CSM (R) Dan Elder, CKM
Chief Consultant

Highlights
Dan is the founder of the original NCO Website and its successors Squad-leader.com and Firstsergeant.com, which were grass-roots collaboration centers oriented towards Soldiers. He was awarded the first-ever Army Knowledge Management Pioneer Award in August 2003 by the Army CIO/G-6. In October 2005, he donated his successful sites to the Army, which became the BCKS NCO Net, winner of an Army 2007 AKM Award.

Following his retirement from the Army after a 26-year career, Dan joined Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) in 2008. He earned the Certification in Knowledge Management (CKM) by the KM Professional Society and currently serves as a Knowledge Management Advisor to the Department of Defense at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

Military Accomplishments
Dan entered the Army in Dec 1981 and served in a variety of enlisted leadership positions from squad leader to major Army Command level. His assignments included duty as an instructor, drill sergeant, first sergeant, and on the staff of the Sergeants Major Academy as a lesson developer, culminating with 11 years experience as a Command Sergeant Major from battalion to ACOM. His operational deployment experience includes OPERATION Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and OPERATION Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

He was selected to serve as the Command Sergeant Major for then incoming Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey’s transition team where he interviewed senior enlisted leaders Army-wide. He was general editor and author for the Center of Military History’s book Sergeants Major of the Army, and was a long serving Advisory Team member for the Army Research Institute. He authored the book Educating Noncommissioned Officers and has published numerous articles for various periodicals.

He has consulted with publishers and authors for a number of other books, including Guardians of the Republic, The Three Meter Zone, and The Shake and Bake Sergeant. Dan holds an Associate’s Degree from Central Texas College, and is a graduate of all levels of NCOES. He completed the Command Sergeants Major Course, the Garrison CSM Course, the Battle Staff NCO Course, the CSM Force Management Course and the National Defense University’s Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course. His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and four awards of the Meritorious Service Medal. He is a recipient of the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe.