Sergeant Major Brandon D. Rodriguez enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in December 2005 from Los Angeles, California. He completed recruit training with Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, graduating in March 2006. Following Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry–West, Camp Pendleton, California, he attended Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School, Twentynine Palms, California, where he was trained as a Field Radio Operator.
Upon graduating MOS school as the top Marine in his class, he was meritoriously promoted to Lance Corporal and assigned to Lima Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, Twentynine Palms, California. Serving as a Fire Support Liaison Marine, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and was promoted to Corporal in 2007. He later deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, participating in Exercises Balikatan and Cobra Gold. Following the deployment, he reported to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, where he served as the Transmissions Platoon Sergeant. He was promoted to Sergeant in August 2009 and subsequently deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan in 2010.
In February 2011, Sergeant Rodriguez reported to the Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC), Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, where he served as a Telecommunications Specialist with the Investigation and Recovery Group. During this assignment, he deployed on eleven global recovery missions supporting the identification and repatriation of fallen U.S. service members across the Indo-Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Europe. He later graduated as the Honor Graduate from the Resident Sergeants Course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
In 2014, Sergeant Rodriguez transferred to 3d Marine Regiment, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where he served as the S-6 Radio Chief before volunteering for Drill Instructor duty. He reported to Drill Instructor School at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, and was assigned to Company D, 1st Recruit Training Battalion. During this tour, he served as a Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, and Chief Drill Instructor. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in 2015 and meritoriously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in July 2017.
Following Drill Instructor duty, Gunnery Sergeant Rodriguez served as the Communications Chief with Combat Logistics Battalion 13 in support of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deploying throughout the Indo-Pacific and Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He later reported to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Central Command (FASTCENT), Bahrain, where he served as the Communications Chief. He was selected to First Sergeant in 2020 and subsequently appointed Company First Sergeant, serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the FASTCENT Commander in support of multiple Central Command operations, including Operation Allies Refuge.
In 2022, First Sergeant Rodriguez reported to 5th Battalion, 14th Marines, Seal Beach, California, where he served as the Site Support Inspector-Instructor First Sergeant for Headquarters, November, and Oscar Batteries. Upon selection to Sergeant Major, in June 2025 he reported to 8th Marine Corps District to activate Recruiting Station South Texas, where he currently serves as the Recruiting Station Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Major Rodriguez’s personal decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V” and one gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.