#56: Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Riley - The Realities of Senior Enlisted Leadership

In this episode, Rob Shaul speaks with Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Riley, currently serving as the senior enlisted leader for 3-66 Armor Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Riley discusses the real work of a battalion CSM—managing standards and discipline, mentoring company-level leaders, and maintaining unit readiness. He explains the dynamic between officers and NCOs, the balance between garrison and field responsibilities, and the internal pressures of holding a formation together. Riley also reflects on his combat deployments, leadership mistakes, and what two decades in the Army have taught him about accountability, influence, and the role of the senior enlisted.

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