Skip to content

Command Sergeant

Major (Retired)

Thomas R. Brooks

Command-Sergeant-Major-R-Thomas-Brooks​

Command Sergeant Major (Retired)

Thomas R. Brooks

Command Sergeant Major (R) Thomas R. Brooks was born in Hattiesburg, MS January 7, 1948 and graduated Seminary High School May 1966. He enlisted with the Army in Jackson, MS, August of 1967, completing Basic Training at Fort Gordon, GA with Advanced Individual Training Fort Sill, OK as a Field Artillery Crewman.

His early assignments included a tour in Vietnam as a Field Artillery Section Chief with the 4th Infantry Division in 1968 followed by the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO.

Command Sergeant Major Brooks joined the Recruiting Command in 1972 as a Field Recruiter and Station Commander in Greenwood, MS, New Orleans Recruiting Battalion. He was later assigned as Assistant Operations Sergeant of the Jackson, MS Recruiting Battalion in 1976, followed by duties as the Operations Sergeant of the Jackson Battalion.

In 1981 CSM Brooks was assigned duties as First Sergeant of the Fort Worth, TX Recruiting Company, Dallas Battalion followed by attendance to the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class ‘25) July 1985. He assumed First Sergeant’s duties of the Denver North Recruiting Company, Denver Battalion August 1985 and was selected for Sergeant Major and assigned to the Albany, NY Recruiting Battalion June 1987. Command Sergeant Major Brooks was appointed as Command Sergeant Major of 6th Recruiting Brigade, Fort Baker, CA March 1994.

July 1996, he assumed duties as the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Recruiting Command headquartered at Fort Knox, KY retiring July 1998. In retirement he taught school in Arlington, TX, served as a Senior Training Analyst at Ft Monroe, VA and later served as Director of the Military Personnel Services Division Fort Gordon, GA until retirement November 2013. In retirement he is a foundation member of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA and occasional volunteer at the library. He has recently finished writing and publishing his memoirs entitled “We Never Did It That Way Before.”

His Awards and decorations include: the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars, Vietnam Campaign Med-al, and the Army Achievement Medal. Command Sergeant Major Brooks holds a BS in Business Administration (Cum laude) Columbia College, Columbia, MO.

Command Sergeant Major (R) Brooks and his wife, Wanda, reside in Collins, MS. They have two children, Johanna and Kevin, with four grandchildren, Olivia, Avery, Ashley and Cooper Thomas.

Command Sergeant Major (Retired)

Thomas R. Brooks

Command-Sergeant-Major-R-Thomas-Brooks​

Command Sergeant Major (Retired)

Thomas R. Brooks

Command Sergeant Major (R) Thomas R. Brooks was born in Hattiesburg, MS January 7, 1948 and graduated Seminary High School May 1966. He enlisted with the Army in Jackson, MS, August of 1967, completing Basic Training at Fort Gordon, GA with Advanced Individual Training Fort Sill, OK as a Field Artillery Crewman.

His early assignments included a tour in Vietnam as a Field Artillery Section Chief with the 4th Infantry Division in 1968 followed by the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO.

Command Sergeant Major Brooks joined the Recruiting Command in 1972 as a Field Recruiter and Station Commander in Greenwood, MS, New Orleans Recruiting Battalion. He was later assigned as Assistant Operations Sergeant of the Jackson, MS Recruiting Battalion in 1976, followed by duties as the Operations Sergeant of the Jackson Battalion.

In 1981 CSM Brooks was assigned duties as First Sergeant of the Fort Worth, TX Recruiting Company, Dallas Battalion followed by attendance to the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class ‘25) July 1985. He assumed First Sergeant’s duties of the Denver North Recruiting Company, Denver Battalion August 1985 and was selected for Sergeant Major and assigned to the Albany, NY Recruiting Battalion June 1987. Command Sergeant Major Brooks was appointed as Command Sergeant Major of 6th Recruiting Brigade, Fort Baker, CA March 1994.

July 1996, he assumed duties as the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Recruiting Command headquartered at Fort Knox, KY retiring July 1998. In retirement he taught school in Arlington, TX, served as a Senior Training Analyst at Ft Monroe, VA and later served as Director of the Military Personnel Services Division Fort Gordon, GA until retirement November 2013. In retirement he is a foundation member of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA and occasional volunteer at the library. He has recently finished writing and publishing his memoirs entitled “We Never Did It That Way Before.”

His Awards and decorations include: the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars, Vietnam Campaign Med-al, and the Army Achievement Medal. Command Sergeant Major Brooks holds a BS in Business Administration (Cum laude) Columbia College, Columbia, MO.

Command Sergeant Major (R) Brooks and his wife, Wanda, reside in Collins, MS. They have two children, Johanna and Kevin, with four grandchildren, Olivia, Avery, Ashley and Cooper Thomas.

Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Thomas R. Brooks

Command-Sergeant-Major-R-Thomas-Brooks​

Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Thomas R. Brooks

Command Sergeant Major (R) Thomas R. Brooks was born in Hattiesburg, MS January 7, 1948 and graduated Seminary High School May 1966. He enlisted with the Army in Jackson, MS, August of 1967, completing Basic Training at Fort Gordon, GA with Advanced Individual Training Fort Sill, OK as a Field Artillery Crewman.

His early assignments included a tour in Vietnam as a Field Artillery Section Chief with the 4th Infantry Division in 1968 followed by the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO.

Command Sergeant Major Brooks joined the Recruiting Command in 1972 as a Field Recruiter and Station Commander in Greenwood, MS, New Orleans Recruiting Battalion. He was later assigned as Assistant Operations Sergeant of the Jackson, MS Recruiting Battalion in 1976, followed by duties as the Operations Sergeant of the Jackson Battalion.

In 1981 CSM Brooks was assigned duties as First Sergeant of the Fort Worth, TX Recruiting Company, Dallas Battalion followed by attendance to the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class ‘25) July 1985. He assumed First Sergeant’s duties of the Denver North Recruiting Company, Denver Battalion August 1985 and was selected for Sergeant Major and assigned to the Albany, NY Recruiting Battalion June 1987. Command Sergeant Major Brooks was appointed as Command Sergeant Major of 6th Recruiting Brigade, Fort Baker, CA March 1994.

July 1996, he assumed duties as the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Recruiting Command headquartered at Fort Knox, KY retiring July 1998. In retirement he taught school in Arlington, TX, served as a Senior Training Analyst at Ft Monroe, VA and later served as Director of the Military Personnel Services Division Fort Gordon, GA until retirement November 2013. In retirement he is a foundation member of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA and occasional volunteer at the library. He has recently finished writing and publishing his memoirs entitled “We Never Did It That Way Before.”

His Awards and decorations include: the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars, Vietnam Campaign Med-al, and the Army Achievement Medal. Command Sergeant Major Brooks holds a BS in Business Administration (Cum laude) Columbia College, Columbia, MO.

Command Sergeant Major (R) Brooks and his wife, Wanda, reside in Collins, MS. They have two children, Johanna and Kevin, with four grandchildren, Olivia, Avery, Ashley and Cooper Thomas.