Jan. 30, 2017

Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston was promoted Jan. 30 to vice president for noncommissioned officer and soldier programs by the Council of Trustees of the Association of the U.S. Army.

Preston had been AUSA’s director for NCO and soldier programs since he joined the nonprofit educational association in 2013.

The vice president title was approved by the trustees on the recommendation of retired Gen. Carter F. Ham, AUSA’s president and CEO, who had elevated Preston’s position last summer after Ham became AUSA’s president. Preston had been reporting directly to Ham, and the vice president title makes this official.

“I am so proud to have retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Ken Preston now serve as AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs,” said Ham. “Eighty-three percent of all Army soldiers – Regular, Guard and Reserve – are enlisted. They now have a strong, strong voice representing them every day at AUSA.”

The promotion makes Preston the fourth vice president at AUSA. The others are retired Lt. Gen. Patricia E. McQuistion, vice president for meetings and membership; retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Sinn, vice president for finance and administration; and retired Lt. Gen. Guy C. Swan III, vice president for education.

Preston is well-known and respected in the Army. He served for more than seven years as sergeant major of the Army, the longest tenure since the position was created in 1966. He also was inducted into the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Hall of Honor as part of the Class of 2011.

Additionally, the Army’s NCO Writing Excellence Program, created last fall as part of an effort to improve soldiers’ writing skills, is named for Preston.