On June 28, 2024, at the World War II Museum in New Orleans, local attorney and City Court Judge Sherb Sentell was honored in a ceremony commemorating his retirement as a General in the Army Reserve. Sherb has over 35 years of service which began when he was on active duty as a platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne. After graduating from Ranger School, Sherb deployed to Saudi Arabia with the 82nd Airborne and was a platoon leader during combat operations of Desert Storm. He served three years on active duty with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During that time he earned his first Bronze Star as an infantry platoon leader while deployed in Operation Desert Storm. Sherb had another combat tour in Iraq in 2004-2005 where he commanded a logistics unit north of Baghdad and earned his second Bronze Star.

For his combat tours, Sentell received two Bronze Stars which are awarded for extraordinary action in armed conflict for heroic or extraordinary service performed in armed conflict. As a General, Sherb also earned two Legions of Merit, which are given to senior officers for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.” Sherb is also a graduate of the U.S. Army War College where he earned a Masters Degree in 2013.

Sherb has commanded units at every level of the Army: platoon, company, battalion, brigade and division. Sherb also had the privilege of serving in several unique assignments. As a Colonel, Sherb was assigned to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which is an active duty command headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. CENTCOM is comprised of units from the Army, Air Force, Navy,

Marine Corps, Space Forces and the Special Operations Command, and has responsibility for conflicts involving 21 countries in the Middle East/Central Asia region including Iraq and Afghanistan. Sherb served at CENTCOM while current Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was the CENTCOM 4-star Commanding General. During that assignment, Sherb was sent to CENTCOM’s forward headquarters in Qatar to be the CENTCOM logistical representative. Following that assignment, Sherb was selected to be the Command Inspector General for a 2-star command headquartered in Houston, Texas. After his job as Inspector General, Sentell commanded a brigade at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

After his brigade command, Sentell was promoted to Brigadier General and was selected to command the 95th Division, which is headquartered at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The 95th Division is a drill sergeant unit and was one of his favorite military assignments. At his last post as a General, he was second in command of 35,000 soldiers and civilians involved in planning and moving military personnel and material all over the globe.

Sentell also presently serves as the Minden City Court Judge and is in his tenth year as our judge. Prior to being a judge, Sentell was the first assistant prosecutor for District Attorney Schuyler Marvin and prosecuted cases for the State of Louisiana for thirteen years. City Judges in rural areas like Minden are also able to practice law and he maintains a private law practice with his father in Minden at the Sentell Law Firm.

Sentell was also recently honored as a Distinguished Alumni of Davidson College in North Carolina and has been named a member of LSU Law School Hall of Fame. He presently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bonvenu Bank which has a branch in Minden. Sherb is married to Kim Sentell, the Director of Marketing/Community Liaison at the Webster Parish Libraries.