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Sergeant Major Black assumed his current post as the 19th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on July 26, 2019. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., in April of 1988.
Throughout his career, Sergeant Major Black has been assigned numerous duties to include: 0331 Machine Gunner, Machine Gun Squad and Section Leader; Weapons Platoon Sergeant and Weapons Platoon Commander; Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, DI School Instructor, and RTR Drill Master; First Sergeant, G Company 2d Bn, 1st Marines, E Company 3d Amphibious Assault Battalion, Officer Candidates School; Sergeant Major, 3d Bn, 7th Marines, Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
He has deployed aboard the USS Forrestal (CV-59) in support of Operation Just Cause and to the Mediterranean in 1989 ; deployed in support of Operation Sea Soldier, Desert Storm/Desert Shield, and Sea Angel with 3rd Bn, 5th Marines in 1990, and to Okinawa in 1992; to Iraq with 2d Bn, 1st Marines in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II (OIF) in 2004; deployed with 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) during Operation Bright Star and to Iraq in support of Operation Steel Curtain in 2005; to Afghanistan with 3d Bn, 7th Marines in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010; deployed with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012; and deployed in support of WESTPAC 14.2 and Operation Inherent Resolve with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2014.