Teresa King

Teresa L. King (born 1961, Clinton, North Carolina) is a retired Sergeant Major in the United States Army. She was the first female Commandant of the United States Army Drill Sergeant School at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Early life
King was born in Clinton, North Carolina, the eighth of twelve children. Her father was a sharecropper who grew cucumbers and tobacco.

Army career
King enlisted in the United States Army in 1980 and went to Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. After training, King's first assignment was as a postal clerk in the 139th Postal Company located in Stuttgart, Germany.

She volunteered for two years of drill sergeant duty and graduated from the United States Army Drill Sergeant School. She was later assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, at Fort Dix, New Jersey. She later served as the battalion's personnel sexual assault director (SAD).

In 1987, King served as the administrative assistant to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army at the Pentagon. In 1988, she became the administrative assistant to the Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, or DSCA (formerly the Defense Security Assistance Agency, or DSAA), Office of the Secretary of Defense, also at the Pentagon. In 1991, King was assigned as aid to the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Director of the DSCA, Office of the Secretary of Defense. She served there until 1993.

King left the Pentagon and was assigned to 18th Personnel Service Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina until 1996. King then served as the First Sergeant for 19th Adjutant General Company (Postal) at Camp Casey, South Korea until 1997. In 1997, King became the first female First Sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, XVIII Airborne Corps, the largest company on Fort Bragg. King held that assignment until 2001.

In 2005, King was assigned as the battalion Command Sergeant Major of the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) battalion, United States Army, NATO for two years. In 2007, she was assigned as the Command Sergeant Major of 369th Adjutant General Battalion in Fort Jackson, South Carolina for another two years. In 2009, King was appointed as Commandant of the Drill Sergeant School. She served as Commandant until mid-2012, when she was relieved of duty. In December 2011, King was suspended from her duties as the Drill Sergeant School Commandant, pending an investigation. King hired legal counsel and sued the Army for reinstatement, claiming her suspension was due to racism and sexism. In May 2012, King was reinstated, but she was again relieved of duty approximately two weeks later. Army officials stated that it was determined to be "in the best interests of the Drill Sergeant School that she relinquish her duties as Commandant." They also stated that her relief of duty "reflect(ed) a normal tour length and was based on the arrival of the (new) Commandant."

King retired effective May 31, 2013, and received the Legion of Merit.

Personal
King holds an associate degree in General Studies from Northern Virginia Community College.

Awards
Decorations, Service Medals and Ribbons


 * Legion of Merit
 * Defense Meritorious Service Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal (with five Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Joint Service Commendation Medal
 * Army Commendation Medal (with six Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Joint Meritorious Unit Award
 * National Defense Service Medal (with Service Star)
 * Korean Defense Service Medal
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
 * Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon
 * Army Service Ribbon
 * Army Overseas Service Ribbon

Badges


 * Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
 * Drill Sergeant Badge
 * Parachutist Badge
 * Air Assault Badge
 * Canadian Parachutist Badge
 * German Parachutist Badge