Nearly 34 years after beginning his career, the Army’s highest-ranking enlisted African American (by date of rank) still sees himself in the face of every prospective Army Soldier.

One can assume this would be a conditional requirement for the U.S. Army Accessions Command enlisted leader – after all, the command’s mission is to “capture the finest recruits and ensure a seamless transition from volunteer to Soldier.” But even on the heels of retirement in less than three months, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis King wants to interface with potential recruits when he transitions into the civilian workforce.

“I intend to remain engaged with the youth of America,” King said. “I have a passion for youth and want to mentor them. We lose so many of them – even the good ones – and if I can encourage and steer them in the right direction and get them back on track, then I will feel fulfilled. Even if it’s not the Army, but getting them into another military branch or even college.”

As a young man, King’s mentors were his Army JROTC instructors. Rather than them convincing him, it was King who convinced himself to join the Army because he respected the discipline his instructors exhibited and exuded upon him. After graduating high school at age 17, he joined the Army.

“I had no intentions to stay in past the first enlistment,” King said. “I wanted to get money for college and get my degree when I got out.”

But his drill sergeants at Fort Sill, Okla. became his mentors, and once again, King convinced himself that he was going to become a drill sergeant, which meant a commitment of more than one enlistment.

And so it went, goal after goal, mentor after mentor, such as a first sergeant who left a favorable impression upon him, and then a command sergeant major.

Between six assignments as a first sergeant, returning to Fort Sill as a drill sergeant and seven tours as a command sergeant major, King squeezed in time to reach his very first Army goal to get his colledge education. He earned his associate’s from Central Texas College, and from TUI University he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, respectively.

Along the path of his Army journey of goals came an unexpected one, whiwhen he won the heart of a young lass named Ella. While shopping in the post exchange, he happened across her stocking a shelf, which prompted him to find a reason to talk to her. And so began that goal, which flowered into a lifelong commitment. Today she stands by his side as his wife and mother of their two daughters, 14-year-old Marissa and adult daughter Tiese who works for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

Just like her husband, Ella interfaces with potential recruits as well. She works as a federal civilian employee at the Military Entrance Processing Station at Fort Jackson, S.C. in the operations section. One of her primary duties is taking fingerprints, so she spends a few brief moments with each recruit in the final hours before they enlist.

As a Soldier, husband, father and college student, King said he sees himself in today’s Soldier, too. Commitments are only possible when goals are committed to.

“I made a lot of sacrifices, but it was only possible with discipline, which equates to commitment,” said King. “Besides, like I tell my (oldest) daughter, you can’t tell (Soldiers) to do it if you haven’t done it yourself.”

This holds true even for prospective Soldiers. King believes that when they hear him relate his own experience prior to joining, they relate more deeply.

“I see myself in many of them because I’ve been where they’re at,” King said. “It was hard growing up. Don’t get me wrong, my parents did what they could for us. But no matter what, the world is difficult, and people still go on.”

In his role as USAAC’s command sergeant major, King admits he has enjoyed several perks from his position. He frequently participated in Army recruiting outreach and co-sponsorship of events such as the 2009 Black Entertainment Television Honors in February. He honored BET performer Queen Latifah with a “corporate salute.”

“It was the best time ever to have the opportunity to mingle with celebrities,” he said. “Certainly without this job I wouldn’t have been able to do so.”

King said another perk, is not only looking at the faces of the young men and women about to enter the Army, but remembering the faces of those he’s worked alongside for the past 30 years.

“They are the equivalent of this office, and I am who I am because of them or because of who they will become.”

But as with any leadership position, sacrifices accompany the perks. The primary sacrifice was being 400 miles away from his wife and youngest daughter in Columbia, S.C. Recruiting is not a Monday to Friday job – it happens any day of the week – so weekends weren’t always free for him to make the trip home.

When he did make the trip, family and church time was top priority, interspersed with watching movies and visiting parks.

King will make one more brief sacrifice when USAAC relocates from Fort Monroe to Fort Knox, Ky. on May 17. The distance away from family will become longer, but the time remaining to his retirement in mid-June will become shorter and then he will make his final trip home.

King offers the following parting words of advice:

“Just do it. Figure out what you want to do, and just do it. I also want to add the caveat that whatever it is you do, do it legally, morally and ethically correct.”

When he retires and “serves the youth of America,” he vows to take his own words of advice.