Kenneth O. Preston is a former Sergeant Major of the Army

Sergeant Major of the Army

The Sergeant Major of the Army is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Army. The holder of this rank is the most senior enlisted member of the Army, unless an Army NCO is serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, when in that case that NCO will be the most senior...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. He was sworn in as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army on January 15, 2004. SMA Preston held a variety of leadership positions throughout his career ranging from Cavalry Scout

Cavalry Scout

The Cavalry Scout is a job title and a reconnaissance specialist in the United States Army. Cavalry Scouts work to obtain, distribute and share vital combat and battlefield information on the enemy and on combat circumstances and environmental conditions. The role originated with the United States...

 to Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major. He is the longest serving Sergeant Major of the Army. SMA Preston retired from the Army on March 1, 2011 after nearly 36 years of service.
Preston is a native of Mount Savage, Maryland

Mount Savage, Maryland

Mount Savage is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. A small blue-collar community, Mount Savage lies at the base of Big Savage Mountain in the Allegheny Mountains, between the cities of Frostburg and Cumberland...

, and entered the Army on June 30, 1975.