First Sergeant Danny Kyle Cummings Jr, a native of Ontario, Oregon enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 8th, 2002. He started at the Marine Corps Depot San Diego, California (MCRD) on September 16th, 2002 and graduated December 13th, 2002.
Following recruit training, Private Cummings successfully completed Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry West, Camp Pendleton, California. After completion, he went on to this Military Occupational Specialty School (MOS) at 29 palms, California to complete the Ground Electronics Technician course and obtained the MOS of 2844 where he was promoted to Private first class.
Upon graduation, Private First Class Cummings was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Headquarters Company in the Communications Maintenance section in August 2003. While with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines he was promoted to Lance Corporal and deployed to Okinawa, Japan for the 31st Marine Expedition Unit until the unit received warning orders to deploy to Fallujah, Iraq. He then again deployed in towards the end of 2004 to Ramadi, Iraq where he earned a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and promoted to the rank of Corporal.
In November 2005, Corporal Cummings was assigned to the School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton, California permanent personal, communications section. There he ensured that all of the communication equipment was in operational order with the high tempo of gear going in and out of the shop to the instructors for the School of Infantry and Marine Combat Training units. Corporal Cummings re-enlisted in 2007 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
On March 2007, Sergeant Cummings was assigned to the Amphibious Assault School at Del Mar, Camp Pendleton, California. Sergeant Cummings earned his Marine Martial Arts belts Gray and Green while ensuring communications equipment was operational and going on field ops weeks at a time to support the mission.
In April 2009, Sergeant Cummings was given orders to his follow-on school in 29 palms, California to obtain the MOS of 2862. He was selected for Staff Sergeant while at his MOS and received orders to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines in Las Pulgas, Camp Pendleton, California in March 2010 upon successful graduation.
While at 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, Sergeant Cummings was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant on March 2010. Staff Sergeant Cummings was the Maintenance chief for his battalion, working along side of the other battalion Maintenance chiefs. During this time, Staff Sergeant Cummings earned his brown and black belt in the Martial Arts program. In November 2011, Staff Sergeant Cummings deployed to Forward Operating Base, Fiddlers Green, Afghanistan. During this time, Staff Sergeant Cummings received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
In April 2013, Staff Sergeant Cummings was assigned to Marine Corps Communications School, 29 palms, California as an instructor for the Basic Electronics Course. He obtained his teaching certificate, teaching entry level Marines the basics of electronics and mathematics. Later, Staff Sergeant Cummings was moved up into the Section Gunnery Sergeant billet. Staff Sergeant Cummings later decided it was time to move on to something bigger and re-enlisted into the Individual Ready Reserves in April 2015.
While out of active duty, Staff Sergeant pursued his civilian education degrees to obtain a Bachelor of Science and immediately followed to starting his Master’s degree. Staff Sergeant went to school full time, while being a full-time dad and husband, working full time in various positions of Telecommunications and Information Technology positions that lead him to being a project manager.
In March 2018, Staff Sergeant Cummings decided it was time to come back to serving his country more and re-enlisted into the Select Marine Corps Reserves. He was assigned to 3d ANGLICO as the Communications Maintenance Chief while there. Soon after, Staff Sergeant Cummings was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in 2019 and completed his Master’s degree in November that year.
In March 2021, Gunnery Sergeant Cummings decided it was time to expand his experience and completed a Inter-Unit Transfer to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48, Detachment A Forward as the Reserve Communications Maintenance Chief and later the Company Gunnery Sergeant. In November 2024 Gunnery Sergeant Cummings was promoted to First Sergeant.
In January 2025, First Sergeant Cummings was assigned to Charlie Company, 4th Littoral Craft Company as the Company First Sergeant, in Galveston Texas.
First Sergeant Cummings is currently working as a Senior Engineer Radio Frequency Advisor to the Naval Information Warfare Center working with Link-16 radios doing data analysis checks and testing documentation. His personal awards are a Certificate of Commendation x2, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Navy, Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action and various other campaign and service awards.