Command Sergeant Major Wilkerson was born March 13, 1957, in Bessemer, Alabama. CSM Wilkerson graduated McAdory High School in Bessemer, Alabama in 1975 and is a graduate of Bessemer State Technical College, Columbia Southern University. CSM Wilkerson entered the Army in March of 1976. He attended and graduated Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He has served in numerous leadership positions as well as mentored the lower enlisted towards promotion and growth within the military. CSM Wilkerson is a graduate of many leadership courses such as the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Advance Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Small Group Leader Instructor Course, Battle Focused Instructor Training Course, Motor Transport Operator Training and most importantly, the United States Army Sergeant Major Course. CSM Wilkerson served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He served as Command Sergeant Major of Camp Wolf, Camp Wolverine while in Kuwait from 2003-2004 and Task Force Thunder CSM in Afghanistan 2010-2011. CSM Wilkerson has acquired many medals and awards throughout his 36 year career with the Army. Some of those decorations include the Afghanistan Medal W/Campaign Star, Bronze Star Medal (2 award), NATO Medal, The National Defense Medal (2 awards), Army Achievement Medal, Overseas Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (10 award), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon. In his civilian capacity, CSM Wilkerson is a Master Technician with Brighthouse Networks in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been employed with Brighthouse since 1993 and is highly sought after for his knowledge by the less tenured technicians. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science Degree at Columbia Southern University in Alabama.