He entered the United States Army in February 1968 and attended Basic Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Bliss, Texas.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in management from Park College in Parkville, Missouri.

He also served on the staff of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia.

Hall held a variety of senior noncommissioned officer positions culminating in his assignment as the Sergeant Major of the Army.

Other assignments he held as command sergeant major were: the 1st Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Commandant, 24th Infantry Division Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Fort Stewart; and the 24th Division Artillery, Saudi Arabia and Iraq; the 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; and First United States Army, Fort Meade, Maryland.