A Marine sergeant major will take over as the senior enlisted leader with U.S. Africa Command, based out of Stuttgart, Germany, responsible for all U.S. military operations in Africa, the Department of Defense announced Thursday evening.
Marine Sgt. Maj. Richard D. Thresher, currently assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will take over the senior enlisted billet from Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, who left the post in December.
Thresher enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1990 and was an 0811 artillery cannoneer during his early enlistment, according to his official biography on II MEF’s website.
He has served as a sergeant major since 2005, first with 2nd Radio Battalion, II MEF Headquarters Group. In 2016 Thresher took over as II MEF’s sergeant major, the biography said.
His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon, the biography said.
