More than two decades ago, a moment in history changed the course of Sgt. Maj. Casey Mack’s life.

Mack, then a 10th grader, was sitting in class when he saw the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center unfold live on television.

“Going back to 10th grade, sitting in class watching 9/11 happen, the World Trade Center got hit,” recalled Mack. “And at that point, I knew I was going to join the military.”

Military service

The Lehighton native graduated from Carbon Career & Technical Institute in 2004 and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 28, 2005.

He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a 13M rocket system crew member.

Mack’s first assignment took him to Camp Casey, Korea, with the 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment. He then served for three years at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, deploying to Afghanistan in 2008 with the 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment.

He returned to Korea as a launcher chief, later holding the same role at Fort Hood, Texas. In 2013, he transitioned to recruiting, serving three years in Wilkes-Barre after completing the Army Recruiter Course.

Mack rejoined active operations with the 18th Field Artillery Brigade, deploying to the Middle East for nine months. Promoted to first sergeant in 2020, he led Bullshark Battery for two years and then served another year with the brigade’s headquarters unit. He was later selected as a senior military science instructor at the University of South Dakota.

New Leadership Role

Recognized for his leadership and experience, Mack was selected to attend the prestigious Sergeants Major Academy.

He graduated on June 8 and two days later, he was promoted to sergeant major, assigned to Ramstein Air Base in Germany as the 19th Battlefield Coordination Detachment sergeant major.

“It’s really just leadership abilities that get you to that point,” said Mack, 39. “I was very humbled by attending the academy. The sergeant major was always somebody that you look up to in an organization because they’re always doing the right thing and leading from the front.”

While he’s honored by the responsibility, Mack admitted it comes with pressure.

“It’s a bit nerve-racking,” he said. “I’m in charge of ensuring that they’re not only taken care of, but they’re trained and proficient in being able to win the nation’s wars. I don’t take it lightly that I am in charge of taking care of American Sons and Daughters that made the decision to serve our country.”

When asked what makes him suited to the role, Mack said, “My drive, my motivation; I’m able to motivate and bring out the best in others. I think it all starts with caring. In order to create a following and a buy-in that soldiers serve within an organization, they look to their leader to care about them in all aspects — not only their discipline, their training, but making sure they’re equipped with the best equipment, and also ensuring that they’re mentally and physically prepared for the rigors that can be expected for combat.”’

Honors and legacy

Mack’s military honors are extensive. His awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, six Army Commendation Medals, nine Army Achievement Medals, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, and the Army Superior Unit Award, among many others. He has also earned badges for recruiting, combat action, and driving tracked and wheeled vehicles.

Military service runs deep in Mack’s family. His grandfather, Lawrence Mack, served in the Army during World War II, and his father, Lawrence Mack Jr., served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam.

“I’m definitely prideful that I’m the first in my family to stick it out in the military to make it a career,” Mack said. “I really love what I do. I love serving others. Selfless service is something that it feels like people have fallen out of touch with — putting others before self. It’s something I really enjoy.”

Looking forward

With 20 years of service behind him, Mack reflected on how his time in the Army has shaped him.

“One of the big things to take away from it is that I’ve been able to experience different countries, different cultures, see the way people live in other countries; it definitely gives you a better perspective of how good we have it here in the U.S.,” he said. “When you’re able to experience the way that other countries operate and people live in their every day lives, it definitely makes you appreciate being an American.”

He also emphasized the doors the Army has opened for him.

“Serving your country, you get the opportunity to travel away from where you grew up and everything you know, and it opens the door to so much more of what is out there,” Mack said.

His son James, a high school student at Palmerton, plans to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Army after graduating in 2026.

Mack is the proud father of three children: Callie A. Mack, 21; Hannah C. Mack, 19; and James B. Mack, 17.