Gene McKinney Gene C . McKinney was the 10th sergeant major of the army ( SMA ) of the United States , serving from July 1995 to October 1997 . He was the first and to date the only African American to reach that rank in the United States Army . In 1998 , he was court martialed on a variety of charges including sexual harassment and obstruction of justice . He was convicted of the obstruction of justice charge and demoted to the rank of master sergeant . Early life and education . McKinney was born in Monticello , Florida , on November 3 , 1950 . He is one of five brothers , all of whom served in the army . One served as an officer ; one retired as a master sergeant ; another served in Vietnam ; and an identical twin , Command Sergeant Major James C . McKinney . Career . McKinney enlisted in the United States Army in August 1968 , and completed OSUT as an Infantryman at Fort Benning , Georgia . From 1969 to 1970 , he saw combat in the Vietnam War with the 173rd Airborne Brigade . In more than 28 years , he served in all noncommissioned officer leadership positions . He was command sergeant major of the United States Army Europe ; 8th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) , Bad Kreuznach , Germany ; 1st Brigade , 1st Armored Division in Vilseck , Germany ; 612th Quartermaster Battalion at Fort Bragg , North Carolina ; 1st Battalion , 58th Mechanized Infantry , 197th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning , Georgia ; 3rd Squadron , 12th Cavalry Regiment in Büdingen , Germany ; 3rd and 4th Squadron , 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss , Texas ; and 2nd Squadron , 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bamberg , Germany . He is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy , Class 31 . Sexual assault allegations and dismissal . In the fall of 1996 , allegations of sexual misconduct by training cadre at Aberdeen Proving Ground and several other Army bases surfaced , and the Army instituted a substantial investigation , with a toll - free telephone hotline that received nearly 60 , 000 calls within a matter of weeks . The task force established by Secretary of the Army Togo D . West , Jr . , to advise him about the situation included McKinney as the spokesman of the army enlisted soldiers . In February 1997 , McKinney was himself accused by a female former subordinate of improper advances . The army suspended him from his duties in February 1997 while the charges were investigated ; in May – October of that year , two command sergeants major — one McKinney ' s twin brother , James C . McKinney ; the other , Command Sergeant Major Jerry T . Alley — took over his duties in rotation . While McKinney was suspended from his duties as SMA , five more female soldiers accused him of similar improprieties . In November 1997 , the Article 32 investigating panel ( U . S . military counterpart to a grand jury ) completed its investigation and recommended charges for a court - martial . McKinney was thereupon permanently reassigned out of his billet and laterally redesignated to the rank of command sergeant major ; his successor , SMA Robert E . Hall , was promptly installed . McKinney was acquitted of all sexual harassment charges , but was convicted of obstruction of justice , and received a reduction in grade to master sergeant and a reprimand . Though he retired as a master sergeant , his retirement pay was calculated using the pay rate he earned during his tenure as sergeant major of the army , in accordance with 10 USC § 1406 ( i ) ( 1 ) That law was subsequently amended by 10 USC § 1406 ( i ) ( 2 ) ( A ) to prevent a recurrence . Personal life . Felony vehicular charge . On October 25 , 2010 , McKinney allegedly hit a man with his car on purpose , and was charged with felony malicious wounding . This occurred after McKinney was driving erratically with two slug passengers . When the passengers exited the car , one of them attempted to take a photograph of McKinney ' s license plate , and claimed that McKinney drove his car into him . Based on the preliminary hearing in April 2011 , a judge ruled that the evidence in the case was sufficient to proceed to trial . He was indicted for malicious wounding ( a felony ) and reckless driving ( a misdemeanor ) . McKinney would submit and the court accepted an Alford plea . As a part of his plea agreement the felony charge was reduced to disorderly conduct . He was also sentenced to 1 year in prison , which the judge suspended all but 10 days . McKinney was given credit for time served and only had to serve an additional 2 days . References . < br > " The Sergeants Major of the Army " , Daniel K . Elder , Center of Military History , United States Army Washington , D . C . 2003 .