CSM Russell Baas

CSM Russell Baas

Dates of Service: Jun 1972 - Sep 2000
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About Discussions

Promotions

  • PV2 Mar 72
  • PFC Aug 72
  • SPC Oct 73
  • SGT Sep 74
  • SSG Nov 76
  • SFC Aug 82
  • MSG Feb 89
  • CSM Nov 93

Recent Activity  -

Bio 

Command Sergeant Major (CSM) (retired) Russell W. Baas was born in Algona, IA. He enlisted in the Army in June 1972. After Basic Training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he attended AIT as an Automotive Mechanic at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He held a wide variety of assignments to include Technical Inspector, 3d Infantry Division, Kitzingen, Germany and 5th Infantry Division (M), Fort Polk, Louisiana; Recruiter, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Platoon Sergeant and First Sergeant, 699th Maintenance Company, Hanau, Germany: Instructor, Operations Sergeant, and Branch Chief Instructor, Wheel Vehicle Department, US Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: First Sergeant and Operations Sergeant, 6th ID (L), Fort Richardson, Alaska: Battalion CSM for the 48th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas; Group CSM for the 7th Corps Support Group, 3rd Corps Support Command, V Corps, Bamberg, Germany; Garrison CSM for Yuma Proving Ground, Yuma, Arizona. Major campaigns: One of my brigades drove first tanks across river into Bosnia. CSM for 7th Corps Group that ran Intermediate Staging Base (ISB) in Hungry for soldiers returning from and entering into Bosnia. CSM (retired) Baas’ schooling includes the 7th Army Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Bad Tolz, Germany; Basic and Advanced Recruiters Course, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; First Sergeants Course, Fort Bliss, Texas; and he is a graduate of Class 40, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, MSM (3OLC), ARCOM (4OLC), AAM, GCMDL (8) NDSM (w/Star), NCOPD (4), OSR (4), German Marksmanship Badge (Bronze), ASR, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, and Mechanics Badge. CSM Baas retired in September 2000 and has been married to Sheryl Knecht for 47 years. They have two sons, Justin (44), Seattle, WA and Jonathan (35) Foreign Service Officer. After Army retirement, Mr. Baas worked as a GEICO representative until 2014 and is very involved with community activities: Chamber of Commerce and Military Affairs Committee.

Deployments

(6 months)
Jul 1995 - Dec 1995
Hungry
7th CSG deployed to Intermediate Staging Base in Tazar, Hungry in support of Bosnian peace keeping operation. Responsible for CCS to all soldiers/equipment entering/leaving Bosnia.

Military Credentials

Professional Development Schools

Apr 1998

Garrison SGM Course

Feb 1989 - Mar 1989

US Army First Sergeants Course

Sep 1980 - Nov 1980

Recruiting and Retention NCO Advanced Course

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