An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Leaders : Article Display

Command Sgt. Maj. Eric B. Olsen

United States Army South

Joint Base San Antonio

Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Command Sgt. Maj. Eric B. Olsen is a native of Muskegon, Michigan and enlisted in the Army in October of 1995 as an Infantryman. He first served at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in 2-5 Infantry Battalion and the Long-Range Surveillance Detachment until 1999.

Since then, he has served in a number of broadening and successive assignments including the Denver Recruiting Battalion with service in Sterling, CO; Squad Leader and Platoon Sergeant with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Wainwright; First Sergeant for 6th Ranger Training Battalion, for 1-23rd Infantry, and Brigade HHC, 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord; Operations Sergeant Major for 1-8 Infantry Battalion, and Command Sergeant Major for both 2-23 Infantry Battalion at Fort Carson and Senior Enlisted Leader for the 4th Infantry Division HQ (FWD) in support of Atlantic Resolve.

Command Sgt. Maj. Olsen served in two Brigade level Command Sergeant Major positions: First as the Commandant for Henry Caro NCO Academy at Fort Moore and afterward with First Army as the 120th Infantry Brigade Command Sergeant Major at Fort Cavazos. Most recently he relinquished responsibility as the J3 Operations Sergeant Major for U.S. Forces Korea.

Command Sgt. Maj. Olsen has two combat deployments: Operation Iraqi Freedom (16mos) and Afghanistan (9mos). His military training and education includes Ranger School, U.S. Navy Scuba Course, Basic Mountaineering Course, Air Assault Course, the Basic Airborne and Jumpmaster Courses, all complemented by every level of NCOPDS to include National Defense University’s Keystone Course. Furthermore, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Military Management through Excelsior College.

Command Sgt. Maj. Olsen’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (1 OLC), Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (5 OLC), and the Expert Infantryman’s Badge. He is also the recipient of the National Infantry Association’s Order of St. Maurice-Centurion level, the Sergeant John Ordway Award, and is a Distinguished Member of the 23rd and 54th Infantry Regiments.