Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald L. Green

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald L. Green

18th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps, Retired

Inducted 2024

Ronald L. Green was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He attended boot camp on Parris Island in 1983. After graduating as an honor graduate, he reported to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, for duty as a Field Artillery cannoneer. His next assignment was in 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment in Okinawa. He received two promotions there, first Corporal, and then Sergeant. Following Japan, he earned the additional military occupational specialty of Field Artillery Nuclear Projectile Operator. Sgt Green then served as the tower operator for Southern Impact Area Control at Camp Pendleton before heading back to Parris Island where he served as a drill instructor, senior drill instructor and drill master. After his time instructing at Basic, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, for duty as a section chief. He deployed to Somalia with Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, during Operation Restore Hope in 1993. Upon his return, he transferred to Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, as the battery gunnery Sergeant. Next, SSgt Green served as the Assistant Marine Officer Instructor at Southern University and A&M College located in Baton Rouge, where he earned promotion to Gunnery Sergeant. He subsequently assumed the duties as the Battery Gunnery Sergeant for Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and he was promoted to First  Sergeant. Green served I&I duty in Bossier City, with 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. During this tour, he deployed to South America in support of Operation United Americas. Following the South American deployment, he was promoted to Sergeant Major and reported to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Pendleton and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. SgtMaj Green then transferred to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39. Green assumed the duties of the Sergeant Major of HQ Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall, Arlington, and then as Sergeant Major, Marine Corps Forces Europe/Marine Corps Forces Africa, Stuttgart, Germany. In Germany he supported numerous theater security cooperation and noncommissioned officer development efforts with partner nations. He returned to Camp Pendleton where he served as the Force SgtMaj for I Marine Expeditionary Force. SgtMaj Green was selected to be the 18th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on January 20, 2015. Assuming his post on February 20, 2015, SgtMaj Green was the longest serving Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps serving four years and five months until retirement on 26 July 2019.

After retirement, SgtMaj Green served as a Senior Manager for Cyber Security Operations for Southwest Airlines and as a VP for a large defense contractor before devoting most of his time as a volunteer for several organizations.