Sergeant Major Ralph Martinez was born in Georgia. He entered the Army from his childhood home of Sugar Land, Texas, on 8 August 1988. He attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and concluded initial entry training with the Chaplain Assistant Advanced Individual Training Course at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
Sergeant Major Martinez’s assignments as a religious affairs specialist include duty in the 557th United States Army Artillery Group, 59th Ordnance Brigade, Herborn-Seelbach, Federal Republic of Germany; the 120th AG (Reception) Battalion, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; the 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; the 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 2nd Infantry (M) Division, Camp Pelham, Republic of Korea; the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry (M) Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; the 3rd Infantry (M) Division Artillery, Fort Stewart, Georgia; the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the United States National Support Team-Sarajevo, Bosnia; the 82nd Airborne Division Chaplain’s Office, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the Enlisted Training Division, United States Army Chaplain Center and School, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Headquarters, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; Headquarters, United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany; Headquarters, Command Group, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; United States Army Africa Command/Southern European Task Force, Vicenza, Italy; United States Army Forces Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Department of the Army, Office of the Chief of Chaplain, Pentagon, Washington, DC.
Sergeant Major Martinez served five tours in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and also deployed in support of Operation Joint Forge. Sergeant Major Martinez is a graduate of the Executive Leaders Course, the Sergeants Major Course, Class 63, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the First Sergeant’s Course, the Battle Staff NCO Course, the Sergeant Major Force Management Course, the Chaplaincy Resource Manager Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Instructor Training Course, and the Small Group Instructor Training Course. His civilian education includes an Associate of Arts in General Studies from Central Texas College, and Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from Purdue University Global.
Sergeant Major Martinez has been married to the former Laura Wadsworth of Winter Park, Florida, for 32 years. Together they have one daughter – Sarah (spouse Juan), one son – Nicholas; and one granddaughter – Elizabeth.