Sergeant Major Mike Brown, U.S. Marine Corps
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
Sergeant Major Mike Brown assumed his current position as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa on 11 August 2025. As CJTF-HOA's CSEL, SgtMaj Brown directly advises and provides guidance to the commanding general on enlisted force matters, promotes discipline and professional development, and ensures the welfare and readiness of the enlisted personnel within the enterprise. He is the CSEL for an echelon 2 command, directly supporting a 1-star general officer. He oversees a joint force composed of one headquarters command and four subordinate commands dispersed across six locations in Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1999 where he attended Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. During that time, Private Brown was meritoriously promoted to Private First Class.
Following graduation, he attended the School of Infantry in Camp Geiger, NC and was assigned the Military Occupational Specialty of 0311 Infantryman. After graduation, he received orders to 1st Bn 1st Mar in Camp Pendleton, Ca. From 2001 to 2002, PFC Brown deployed to the Western Pacific with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, (MEU). Sadly, less than three weeks into deployment, tragedy struck on 9/11. The Ship quickly set sail for Jacobabad, Pakistan. As a Saw Gunner and Team Leader, he spent the next six months in Afghanistan as Task Force 58, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and meritoriously promoted to Corporal during that time.
From 2003 to 2004, Corporal Brown deployed with the 13th MEU, 1st Expeditionary Strike Group to Iraq as a Squad Leader, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The last two months of that deployment were spent conducting security operations in Djibouti, Africa. He was meritoriously promoted to Sergeant during that time.
After returning from Iraq in July 2004, Sgt Brown received orders to Drill Instructor School, Parris Island, S.C., class 4-04. After graduation, he reported to Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion where he served four cycles as a green belt Drill Instructor, and four cycles as a Senior Drill Instructor. He was meritoriously promoted to Staff Sergeant during that time.
After a successful tour on the Drill Field, in 2007 SSgt Brown received orders to 1st Bn 3rd Mar, Kaneohe Bay, HI. From 2008 to 2009, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Platoon Commander. From 2009 to 2010, SSgt Brown, again deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the Jump Commander, (personal security detachment) for the Battalion Commander. He was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant during that time.
In 2011, GySgt Brown received orders to Marine Security Guard School in Quantico, Va. Upon graduation, he received orders to US Embassies Singapore and Vilnius, Lithuania; each for 18 months. During these three years, GySgt Brown supported the visits of POTUS, VPOTUS, SecState, SecDef and many other dignitaries and Foreign Leaders.
In 2014, after a successful tour on MSG duty, GySgt Brown received orders to 2nd Bn 2nd Mar, Camp Lejeune, NC where he deployed with the Special Purpose MAGTF Crisis Response Black Sea Rotational Force as the Assistant Operations Chief and the Company GySgt for H&S Company. He was promoted to 1st Sgt during that time.
In 2016, 1st Sgt Brown received orders to 2nd Law Enforcement Bn where he spent a year before being transferred to Security Company as the Company 1stSgt for PMO.
After one year at PMO, 1st Sgt Brown received orders to 2d Recon Battalion where he spent the next two years. Once attached to the 22d MEU, 1st Sgt Brown became the Maritime Raid Force 1st Sgt with a collateral duty as the Command Element 1st Sgt. Throughout this time with Recon, he attended Army Airborne & SERE School and later deployed to the Middle East. He was selected to Sergeant Major during that time.
In 2020, SgtMaj Brown received orders to Parris Island, S.C., where he served as the Third Recruit Training Battalion SgtMaj, Support Battalion SgtMaj, and the RTR SgtMaj until October of 2023.
He has been married to the former Mrs. Melanie Vaillancourt of Oakland, Ca., for over 25yrs. They have two children; Drew Anthony, (25) who is a Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island, S.C., and Aaliyah Rose, (19) who is currently attending college at Flagler University in St. Augustine, FL.
SgtMaj Brown is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 70. His personal decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.