Command Sergeant Major Maria A.J. (Jessie) Baird began her military career with the United States Army Reserve in 1986. She graduated from Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Ben Harrison, Indiana. CSM Baird was assigned to the 6253rd United States Army Hospital and 2nd Hospital Center in Novato, California serving as a Personnel Management Specialist; 352nd Evacuation Hospital in Oakland, California serving as an Administrative Specialist and Unit Clerk; 6237th United States Army Reserve Forces School in Dublin, California serving as a Personnel Admin Specialist (75B) Instructor; 5th Brigade (Health Services), 104th Division (Institutional Training) in Salt Lake City, Utah serving as a Personnel Actions Noncommissioned Officer and Detachment Sergeant; 104th Division in Vancouver (Institutional Training) and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Leader Training), Washington serving as an Operations Noncommissioned Officer, Chief Finance Noncommissioned Officer, and G8 Sergeant Major; 2212th Mobilization Support Battalion and 2-364th CS CSS Training Support Battalion, 189th Infantry Brigade serving as the Battalion Command Sergeant Major; and the 4960th Multi-Functional Training Brigade serving as the Brigade Command Sergeant Major. CSM Baird assumed the duties as the Command Sergeant Major of the 9th Mission Support Command on October 20, 2018.
CSM Baird has completed all NCOES courses to include the resident United States Army Sergeants Major Course (Class 58) and the Reserve Components National Security Course.
CSM Baird’s military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Ribbon, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20-year Device, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 5 Device, Army Service Ribbon, Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar.
CSM Baird serves as a Supervisory Budget Analyst with the I Corps G8 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. She holds a Federal Financial Management Certificate, the Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty certification, and the Department of Defense Financial Management Certification Level 3 certification. She attended the Defense Financial Management Course, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and the Executive Comptroller Course at the Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership. She belongs to the American Society for Military Comptrollers.
CSM Baird is married to Scott Baird. Scott is an AGR Officer assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center where he serves as the National Disaster Medical System Federal Coordination Center, full-time Coordinator. They live in DuPont, Washington and have four children: Becca is a director of a daycare and a pre-school teacher, Mitch earned his Eagle Scout Badge and is a Biomedical Repairer Sergeant currently serving at Madigan Army Medical Hospital, Libby is an avid reader and runs track for her high school, and John is a huge sports fan and a member of the high school gaming club.