MADISON – After initial training at Fort Benning, Ga. (now Fort Moore), Sergeant Major (ret.) Bobby E. Lee Jr. was assigned to 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. and deployed with Operation Just Cause in December 1989.

He then was assigned to 2nd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in August 1990. He deployed as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and served as Deputy Brigade Adjutant and Commander of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment.

After service at Fort Stewart, Ga., Lee was assigned as Assistant Professor of Military Science at East Tennessee State University from June 1993 through August 1995. He then joined Tennessee Army National Guard and served full time until he retired.

Lee’s deployments include Operation Just Cause, December 1989 – January 1990; Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, August 1990 – March 1991; Operation Iraqi Freedom III, November 2004 – October 2005; and Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-10, December 2009 – August 2010.

In addition, his unit served in Ukraine from 2018 to 2019 in building and validating the country’s version of the National Training Center and creating its first NCO Academy.

Lee’s awards and decorations include Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal (two), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with Arrowhead), Southwest Asia Service Medal (two Bronze Stars) Humanitarian Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) and Overseas Service Ribbon (two).

He also earned Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with Bronze Combat Star, Air Assault Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Master Gunner Badge and Combat Action Badge.

Lee retired from the U.S. Army in September 2020 as Operations Sergeant Major of 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Currently, he is a civilian contractor for PEO Aviation at Redstone Arsenal.

Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Married 37 years, he and his wife, Ashleigh, moved to Madison County when he retired “and are happy to be back in God’s Country,” he said. Ashleigh retired as a registered dental hygienist.

Bobby and Ashleigh have two sons, Matthew who is married to Rachel and son Patrick; grandsons A.J. and Nicholas; and granddaughter Taylor Elise.

Bobby Lee enjoys playing golf and working in his yard, while Ashleigh enjoys being a ‘Grams’ and taking their dog, Jaxson, to facilities where he acts as a therapy dog. The Lees perform transport duty for rescue dogs.

Bobby Lee is an active Life Member of both Madison American Legion, Post 229 and Gentry-Isom VFW, Post 2702 in Huntsville. He participates with Redstone Arsenal Sergeants Major Association.