Gene McKinney is one of five brothers, all of whom served in the U.S. Army, one of whom is an identical twin who became a Command Sergeant Major. Gene McKinney was the first, and to date the only, African American to become Sergeant Major of the Army (10th), serving in that position from 1995 to 1997. In 1998, he was court martialed on a variety of charges including sexual harassment and obstruction of justice. He was convicted of the obstruction of justice charge and demoted to the rank of master sergeant. He is the only Sergeant Major of the Army, to date, who was not awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal.