Charles S. Sentell III was born in July 1966 in Minden, LA. He received his commission in Infantry through ROTC and graduated as the Distinguished Military Graduate from Davidson College in North Carolina where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1989.
Sentell graduated on the Commandant’s List from the Infantry Officer Basic Course and then completed Ranger School and the Pathfinder course at Fort Benning, GA. He served three years on active duty with the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC and was an Infantry Platoon Leader during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he earned his first Bronze Star Medal.
Leaving active duty in 1992, he attended law school at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. While in law school, he wrote an article that was published in the Louisiana Law Review and won the Flory Moot Trial oral argument competition. Sentell received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1995 graduating 5th in his class. In 1997 while serving as a law clerk for a Federal Judge, Sentell reentered the active Army Reserve by joining the 4013th Garrison Support Unit (GSU) in Bossier City, LA. He then attended the Transportation Officer Advanced Course at Fort Eustis, VA where he was the Distinguished Graduate of his class. In 1999, the Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Eric Shinseki, presented Sentell with the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award at the Pentagon after Sentell successfully took command of an active duty company at Ft. Polk, LA.
Sentell then went to the 8th Battalion (TC), 95th DIV in Shreveport, LA where he served first as the Battalion S3 before assuming command as the Battalion Commander. After command, Sentell was selected to lead and mobilize another unit as commander of the 519th TC DET from Camp Pendleton, CA. Sentell earned his second Bronze Star during a one-year deployment to Iraq in 2004-2005 with the 519th TC DET as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his return, he served as Executive Officer for the 2d Battalion, 379th REGT, 95th DIV in Arkadelphia, AR. He was then selected as the Brigade S3 for the 7th BDE, 95th DIV in Little Rock, AR. From April 2009 until July 2012, he was the Battalion Commander of the 2203rd Mobilization Support Battalion in Bossier City, LA. In 2013, Sentell received a Master’s Degree from the United States Army War College, where he was a resident student and member of the Army War College Eisenhower team. BG Sentell then served three years at USCENTCOM at MacDill AFB, FL in an IMA position as a joint logistics plans officer. After his tour at USCENTCOM, Sentell was sworn in as the Command Inspector General of the 75th Training Command headquartered in Houston, Texas. Prior to assuming command of the 95th Training Division (IET), BG Sentell was the brigade commander of the 97th Training Brigade (CGSOC) headquartered at Ft. Sheridan, IL.
BG Sentell’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), CIB, Ranger Tab, EIB, Senior Parachutist Badge and numerous mobilization awards. He has completed the Army ASEP-B course, the Inspector General School, the U.S. Army War College, the Command and General Staff College, the 90A logistician Support Operations Course, and is a graduate of the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME) course.
In his civilian capacity, BG Sentell is an elected Judge for the State of Louisiana and maintains a private law practice with his father at the Sentell Law Firm, LLC. Before being elected, BG Sentell was a prosecutor for the State of Louisiana for over 13 years where he prosecuted murder, rape, robbery, child molestation and other serious felony cases. In his 13 years as a prosecutor, Sentell holds the distinction of never losing a jury trial. He stays actively involved in his community. He is a past President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Minden Lion’s Club, and the Minden Medical Center. Sentell also serves on the Board of Directors of Citizens National Bank, which is a nationally chartered bank having almost one billion in assets. Sentell has been inducted into the LSU Law School Hall of Fame. BG Sentell is the proud father of two children, Samantha and Chase.