CSM Steven D. DeJong, ARNG

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR STEVEN D. DEJONG

CSM Steven DeJong is a member of the Indiana National Guard and currently assigned as the Command Sergeant Major of the 2/152 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Squadron located in Columbus, Indiana. On September 9, 2004 he was severely wounded in action during a fire fight in south central Afghanistan and was medivaced to the United States for recovery. He recovered from his injuries and returned to Afghanistan in early November that same year.

CSM DeJong was born in Hobart, Indiana in 1975 and joined the Indiana Army National Guard in 1993. His first assignment was as a Stinger Missile gunner with the 1/138th Air Defense Artillery Battalion. He then was assigned by request to the 151st Long Range Surveillance Detachment (LRS-D). During his 13 years assigned to the 151 LRS-D, he attended a wide variety of courses to include: Ranger, Long Range Surveillance Leadership, Pathfinder, basic Airborne and was later the honor graduate of his Jumpmaster class. While assigned to the 151 LRS-D, he was assigned as an assistant recon team leader and later as a recon team leader. In 2004 the LRS-D was deployed to Afghanistan, attached to the 76th Infantry Brigade out of Indianapolis, IN. During this deployment he was assigned as an Embedded Tactical Trainer (ETT) to the Afghanistan National Army in which he and his Afghan company of Soldiers performed combat operations with the 25th Infantry Division and 3rd Special Forces Group.

Upon his return to theatre, (then) SFC DeJong was assigned to the 38th Infantry Division G3 Operations where he was the assistant operations NCO. He was promoted to first sergeant and assigned to C Company, 1/151st Infantry Battalion as the company first sergeant. He and his company deployed in 2007 in support of OIF 07-09, performing convoy security operations in northern Iraq. After returning from Iraq CSM DeJong was assigned as the first sergeant of Headquarters, Headquarters Troop 2/152 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Squadron.

In 2010 CSM DeJong was promoted to sergeant major and was assigned to his current assignment as the Command Sergeant Major of 2/152nd Reconnaissance and Surveillance Squadron. He is currently enrolled in class 37 distance learning class of the United States Sergeant Major Academy and is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fire science and administration. He is a certified firefighter/paramedic in a south suburb of Chicago. CSM DeJong is the recipient of numerous military awards.