The Seventeenth Hugh J. Clausen Lecture in Leadership

AuthorRaymond F. Chandler III
PositionSergeant Major of the Army
Pages231-244
2012] SEVENTEENTH CLAUSEN LECTURE 231
THE SEVENTEENTH HUGH J. CLAUSEN LECTURE IN
LEADERSHIP*
SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY
RAYMOND F. CHANDLER III1
* This is an edited transcript of a lecture delivered by Sergeant Major of the Army
Raymond F. Chandler III to members of the staff and faculty, their distinguished guests,
and officers attending the 60th Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course at The Judge
Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, Virginia, on November 4, 2011. The Clausen
Lecture is named in honor of Major General Hugh J. Clausen, who served as The Judge
Advocate General, U.S. Army, from 1981 to 1985 and served over thirty years in the U.S.
Army before retiring in 1985. His distinguished military career included assignments as
the Executive Officer of The Judge Advocate General; Staff Judge Advocate, III Corps
and Fort Hood; Commander, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency and Chief Judge, U.S.
Army Court of Military Review; The Assistant Judge Advocate General; and finally, The
Judge Advocate General. After his retirement from active duty, General Clausen served
for a number of years as the Vice President for Administration and Secretary to the Board
of Visitors at Clemson University.
1 Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III was sworn in as the 14th
Sergeant Major of the Army on March 1, 2011. Sergeant Major of the Army Chandler
has held a variety of leadership positions throughout his career ranging from tank
crewman to command sergeant major (CSM).
As Sergeant Major of the Army, Chandler serves as the Army Chief of Staff’s
personal adviser on all enlistedrelated matters, particularly in areas affecting Soldier
training and quality of life. He devotes the majority of his time to traveling throughout
the Army observing training and talking to Soldiers and their Families.
He sits on a wide variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting
enlisted Soldiers and their Families and is routinely invited to testify before Congress.
Chandler was born in Whittier, California, and entered the Army in Brockton,
Massachusetts, in September 1981. He attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox,
Kentucky, and graduated as a 19E, Armor Crewman.
Sergeant Major of the Army Chandler has served in all tank crewman positions and
has had multiple tours as a troop, squadron, and regimental master gunner. He has served
in the 1st Infantry Division (Forward), 2d Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 1st
Cavalry Division, 3d Armor Division, 2d ACR, 3d ACR, U.S. Army Armor School, and
the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. He also served as a first sergeant (1SG) in four
different detachments, troops, and companies. As a sergeant major (SGM), he served as
Operations SGM in 1/2 ACR and as CSM in 1/7 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S.
Army Garrison Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the U.S. Army Armor School CSM.
Chandler was assigned as the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy CSM in December
2007. In June 2009, Chandler became the 19th Commandant of the U.S. Army Sergeants
Major Academy (USASMA) and the first enlisted commandant in USASMA history.
Chandler’s military and civilian education includes all levels of the
Noncommissioned Officer Education System, M60A3 and M1/M1A1 Tank Master
Gunner Course, Battle Staff NCO Course, First Sergeant Course, Basic Instructor
Training, Total Army Instructor Trainer Course, Small Group Instructor Trainer Course,
Video TeleTraining Instructor Trainer Course, Army Management Staff Course,

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