COMMAND SGT. MAJ. A. FRANK LEVER III NAMED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

Command Sgt. Maj. A. Frank Lever III has been selected to become the new command sergeant major and senior enlisted advisor for the Army National Guard. He will serve as the chief advocate for the Army Guard's more than 300,000-plus enlisted citizen-soldiers.

Lever presently is assigned as the state command sergeant major for the South Carolina Army National Guard (SCARNG). He has worked full time in several leadership assignments in the SCARNG for more than 17 years.

"Command Sgt. Maj. Lever is a soldier's soldier," said Maj. Gen. Roger Schultz, director of the Army National Guard. "We looked over the the very best of our top enlisted leaders, and felt that he would be a tremendous asset for keeping his hand on the pulse of our soldiers."

A 1969 Citadel graduate, Lever received a bachelor's degree in political science and went on to earn a master's degree in management. He also enlisted in the SCARNG as a typical National Guardsman in 1969 attending monthly drills and annual training. In 29 years, he has held all noncommissioned officer leadership positions to rise to the rank of command sergeant major.

As a civilian, Lever has worked in the public and private sector. Previously he served for three years as deputy commissioner, South Carolina Department of Youth Services. Then he went on to form his own company which specialized in the collection and secure disposal of confidential documents for industry, government and financial entities.

Among his military awards and decorations are the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

Lever will replace Command Sgt. Maj. John Leonard, who is assuming the senior enlisted position in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs.

For more information, please call Jack Hooper, National Guard Bureau public affairs specialist at (703) 607-2611.