The son of a United States Air Force senior master sergeant, Campbell was born at Loring Air Force Base in Maine on 11 April 1957[3][4] and grew up on military bases around the world.

In 1975, he graduated from Fairfield High School, where he was a participant in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program.

[5][6][7] He graduated from the United States Military Academy in June 1979 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry.

After attending the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course, Campbell served as a Battalion Adjutant and Operational Detachment Alpha Commander in 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina followed by assignments in the 82nd Airborne Division as commander of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and as the Division Assistant Operations and Training Officer (G-3 Air).

[11] Campbell was promoted to general and sworn in as the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army on 8 March 2013.