SGM Scott J. Holzerland is a native of Davenport, Iowa where he enlisted in the Army in January of 1997 as a 19D/Cavalry Scout. He attended one-station unit training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He transitioned from the Regular Army into the Army Reserve in 2001 where he trained as a 91W/Combat Medic at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He applied for and was accepted into the Active, Guard & Reserve Program in 2002 and reclassified to 75B/Human Resources Specialist at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

SGM Holzerland assumed duties as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of War, Manpower & Reserve Affairs on 3 March 2025. In this role, he advises the Assistant Secretary of War, Manpower and Reserve Affairs on all matters related to military and civilian personnel policies, reserve integration, military community and family policy, and total force manpower and resources including the Department of Defense Education Activity and Defense Commissary Agency. SGM Holzerland’s portfolio covers the entire life cycle of a service member from recruiting through casualty and mortuary affairs. He advises on the development of policies, plans, and programs for the Total Force for military and civilian personnel.

SGM Holzerland has served as a human resources professional at every echelon of command from company to the Department of the Army Staff as well as broadening assignments as an instructor, recruiter, and DoD Detailee within the Intelligence Community. His stateside assignments include Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Washington, DC; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Mountain View, California. He served overseas assigned to Baumholder, Germany and he deployed in 1997 to Macedonia in support of Operation Able Sentry and in 2004-05 to Tikrit, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.

SGM Holzerland’s military education includes all levels of NCO professional military education including the Keystone Course, Nominative Leader’s Course, and US Army Sergeants Major Academy. His additional military education includes the Instructor Training Course, Army Recruiter Course, Airborne, Red-Team Member Course, and the Reserve Component National Security Course. In addition to his undergraduate studies, his civilian education includes Master of Arts degrees in Defense Strategic Studies from the University of Texas El Paso and International Relations from Webster University.

SGM Holzerland’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (7th award), the Army Commendation Medal (7th award), the Army Achievement Medal (3d award), Gold Recruiter Badge and Ring, the Parachutist Badge, and numerous foreign jump wings.

SGM Holzerland is a Distinguished Member of the Adjutant General’s Corps, a recipient of the Colonel Robert L. Manning Achievement Medal, and the only Noncommissioned Officer graduate of the Army People Seminar - Cohort 3.