Sergeant Major 

Sgt. Maj. Joseph J. Leshinsky
Sergeant Major,

Sergeant Major Leshinsky enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 1980 and attended recruit training at Parris Island, S.C. Upon completion of recruit training he attended Infantry Training School at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he became a Mortarman (0341) and was subsequently assigned to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in Okinawa, Japan.

During that twelve month tour he deployed to the Philippines where he attended Jungle Environment Survival Training; to Camp Fuji, Japan; and participated in Team Spirit ‘82 in the Republic of South Korea. At the end of that tour he was promoted to the rank of corporal meritoriously.

Sergeant Major Leshinsky’s next assignment was with 81mm Mortar Platoon, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he was meritoriously promoted to the rank of sergeant and deployed back to Okinawa. Upon reenlistment, he was assigned to the Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF) at Cherry Point, N.C., where he served as a sergeant of the guard and guard chief.

Sergeant Major Leshinsky then returned to the 2nd Marine Division serving a tour with the 81mm Mortar Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. During this tour he deployed with the 22nd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units and participated in the non-combatant evacuation operation of Monrovia, Liberia. He was then promoted to staff sergeant, and completed the Infantry Platoon Sergeant's Course as the honor graduate.

Sergeant Major Leshinsky attended Marine Security Guard class 2-91 in January 1991 and upon graduation in March 1991 was assigned as the detachment commander in Khartoum, Sudan. His subsequent assignment as a detachment commander was in Wellington, New Zealand. Upon completion of that tour, he was assigned as the Marine Security Guard occupational specialty monitor at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps where he was promoted to gunnery sergeant and completed the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Advance Course as the honor graduate.

In June of 1997 Sergeant Major Leshinsky returned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment where he served as the company gunnery sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company and L Company and then as K Company’s first sergeant. During that tour he deployed to the Mediterranean with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit; to Bridgeport, Calif., Norway, and Twentynine Palms, Calif., with Regimental Landing Team 2; and to Okinawa as a participant of the Unit Deployment Program.

In July of 2000 he was assigned as the first sergeant of A Company, Marine Security Guard Battalion in Frankfurt, Germany where he was responsible for the Marines serving at the embassies and consulates in Finland and Turkey as well as 12 republics of the former Soviet Union. Sergeant Major Leshinsky was promoted to his present rank on 1 July 2003. He then assumed the duties as the sergeant major for I&I Staff Detroit, Mich., on 2 July 2003.

On 12 September 2006 he assumed duties as the Sergeant Major of 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment and deployed to Camp Baharia, Al Fallujah, Iraq in support Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-02 from September 2006 to April 2007.

Sergeant Major Leshinsky assumed his present duties as the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa/Europe sergeant major on 13 July 2007.

Sergeant Major Leshinsky’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one gold star in lieu of second award, the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.