Michele S. Jones is the first woman in the United States Army Reserve to reach the position of command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Reserve. She is the first female non-commissioned officer to serve in the highest enlisted position of a component of the U.S. Army, active or reserve, and was at one time the highest-ranking African-American female enlisted person in any branch of the United States military, as well as the highest-ranking enlisted African American in the Army Reserve. Jones serves as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.