FA, Camp Hovey, Korea where he served as Howitzer Driver and #1 Cannoneer. In 2001, he reported to 1-5 FA, Fort Riley, KS where he served as Gunner and Section Chief, and completed two deployments (2003-2004, 2006-2007) to Iraq. He then volunteered to serve as a U.S. Army Drill Sergeant at 2-60 INF, Fort Jackson, SC. In 2010, he reported to 4-27 FA, Fort Bliss, TX where he served as Platoon Sergeant, Master Gunner, Operations Sergeant, and First Sergeant. In 2014, CSM Holthus reported to 1-31 FA, Fort Sill, OK to serve as the First Sergeant. In 2016 he became the Fires Center of Excellence Inspector General NCOIC.
CSM Holthus was selected to attend U.S. Army Sergeants Major Course, Class 69, Fort Bliss, TX graduating in 2019. Following graduation, he reported to Fort Riley, KS where he served as the 1st ID Forward Sergeant Major in Poznan, Poland. In 2020, he reported back to Fort Bliss, TX to serve as the 4-27 FA Command Sergeant Major. In 2023, he reported to Fort Bragg, NC to serve as the Command Sergeant Major of 4th BN, 2nd SFAB where he spent two months in Mogadishu, Somalia training the DANAB BDE.
CSM Holthus earned a Bachelor of Science Liberal Arts Degree from Excelsior College in 2019. His military education includes the CSA BN and BDE Pre Command Courses, Inspector General Basic Course, TRADOC First Sergeant/Commander Course, Field Artillery Master Gunner Course, Master Resilience Trainer Course, Field Artillery Senior Leaders Course, United States Army Drill Sergeant School, Field Artillery Advanced Leaders Course, Total Army Instructor Course, and Basic Leaders Course.
CSM Holthus’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (6OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3OLC), Army Achievement Medal (5OLC), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation (1OLC), Army Superior Unit Award (2OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal (8th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal (2 Bronze Star Devices), Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 3), Master Gunner Identification Badge, Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Inspector General Badge, Combat Action Badge, and the Drivers Badge with Driver Wheel and Track. He is also a member of the Field Artillery Honorable Order of Saint Barbara.
CSM Holthus is proudly married to the former Tiffany Zerger of Moundridge, KS and has two sons: Connor and Jackson.