Command Sergeant Major James B. Kendrick is the Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard. Headquartered at the Herbert R. Temple Jr. Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Virginia, the Army National Guard is comprised of over 325,000 Army National Guard personnel.
CSM Kendrick is the principal advisor to the Director, Army National Guard (DARNG) on all enlisted matters. His responsibilities include providing the enlisted perspective on strategic vision, goals, and objectives. He advocates for the enlisted force and is responsible for mentoring them on the command's mission, vision, core values, enlisted utilization, and policy implementation.
CSM Kendrick enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1989 as a Combat Engineer and attended Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Upon completion, he served with the 9th Engineer Battalion in Aschaffenburg, Germany. While assigned with the 9th Engineer Battalion, he deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
After completing the deployment and his active-duty tour, he transitioned to the Florida National Guard. In 1993, CSM Kendrick volunteered for duty as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician and served with the 221st Ordnance Company (EOD) where he advanced through the ranks to the position of First Sergeant. In 2006, as First Sergeant, he deployed with the 221st Ordnance Company (EOD) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, coordinating multiple explosive ordnance disposal teams operating in Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar.
He was selected for promotion to Sergeant Major in 2009 and transferred to the Joint Force Headquarters for the Florida National Guard. At the Joint Force Headquarters, he served as the G3 (Operations and Training) Directorate SGM and G1 (Military Personnel) SGM. In 2013, he was selected for appointment to Command Sergeant Major, assigned to the 211th Regiment, Regional Training Institute (RTI), and served as Commandant for the Noncommissioned Officer Academy. Additional leadership tours include serving as Command Sergeant Major for the 753d Brigade Engineer Battalion and Command Sergeant Major for the 83d Troop Command. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the State Command Sergeant Major and Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Florida National Guard.
EDUCATION
2022 – National Defense University, Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Lader Course
2022 - Harvard, Kennedy School of Government, Leadership in Homeland Security Seminar
2019 - Nominative Leader Course
2019 - Brigade Pre-Command Course
2018 – National Defense University, Reserve Component National Security Course
2017 - Force Integration for Senior Leaders Course
2014 - Small Group Instructor Techniques
2014 - Army Basic Instructor Course
2013 - Fiscal Law
2013 - ARNG Resource Management Course
2013 - Training Institute Pre-Command Course
2011 - Non-Resident Sergeants Major Course (Class 36)
2009 - National Guard Bureau Quota Source/School Training Management Course
2009 - Army Training Resource Requirements System Training Workshop
2007 - Task Force Iron Claw / Counter Improvised Explosive Device Operations
2006 - Global Anti-terrorism Operational Readiness Course
2006 - Joint Nuclear Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course
2006 - First Sergeants Course
2004 - Battle Staff NCO Course
2000 - Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course
1997 - Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course
1995 - Primary Leadership Development Course
1993 - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist (Phase I, II, III)
1989 - One Station Unit Training (Combat Engineer)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION/APPOINTMENTS
Sergeant - August 1995
Staff Sergeant - June 1997
Sergeant First Class - August 2000
First Sergeant - August 2006
Sergeant Major - April 2009
Command Sergeant Major - March 2013
ASSIGNMENTS (In descending order)
- Feb 2025 – Present - Army National Guard, Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard
- May 2022 – Feb 2025 - JFHQ-Florida, Command Senior Enlisted Leader
- Aug 2019 – Apr 2022 - FHQ-Florida, State Command Sergeant Major
- Apr 2018 – Jul 2019 - 83rd Troop Command, Command Sergeant Major
- Sep 2015 – Mar 2018 - 753rd Engineer Battalion, Command Sergeant Major
- Mar 2013 – Aug 2015 - 211th Regiment – RTI FL, Command Sergeant Major
- May 2008 – Feb 2013 - Joint Force Headquarters - Florida, G3 Sergeant Major
- Jul 2005 – Apr 2008 - 221st Ordnance Company (EOD), First Sergeant
- Jul 2003 – Apr 2008 - Camp Blanding Range Control, Range NCO
- Feb 2002 – Jul 2003 - Joint Force Headquarters - Florida, G3 Training NCO
- Aug 1998 – Feb 2002 - 221st Ordnance Company (EOD), Readiness NCO
- Aug 1992 – Aug 1998 - 221st Ordnance Company (EOD), Team Leader
- Dec 1991 – Aug 1992 - 153rd Engineer Company, Combat Engineer
- Dec 1989 – Jan 1992 - 9th Engineer Battalion, Combat Engineer
- Sep 1989 – Dec 1989 - 589th Engineer Battalion, Combat Engineer
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with one service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge
French Armed Forces Commando Badge
Valorous Unit Award
STATE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Florida Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Florida Service Medal
Florida Commendation Medal
Florida Governor’s Meritorious Unit Citation
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Master of Science in Management, 4.0 GPA, 2008
Charter Oak State College, Bachelor of Science, Concentration in Engineering Studies, 2002
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Guard Association of Florida
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Florida
Air and Space Forces Association
Association of the United States Army
(Current as of Febuary 2025)