Sergeant Major Rhonda L. Byrd was appointed as the third United States Army Finance & Comptroller Sergeant Major in 2026. Byrd serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Military Deputy for Army Financial Management & Comptroller.
Byrd is a native of Evergreen, Alabama. She entered the Army in October 1997 from Montgomery, Alabama as an Accounting Specialist. She attended Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, S.C.
Byrd’s assignments include G8 Sergeant Major, U. S. Army Transformation and Training Command, Austin, TX; West Director and Master Leader Course Chief, U.S. NCO Academy, Fort Bliss, TX; Deputy Director, NCO Professional Development Directorate, U.S. Army NCO Academy, Fort Bliss, TX; Instructor, Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, TX; Finance Operations NCOIC, Benelux Finance Office, Shape, Belgium; First Sergeant, Charlie Company, 369th Adjutant General Battalion, Fort Jackson, SC; 36B Advanced Individual Training Course Director, Financial Management and Comptroller School, Fort Jackson, SC; Detachment Sergeant, Alpha Detachment, 33rd Financial Management Support Unit, Fort Drum, NY; Commercial Vendor Service NCOIC, HHD, 33rd Financial Management Company, Fort Drum, NY; Recruiter and Assistant Station Commander, United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC), Clemson, SC; Family Assistance Center (FAC) NCOIC and Senior Internal Control Analyst, 13th Finance Group, Fort Hood, TX; Reserve Pay NCOIC, HHC Area Support Group, 3rd Army, Camp Doha, Kuwait; Army Accounting Transactions NCOIC, Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), San Antonio, TX; Finance Clerk in the Military Pay Section with Charlie Detachment, 3rd Soldier Support Battalion, Fort Stewart, GA; and In- & Out-Processing Clerk with Charlie Detachment, 106th Finance Battalion, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Byrd’s deployments include Camp Tulsa, Bosnia, in support of Operation Joint Forge KFOR 8; Camp Doha, Kuwait, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-09; Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12.
Byrd’s military and civilian education encompasses all levels of Professional Military Education (PME), culminating with the Nominative Leaders Course (NLC). She is a graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy (Class 68), Army Retention Course; Army Recruiting Course; Executive Comptroller Course; Army Comptroller Course; Enterprise Resource Planning with SAP (TERP10); Cadre Training Course; Small Group Instructor Training Course; Master Resilience Trainer Course; Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course; Battle Staff Course; Equal Opportunity Leadership Course; Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Course; Common Faculty Development Instructor Course; Training and Education Middle Manager’s Course; Senior Training and Education Manager’s Course; Digital Learning Instructor Course; Continuing Education for Senior Leaders Course; Senior Resource Managers Course; Continuing Education for Senior Leaders Business Transformation Course and Force Integration for Senior Leaders Course. Sergeant Major Byrd holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Liberty University (graduating with Distinct Honors). She is a graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy Fellowship Program (Cohort 4) with a Master of Education degree in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning from Penn State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Franklin University (graduating Magna Cum Laude).
Her awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (with One Oak Leaf Cluster); Meritorious Service Medal (with Two Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Commendation Medal (with Four Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Achievement Medal (with Seven Oak Leaf Clusters); Meritorious Unit Citation (with Three Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Superior Unit Award (with One Oak Leaf Cluster); Good Conduct Medal (9th Award); National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star); Iraqi Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star); Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 6); Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Ribbon (Numeral 4); NATO Defense Service Medal; Gold Recruiter Identification Badge; Senior Army Instructor Badge; Driver Mechanical Badge and the German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency, Bronze Schutzenschnur. Byrd is a recipient of the Major General Nathan Towson Medallion (Finance Corps Association Award) and recognized as a Distinguished Member of the Finance Regiment. She has also been awarded the academic rank of Assistant Professor from the Command and General Staff College.