John Troxell enlisted in the Army in 1982. His five combat tours of duty include making the combat parachute jump and service in Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. In 2015 he was selected by Chairman Joseph Dunford to become the THIRD Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of staff upon the retirement of Command Sergeant Major Bryan B. Battaglia.