David W . Sommers Sergeant Major David W . Sommers , USMC retired , was the 11th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps ( from 1987 to 1991 ) . Biography . David Sommers was born in St . Louis , Missouri , on February 18 , 1943 and attended Bishop DuBourg High School . He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on March 25 , 1960 , and underwent recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego , then attended infantry training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton . Upon the completion of training , he was assigned as a Browning Automatic Rifle man with Company E , 2nd Battalion 1st Marines at Camp Pendleton . While with Company E , he was promoted to private first class , lance corporal , and corporal and served as a fireteam and squad leader . Transferring overseas with the 1st Battalion 9th Marines , Sommers served as a squad leader and platoon guide for Company D . Returning from overseas , he reported to The Basic School , at Marine Corps Base Quantico , where he was assigned as a Hand - to - Hand Combat and Water Survival Instructor . While in this assignment , he was promoted to sergeant . In 1964 , he was transferred to Hawaii and assigned to Company K , 3rd Battalion 4th Marines , ( then part of the 1st Marine Brigade ) as a squad leader and subsequently deployed with that unit to the Republic of Vietnam in March 1965 . During May of that year , he was assigned to the first Combined Action Company to be formed in Vietnam . He served as a squad leader and platoon commander of the Popular Forces Platoon . For his combat service in Vietnam , Sommers was awarded the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation Medal with Combat " V " . In April 1966 , he was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island for a tour as a drill instructor with Company K , 2nd Recruit Training Battalion . While in this assignment , he was promoted to staff sergeant . In 1968 , he returned to Vietnam for a second tour , serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant of Headquarters Company , 7th Marine Regiment . He transferred back to Parris Island the following year for duty as a Senior Drill Instructor with Company E , 2nd Recruit Training Battalion . Upon promotion to gunnery sergeant , he was assigned to the Drill Instructor School and served as Drill Master . From December 1973 until February 1974 , Sommers attended the Marine Security Guard School , and upon graduation , was assigned to the American Embassy in Caracas , Venezuela , as Noncommissioned Officer - in - Change of the Marine Detachment . He was transferred to Henderson Hall , in Arlington , Virginia , in August 1975 , to serve as Instructor and Chief instructor of the Marine Security Guard School . While in this assignment , he was promoted to master sergeant and later redesignated to the rank of first sergeant . During August 1977 , he reported to the 3rd Force Service Support Group on Okinawa , where he was assigned to the 9th Engineer Support Battalion . Ordered back to Camp Pendleton , he was assigned as the First Sergeant of the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity . He was promoted to sergeant major in October 1980 , and returned to the MCRD San Diego as the Sergeant Major of the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion . In June 1982 , he was assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune as the Sergeant Major of 1st Battalion 10th Marines . Ordered back to Quantico in December 1983 , he served as the Sergeant Major of The Basic School . He then reported to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms for duty in the 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade in July 1985 . Sommers was assigned as the first enlisted Director of the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy at the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico in June 1987 . He was selected as the 11th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on June 18 , 1987 , and assumed the post on June 26 , 1987 . Sommers also sits on the Board of Advisors for Veterans Direct . Awards and decorations . Sergeant Major Sommers ' personal decorations include :