Sergeant First Class (RET) Joseph Banfield

Sergeant First Class (Retired) Joseph Banfield joined the United States Army in June 2002 and completed Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating as an 11B Infantryman. His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 7th Army Training Command. While assigned there, he served in numerous positions within the battalion, including M113A1 Armored Personnel Carrier crewman, rifleman, and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon gunner. In 2005, while serving as a Specialist, he earned the coveted Expert Infantryman Badge.

In 2005, SFC Banfield was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He served as a grenadier, M240B machine gunner, and team leader, deploying twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 and 2010. During his first deployment, he was hand-selected to serve as the tail gunner for the Battalion Command Sergeant Major's Personal Security Detachment (PSD) Stryker. During his second deployment, he continued serving with the Battalion PSD as a mounted gunner and vehicle commander.

SFC Banfield was later assigned to Able Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (Currahee), where he assumed responsibility for the company arms room and transformed it into one of the best arms rooms across the brigade. In 2014, he graduated from the Sabalauski Air Assault School, earning his Air Assault qualification. In 2015, he was selected to serve as an instructor at the Army's premier Air Assault School and quickly became the Senior Instructor for Team 1. In 2017, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), where he served as a Squad Leader, Weapons Squad Leader, and Platoon Sergeant. He later served as a Military Science Instructor with the Virginia Tech Army ROTC program, where he mentored and developed future Army officers.

After 24 years of honorable service, SFC Banfield retired from the United States Army in 2026. Throughout his career, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication to Soldier development, and a steadfast commitment to excellence while serving in operational, training, and instructor assignments across multiple organizations.

SFC Banfield's civilian and military education includes the Combat Lifesaver Course, Warrior Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course, Senior Leader Course, U.S. Army Air Assault School, Army Basic Instructor Course, Battlefield Forensics, Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, Pathfinder School, Rappel Master, FRIES and SPIES Master, and Unit Armorer Course. He has completed 36 semester hours toward a degree in General Studies.

His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with "C" Device, Army Commendation Medal (5th Award), Army Achievement Medal (5th Award), Army Superior Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (8th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4th Award), NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Air Assault Badge.

SFC Banfield is married to Nicole Banfield, and together they have four children: Natalie (21), Jacob (19), Jackson (13), and Malia (11).