Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired)

SMA(R) Michael “Tony” Grinston

You probably know him as "Sergeant Major of the Army Grinston" or simply "SMA," but these days he prefers Tony. After a tenure as the Army's senior Noncommissioned Officer marked by numerous big changes to how the Army approaches health and fitness, Tony is now setting off on a new career as the Director of Army Emergency Relief (AER), which provides grants, interest-free loans, and scholarships to help relieve financial distress for soldiers and their families.

Our conversation focused on a few of the hottest topics that he got involved in: the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F), and the state of Dining Facilities (DFACs - or "Warrior Restaurants" if you prefer) across the Army.

He was remarkably candid in this conversation, even revealing some of his biggest regrets from his time as SMA. Perhaps most importantly, he "officially" declared his stance on the leg tuck.

Tune in for an awesome conversation about what it takes to make change in an organization as large and diverse in the United States Army!

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