Sergeant Major Vincent C. Santiago

Sergeant Major Vincent C. Santiago Sergeant Major Vincent C. Santiago is the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Sergeant Major Santiago assumed his current post as the first Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Defense Security Cooperation Agency in March 2018. A native of Merizo, Guam, he attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California in September 1989. He subsequently completed Infantry Training as an 0341-Infantry Mortarman at the School of Infantry (West), Camp Pendleton, California.

SgtMaj Santiago has served in the Marine Corps for 29 years in numerous units throughout his career, they include; Marine Corps Security Forces, Marine Barracks, Guam; 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California with deployments to Okinawa, Japan, on the Unit Deployment Program and with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit; 1st Recruit Training Battalion as a Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor and Series Gunnery Sergeant with Alpha Company; 3d Maintenance Battalion, 3d Force Service Support Group as the Maintenance Management Officer, Okinawa, Japan; The United States Naval Academy as an Assistant Marine Officer Instructor, Company Senior Enlisted Leader for 19th Company and subsequently the US Naval Academy Drill Master. In 2003, he was selected as an Honorary Member of the US Naval Academy graduating Class.

As a Company First Sergeant he served with Company K, 3d Battalion, 3d Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii deploying to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom; Headquarters Company and General Support Maintenance Company, Combat Service Support Group-3 and Combat Logistics Company 35, 3d Marine Logistics Group, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

As a SgtMaj (Command Senior Enlisted Leader), he served with; Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry (West), Camp Pendleton, California; 3d Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California deploying with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit; Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24, Marine Aviation Group 24, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; 3d Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; and 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan.

SgtMaj Santiago’s military education includes Infantry Mortarman, Corporals Course, Sergeants Course, Drill Instructor School, Maintenance Management Course, Staff Sergeants (Career) Course, Gunnery Sergeant (Advance) Course, and First Sergeant Course. He is a graduate of the National Defense University, Keystone Joint Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course in Washington, D.C. SgtMaj Santiago is a Fellow at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. SgtMaj Santiago’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University in California graduating with Honors Summa Cum Laude.

SgtMaj Santiago's personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd award); Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3rd award); Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3rd award), and the Combat Action Ribbon (2nd award).