COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR MICHAEL A. KELSO

Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Michael A. Kelso from Missouri is a 2010 inductee into the Ranger Hall of Fame. His career of 32 years includes service with Airborne, Commando, and Ranger units. CSM Kelso began his Army career in 1973, enlisting for the 82nd Airborne Division. He served with 3rd Bn (ABN) 4th Air Defense Artillery.

Reading about the communist supported insurgency in the Republic of Rhodesia, CSM Kelso volunteered for service in the Rhodesian Army in 1977. Trooper Kelso served with 3 Commando, The Rhodesian Light Infantry. Assigned to 12 Troop he served as a “stick” rifleman, troop medic, and machine gunner participating in reconnaissance and Fire Force missions, including air assault and six combat parachute assault missions including Operation Dingo-Zulu One. On 23 November 1977, Trooper Kelso was one of 48 3 Commando and 96 SAS troopers to conduct a combat parachute assault, from 400 feet, onto the Vanduzi communist terrorist base camp complex near Chimoio, Mozambique. The camp housing 5,000 terrorists was 70 kilometers inside Mozambique, providing training, logistics, and Marxist indoctrination. Remaining 30 hours on the ground, Rhodesia’s largest cross-border raid saw over 1200 communist terrorists killed, several hundred wounded, and the base destroyed.

CSM Kelso served more than 19 years in Ranger units including 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, Special Operations Forces-Europe (Bad Tolz), 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, HHC 75th Ranger Regiment, 4th Ranger Training Battalion and HHC Ranger Training Brigade. While assigned as 1SG/Commandant of the Ranger Indoctrination Program he served as security team leader for the Regimental Commander’s Jump Tactical Operations Center (Team Black) during the combat parachute assault onto Rio Hato, Panama during Operation JUST CAUSE. Upon graduation from the Sergeants Major Academy in 1994 he was assigned to the Ranger Training Brigade as the Operations Sergeant Major. In 1995 he was promoted to Command Sergeant Major and assigned to the 4th Ranger Training Battalion. In 1999, after serving as CSM, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, he was selected as the Ranger Training Brigade CSM. In 2002 he was selected by the Commanding General of the US Army Infantry Center to serve as the Fort Benning Command Sergeant Major. After retirement, in 2005, he worked 17 years in the Maneuver Battle Lab, as Chief of the McKenna Experimental Site.

CSM Kelso’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/ Arrowhead, the Rhodesian Operational Service Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge w/ Bronze Star (Rio Hato) and the Ranger Tab. He was inducted into the Order of St. Maurice (Primacerius). He is honored as a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Ranger Training Brigade. He holds a Master’s Degree (International Relations), from Troy State University. He serves on the board of the National Infantry Association, the National Ranger Memorial Foundation, the Rangers Scholarship Fund and is a mentor with Three Rangers Foundation.

He and his wife of 36 years, Lynnette, reside in Lee County, Alabama.