Contact: SFC Charles Highland at 701-791-3195
Struxness to Assume Duties as State Command Sergeant Major
BISMARCK, N.D. — U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Benjamin Cleghorn, commander of the Army component of the North Dakota National Guard, hosted a change of responsibility ceremony for the state command sergeant major. Command Sgt. Maj. Kendall Struxness will assume the duties of the senior enlisted Soldier for the North Dakota Army Guard from Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Kachena during a ceremony on June 12 at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck.
As state command sergeant major, Struxness will be the principle senior advisor to the Army commander on enlisted affairs for the nearly 3,000 Soldiers of North Dakota Army National Guard. He will enforce policies and standards of performance, training, appearance and conduct of enlisted Soldiers. He also will advise senior leadership on an array of topics, including recruiting, retention, training, resiliency, family support, community events, education and employment for the NDARNG.
Command Sgt. Maj. Kendall Struxness was born in Fargo, North Dakota and enlisted in the North Dakota Army National Guard in April 1988. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in August 1988, and advanced individual training as a combat engineer at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in July 1989.
His military full-time assignments included the Rear Detachment noncommissioned officer Army National Guard, Bravo Company, 141st Engineer Combat Battalion; assistant human resource NCO, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 141st ECB; readiness NCO, Alpha Company, 231st Brigade Support Battalion; battalion operations NCO, 231st BSB; assistant brigade operations NCO, 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade; G3 operations sergeant major.
Command Sergeant Major Struxness’ leadership positions include combat engineer team leader, squad leader, stock control supervisor, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, battalion and brigade operations NCO, chief operations sergeant, and 142nd Engineer Battalion command sergeant major. On April 14th, he was selected as the 14th state command sergeant major.
CSM Struxness deployed with Alpha Company, 231st BSB to Kosovo 2009-2010 and to the Southern Border 2025 with HHC, 142nd EN BN, as the command sergeant major.
His civilian education consists of two years at the University of North Dakota, one year at North Dakota State University majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Psychology. Struxness completed Peace Officers Training at the University of North Dakota – Lake Region (May 1992). His military education includes; Primary Leadership Development
Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course Phase I and II, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course Phase I and II, and Sergeants Major Academy. CSM Struxness earned a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Workforce Development.
Struxness’ Decorations and Awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Valorous Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal (7th Award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hourglass and "M" Device with Numeral 2, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 5, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral 4, NATO Medal, North Dakota Commendation Ribbon, North Dakota Basic Combat Training Ribbon, North Dakota Emergency Service Ribbon with 2 Devices, North Dakota Service Ribbon with Gold Hourglass, Mexican Border Defense Medal, and the Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver - Wheeled Vehicles Clasp.
Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Kachena was born in Park River, North Dakota and enlisted in the North Dakota Army National Guard in December 2000. He completed basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in August 2001 and advanced individual training as a stinger crewmember at Fort Bliss, Texas in August 2002.
His military assignments included the assistant S4 Active Guard Reserve, 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment; admin NCO, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-188th ADA; supply sergeant, HHB, 1-188th ADA; readiness NCO, Bravo Battery, 1-188th ADA; battalion operations NCO, 1-188th ADA; brigade operations NCO, 141st MEB. He served as the battalion command sergeant major for the 142nd Engineer Battalion and Commandant 164th Regional Training Institute.
Kachena’s leadership positions include avenger squad leader, avenger platoon sergeant, battalion avenger master gunner, first sergeant, battalion and brigade operations NCO, battalion command sergeant major, and commandant. On June 6th, 2025 he was selected as the 13th state command sergeant major.
His civilian education consists of a master’s in educational leadership from the University of North Dakota and a Bachelor of Science in English Education from Valley City State University. His military education includes the Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course phase I and II, Senior Leader Course, Avenger Master Gunner Course, and the Sergeant’s Major Academy.
Kachena’s Decorations, Awards and Certificates include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and 20 year Bronze Hourglass, Meritorious Service Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Non Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with numeral 5, Army Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon Overseas Training Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Driver Mechanic Badge, Master Gunner Badge, Army Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, North Dakota State Commendation Ribbon, North Dakota National Guard Emergency Service Ribbon, North Dakota National Guard Service Ribbon, North Dakota National Guard Basic Training Ribbon
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The North Dakota National Guard is a trained and highly motivated force of about 4,000 Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen. We are always prepared to provide ready units, individuals and equipment in support of our communities, state and nation. Always ready, always there.
Command Sergeant Major Kendall Struxness holds the guidon during a ceremony on June 12 at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Chad Highland)
Brig. Gen. Benjamin Cleghorn, commander of the Army component of the North Dakota National Guard, passes the guidon to Command Sergeant Major Kendall Struxness during a ceremony on June 12 at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Chad Highland)