View source for William Gainey

{{COI|date=September 2015}}
{{No footnotes|BLP=yes|date=January 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=William Joseph (Joe) Gainey
|image= William Joseph Gainey.jpg
|caption= 
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1956|5|27}}
|nickname= Fighting Joe
|birth_place= Jacksonville, FL
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|allegiance= United States of America
|branch= [[United States Army]]
|battles= [[Cold War]]<br/> [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|OIF]]
|serviceyears=1974–2008
|rank=Command [[Sergeant Major]]
|awards=[[Army Distinguished Service Medal]] <br/>[[Defense Superior Service Medal]] <br/>[[Legion of Merit]] (2) <br/>[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with [["V" Device]]
}}
'''William J. (Joe) Gainey''' was the first [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman]] of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] (SEAC). He retired April 25, 2008 with the rank of [[Command Sergeant Major]].

Gainey was the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], a newly created position established to advise the Chairman on matters of professional development of enlisted personnel assigned to joint billets. Gainey was the first person selected to serve in this position beginning October 1, 2005.

==Biography==
Gainey enlisted in the Army under the [[Delayed Entry Program]] in 1974 and entered basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky on June 17, 1975. Since then, he has served in a number of enlisted leadership positions, from gunner to Command Sergeant Major. He retired after over 33 years of service to the nation on April 25, 2008.

Gainey's assignments include: Driver, Loader, Gunner, and Tank Commander in the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor (Tiger Brigade), 2nd Armored Division, Ft Hood, Tx.; Gunner, Tank Commander, and Platoon Sergeant in the 4th Battalion, [[73rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|73rd Armored]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]], [[Böblingen]], Germany; Platoon Leader in the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored, [[24th Infantry Division (United States)|24th Infantry Division]], [[Fort Stewart]], Ga.; Drill Sergeant and Senior Drill Sergeant in the 19th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade, Ft Knox, Ky.; Platoon Sergeant and Operations Sergeant in the 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor, [[82nd Airborne Division]], Ft Bragg, N.C.; Platoon Sergeant and First Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, [[509th Infantry Regiment (United States)|509th Infantry Airborne]], Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), [[Little Rock Air Force Base]], Ark.; Senior Enlisted Armor Advisor, Ft Jackson, S.C..

Gainey served as the Command Sergeant Major for the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, [[1st Armored Division (United States)|1st Armored Division]], [[Baumholder]], Germany; Eagle Base, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 1st Squadron, [[2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment]], [[Fort Polk]], La.; 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, La.; The United States Army Armor Center, Fort Knox, Ky; and as the Command Sergeant Major for the [[III Corps (United States)|III Corps]] and [[Fort Hood]] at Fort Hood, Texas.

Gainey served in [[Operation Joint Endeavor]] (IFOR), Operation Joint Guard (SFOR 3) and [[Operation Joint Forge]] (SFOR 8) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served as the Command Sergeant Major for the [[Combined Joint Task Force 7]] (CJTF-7) and as the Command Sergeant Major of the Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I) in Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

Gainey attended numerous military schools and training programs to include: the Drill Sergeant School; [[United States Army Airborne School|Airborne School]]; Jumpmaster School; Air Movement Officer's Course; Observer Controller Course; First Sergeants Course; Pathfinder School; and the [[United States Army Sergeants Major Academy]], Class 41. Gainey holds an [[Associate of Applied Science]] degree from [[Vincennes University]], a Bachelor of Science degree in [[Business Administration]] from [[Touro University International]] and a [[Master of Arts|Masters of Arts]] degree in Education from [[Trident University International]]. Since his retirement from the Army, Gainey has taken a board member position at Trident University International.

Anecdotally, CSM Gainey was known to his soldiers to carry a steel ball bearing from an Abrams tank in his pocket which he called his "Military Bearing". He would encourage soldiers to challenge him by asking if he had his "Military Bearing". If he was able to respond to the challenge by producing it, both he and the challenging soldier would drop and do push-ups. If he did not have it, the soldier would be awarded a Battalion coin.  Some Soldiers are known to still challenge to see if he still carries his Military Bearing.  Once asked about this, his reply with his noted friendly smile was, "my Soldiers will just have to take a chance and ask."

==Awards and decorations==
{|
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|[[File:Combat Action Badge.svg|130px]]
|-
|
|
|-
|[[File:Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=7|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=7|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:Army Good Conduct ribbon 11.jpg|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=AFEMRib.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|106px]]
|-
|[[File:Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=NCO Professional Development Ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}<span style="position:relative; top: 1px; left: -64px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award numeral 4.png|20px]]</span>
|[[File:Army Service Ribbon.svg|106px]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 1px; left: -64px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award numeral 4.png|20px]]</span>
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:GER DOSB Sports Badge ribbon bar.png|106px]]
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|[[File:US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif|120px]][[File:Pathfinder.gif|120px]][[File:ArmyQualExpert.JPG|90px]]
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|[[File:Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg|110px]]
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|[[File:Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg|106px]] [[File:Army Superior Unit Award ribbon.svg|106px]]
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|[[File:DrillInstructBadge.gif|120px]] [[File:2CRDUI.jpg|80px]]
|-
|}

===List of Medals and Ribbons===

*[[Army Distinguished Service Medal]]
*[[Defense Superior Service Medal]]
*[[Legion of Merit]] (with 1 Bronze [[Oak Leaf Clusters]])
*[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] (with [[Valor device]])
*[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] (with 1 silver and 2 bronze [[Oak Leaf Clusters]])
*[[Army Commendation Medal]] (with 1 silver and 2 bronze [[Oak Leaf Clusters]])
*[[Army Achievement Medal]] (with [[Oak Leaf Cluster]])
*[[Army Good Conduct Medal]] (silver clasp with 5 [[Good Conduct Loop|Good Conduct Loops]])
*[[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]]
*[[Army Superior Unit Award]]
*[[National Defense Service Medal]] (with 2 [[service stars]])
*[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] (with 2 [[service stars]])
*[[Iraq Campaign Medal]]
*[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]]
*[[Armed Forces Service Medal]]
*[[NCO Professional Development Ribbon]]  (with "4" [[award numeral]])
*[[Army Service Ribbon]]
*[[Army Overseas Service Ribbon]] (with "4" [[award numeral]])
*[[NATO Medal]] (with 2 [[service stars]])
*[[German Sports Badge]] (Sportabzeichen in Bronze)

===Badges===
{|
|[[File:Combat Action Badge.svg|60px]]
|[[Combat Action Badge]]
|-
|[[File:US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif|60px]]
|[[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Master Parachutist Badge|Master Parachutist Badge]]
|-
|[[File:Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg|60px]]
|[[Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge]]
|-
|[[File:DrillInstructBadge.gif|60px]]
|[[Drill Sergeant Identification Badge]]
|-
|[[File:Pathfinder.gif|60px]]
|[[Pathfinder Badge (United States)|Pathfinder Badge]]
|-
|[[File:ArmyQualExpert.JPG|60px]]
|[[Weapons Qualification Badge|Expert Rifle Badge]]
|-
|[[File:IIIcorpsCSIB.png|60px]]
|[[III Corps (United States)|III Corps]] [[Combat Service Identification Badge]]
|-
|[[File:2CRDUI.jpg|50px]]
|[[2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|2nd Cavalry Regiment]] [[Distinctive Unit Insignia|DUI]]
|-
|[[File:ArmySstripe.jpg|60px]]
|11 [[Service stripe]]s
|-
|[[File:ArmyOSB.jpg|50px]]
|2 [[Overseas Service Bar]]s
|}

CSM Gainey is also a recipient of:
{|
|[[File:Saintgeorge crest.gif|60px]]
|Gold Medallion of the [[Saint George Award|Honorable Order of Saint George]], [[United States Armor Association]]
|-
||[[File:Order of Saint Barbara medallion.jpg|60px]]
|Silver Medallion of the Ancient [[Order of Saint Barbara]], Air Defense Artillery Association
|-
|}

===Foreign decorations and awards===
{|
|[[File:Schützenschnur in Bronze (Plakette).jpg|60px]]
|[[German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship]] (Schützenschnur in Bronze)
|-
|[[File:GER DOSB Sports Badge ribbon bar.png|60px]]
|[[German Sports Badge]] (Military version in Bronze)
|}

==See also==
{{commons category}}
{{portal|United States Army}}

==References==
*[http://www.jcs.mil/bios/bio_gainey.html Official Site]
*[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46514 Gainey Wraps up Korea Visit, Announces Plans to Retire]
*[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46446 Top NCO Shares Laughs, Hope with Troops in Korea]
*[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49616 Senior Enlisted Advisor Approaches Retirement With New Outlook ]
*[https://www.benning.army.mil/armor/GaineyCup/content/pdf/CSM%20GaineyBio.pdf Command Sergeant Major (retired) William “Joe” Gainey Biography]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |before = None |title = [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman]] of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |years = September 2005— April 25, 2008 |after = Vacant until Sept. 2011 <br> [[Sergeant Major|Sgt. Maj.]] [[Bryan B. Battaglia]], [[United States Marine Corps|USMC]] 2011–2015}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gainey, William}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal]]
[[Category:Vincennes University alumni]]