Command Sergeant Major Marlo V. Cross entered the United States Air Force in February of 1984. He attended basic training and Air Force Specialty Code training for Military Police at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and received additional specialty training at Camp Bullis, Texas.
Command Sergeant Major Cross served more than 8 years on Active Duty; his first assignment was with the 4392 Security Police Squadron, Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. His assignments included Base Security, Patrol, Missile Security, Operations Center and the Space Shuttle Defense Program. Command Sergeant Major Cross was instrumental in security operations for the first Shuttle program on the West Coast (The U.S Enterprise). He was also a member of the Emergency Service’s Team and was selected as an Aide-de-camp for the Commanding General of Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Command Sergeant Major Cross entered the United States Army Reserve in 1992, as a Combat Medic and his initial duty assignments was the 349th General Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He was later selected for Drill Sergeant Duty, and assigned to the 104th Division, San Jose, California, performing Drill Sergeant Duties at Fort Benning, Georgia, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Knox, Kentucky, and a Reserve Officer Training Corps missions at Fort Lewis, Washington. He has held every leadership position from Squad Leader to Senior Drill Sergeant to Company First Sergeant. He served with the 4211th U. S. Army Hospital as the Company First Sergeant, and later appointed as the Hospital First Sergeant.
Command Sergeant Major Cross served in Operation Enduring Freedom as the NCOIC of the Joint Operations Center, Combined Forces Command in Kabul, Afghanistan, before assuming duties as the Battalion Command Sergeant Major of the 98th Signal Battalion, Mesa, Arizona, in March of 2007. In 2010 he was selected as the Command Sergeant Major for the Fort Bliss Warrior Transition Battalion and in 2012 he was selected as the Command Sergeant Major for the Medical Readiness and Training Command. He is currently serving as the Command Sergeant Major for the Army Reserve Medical Command.
His military education includes Air Force Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Advance Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Sergeants Major Academy-Class 34 (Fast tracked), Infantryman Basic Course, Command Sergeant Major Designee Course, and Drill Sergeant School. He has also completed the CSM Legal Orientation Course as well as numerous other professional development courses throughout his Military Career.
Command Sergeant Major Cross earned a Master of Science Degree in Leadership and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. He is currently in his Dissertation phase (ABD) of his Ed.D program in Education with an emphasis in Organization Leadership.
His awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, Army National Defense Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Air Force Professional Military Education Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Expert Shooting Badge, Expert Hand Grenade Qualification Badge, the Gold Bundeswehr’s Schutzenschnur German Shooting Award and the Drill Sergeant Badge. He is a recipient of the Order of Military Medical Merit. As well as an honorary inductee of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club and a member of Kappa Delta Phi, the education Honor society.
Command Sergeant Major Cross currently resides in Tempe, Arizona, with his wife Yvonne and they have been married for 26 years. They have a 21-year daughter, Alyssa, who is in her final year of college at California State Fullerton.