Sergeant Major Matt Parrish is the current Senior Enlisted
Leader, Preservation of the Force and Family (PoTFF), U.S. Special
Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill AFB, Florida.
USSOCOM PoTFF is a global, multi-million dollar program to
synchronize all efforts to take care of Special Operations Command’s
most valuable asset – its people. He also co-hosts and produces
SOCOM’s first official podcast – SOFcast. Sergeant Major Parrish entered the United States Army in 2003 as a Special Forces recruit. After completing Infantryman Basic Training and Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA, his initial
assignment was to the Special Forces Qualification Course at Ft.
Bragg, North Carolina. In 2005, upon successful completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course, Sergeant Major Parrish earned his Green Beret and was assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ft.Bragg, North Carolina. He served as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant on Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 782 and completed multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.
In 2009, Sergeant Major Parrish was selected for special duty in the 7th Special Forces Group Crisis Reaction Force (CRF). He served as Assaulter, Breacher, and Assault Force Team Leader with ODA 794, where he completed another deployment to Iraq. He subsequently served as the Company Master Breacher and assisted the Company and Group in moving to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. In 2012, Sergeant Major Parrish was reassigned to ODA 796 where he served as a Sniper, Reconnaissance team member, and a Sniper Team Leader. In 2014, Sergeant Major Parrish became the Team Sergeant of ODA 7332, leading and operating as an Assault Force Sergeant Major for an Assault Troop and later led the re-missioning of his team to become a Sniper, Reconnaissance, and Military Freefall team. In January 2018, Sergeant Major Parrish was selected to become the USSOCOM Headquarters First Sergeant at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He served as the First Sergeant for two years and was responsible for day-to-day care, welfare, discipline, security, logistics, and training of over 3,500 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Government Civilians, and Contractors assigned to USSOCOM Headquarters. Sergeant Major Parrish’s formal military education includes: Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy (Leadership awardee and Commandant’s list), Special Forces Qualification Course, Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces Sniper Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Assault Combat Course, Military Freefall Jumpmaster and Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course, Static Line Jumpmaster, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Level III, and Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course (Honor Graduate). His awards include 3x Bronze Stars, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, 2x Joint Commendation Medals, 2x Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Service Stars, Iraqi Campaign Medal with two Service Stars, Combat Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Wings and Parachutist Wings. Sergeant Major Parrish has also earned foreign jump wings from 20 partner nations. Sergeant Major Parrish graduated Summa Cum Laude from Norwich University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis. He has been happily married for over 15 years and has three young children.
