Sergeant Major Cummings is a native of Eloise, Michigan. Graduating high school in 1987, Sergeant Major Cummings enlisted in the Marine Corps (Category P) and started college at Wayne County Community College in Detroit, Michigan, where he completed his first semester before being shipped off to boot camp.
Upon boot camp graduation from MCRD San Diego, Sergeant Major Cummings was ordered to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to train as a Basic Engineer Equipment Operator. Upon completing training at the Engineer Equipment Instruction Company, then Private First Class Cummings reported to Wing Engineer Squadron 47 in July of 1988.
Sergeant Major Cummings, now a Lance Corporal was involuntarily activated and deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm in December of 1990. In January, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and given the responsibility of Lot Foreman and Hazardous waste NCO for the Engineer Equipment Platoon.
After returning from serving during the activation, he was joined back to Marine Wing Support Squadron 472, Detachment Bravo, Marine Wing Support Group 47 (MWSG-47). Sergeant Major Cummings was promoted to Sergeant in 1992 and served as Platoon Sergeant. He was selected and promoted to Staff Sergeant in January of 1995 and was assigned as the Licensing Examiner for the Engineer Equipment Platoon. This was also the year he graduated and earned his AS in Pre-Engineering. Sergeant Major Cummings then continued his studies in Engineering at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan.
Promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in January of 1997, Sergeant Major Cummings was assigned as Section Leader for the Engineer Equipment Platoon. After completing the Engineer Equipment Supervisors Course in 2000, Sergeant Major Cummings was granted the 1349 MOS (Engineer Equipment Supervisor). Additionally, Sergeant Major Cummings was assigned to the Equal Employment Staff Officers Course in 2001 and returned and served in this billet as a collateral duty. In 2002, Sergeant Major Cummings was assigned as Squadron Gunnery Sergeant for Marine Wing Support Squadron 471 (MWSS-471). Also in 2002, Sergeant Major Cummings was assigned as an Innovative Readiness Training Coordinator (IRT) and worked through MARFORES to ensure realistic training for Marines.
In January of 2003, Sergeant Major Cummings was activated and assigned as Operations Chief for MWSS 471. After successfully completing this assignment, in January of 2004, he was transferred to MWSG 47 where he served again as Operations Chief. Still a Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Major Cummings was sent as an Individual Augment (IA) to MWSG 37 and was deployed forward in support of OIF, where he served once more, and for the last time as Operations Chief.
Sergeant Major Cummings was selected to the rank of First Sergeant in 2004 while deployed in Iraq, and reported aboard 6th Engineer Support Company for duty as Company First Sergeant in April of the same year. The unit was activated and deployed to Iraq two months after Sergeant Major Cummings arrived. While deployed, Sergeant Major Cummings Served as Company First Sergeant for Combat Service Support Company 113 (CSSC-113).
In April of 2007, Sergeant Major Cummings was promoted to his current rank of Sergeant Major and was assigned as the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 41 (MALS-41) Sergeant Major. After completing this successful tour in 2010, Sergeant Major Cummings was assigned as the Sergeant Major for the 4th Maintenance Battalion, where he served for three years.
In 2013, Sergeant Major Cummings was command slated and received orders to serve as Sergeant Major for Combat Logistics Regiment 45 (CLR-45). This tour was unique, in that this was a newly formed regiment which allowed Sergeant Major Cummings the opportunity of serving as the very first Sergeant Major in that billet. This was also his first time supporting an O-6 level commander. Sergeant Major Cummings served with CLR-45 until the end February of 2015.
As of March 2015, Sergeant Major Cummings has been serving in the slated billet as Sergeant Major for the Marine Air Control Group 48 (MACG-48).
Additionally, Sergeant Major Cummings works for the Michigan Department of Corrections as a Resident Unit Officer.
Personal awards include: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal w/ gold star in lieu of 2nd award, Navy Achievement Medal w/ gold star in lieu of 2nd award, Combat Action Ribbon, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.