The Senior Enlisted Leader for United States European Command advises the commander on enlisted issues, and provides leadership to the 82,000 joint service members distributed over 400 bases and facilities in an area of responsibility covering 51 countries. The Senior Enlisted Leader provides guidance on theater security cooperation, promotes enlisted professional development through training and education in order to build partner nations’ capacity and improve interoperability, and serves as a mentor for senior enlisted in the European footprint to include: U.S. service components; partner nations within NATO; and Partnership-for-Peace countries.

Command Sgt. Maj. Robert V. Abernethy assumed the duties as Command Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. European Command on June 7, 2022. He entered the U.S. Army July 22, 1987, and graduated as an infantryman in November 1987.During the course of his career, Abernethy held numerous duty positions, including: infantry rifleman, 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard); communication sergeant, signal detachment, 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne); U.S. Army recruiter, Jackson Recruiting Battalion, Mississippi; communication sergeant and intelligence sergeant, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Abernethy also served as team sergeant, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he deployed on several rotations to the southern Philippines in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Philippines), and as team sergeant for, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he deployed supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). His other positions include operations sergeant major and company sergeant major, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), and Army Special Operations Forces proponent sergeant major, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

Abernethy also served as command sergeant major at 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He most recently served as the U.S. Army Europe and Africa command sergeant major. Abernethy’s military education and training includes: U.S. Army Pre-Command Course; U.S. Army Sergeant’s Major Academy; Special Forces Qualification Course; Advanced Non- Commissioned Officer’s Course; Basic Non-Commissioned Officer’s Course; Warrior Leader’s Course; Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course; Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course; Combat Diving Supervisor Course; Combat Diver Qualification Course; Jumpmaster Course; Survival-Evasion- Resistance and Escape Course; Army Recruiter’s Course; Basic Airborne Course; Air Assault Course; and Infantry Basic Course.