Sergeant Major Idris Turay hails from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and migrated to the United States in 1995. He enlisted in June 1998 out of Rockville, M.D., and attended basic recruit training at Parris Island, S.C. He later attended the School of Infantry at Camp Geiger, N.C., where he earned his military occupational specialty as an Infantryman.

In October 1998, he checked into 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, at Twenty-nine Palms, C.A, where he served in billets of Team Leader, Squad Leader, and Platoon Guide. He was promoted meritoriously to Corporal in 1999 and later to the rank of Sergeant in 2001 and completed two Unit Deployment Programs. His second assignment found him serving under III MEF Headquarters Group, in Okinawa Japan. As a Staff Sergeant, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, at Kaneohe-Bay, H.I. He deployed in September 2006 in support of counter-insurgency operations to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, where he served as Platoon Sergeant with 2nd Platoon, Fox Company. In November 2006, while conducting dismounted patrols, Staff Sergeant Turay and a squad from his platoon were caught in a complex ambush where he was critically wounded by enemy sniper fire. Demanding to stay with his Marines, he returned to his unit's area of responsibility the following month and continued combat operations. He remained in theater until April 2007, when his unit completed its mission and returned to Kaneohe-Bay, H.I. He later transferred to the School of Infantry, Detachment Hawaii, where he served as a Combat Hunter Instructor, Martial Arts Instructor, and Operations Chief.

In December 2010, he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant and executed orders to Marine Corps Security Force, 3rd Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST), where he served as Company Gunnery Sergeant. He also served in several collateral billets including Martial Arts Instructor Trainer. Gunnery Sergeant Turay executed PCS orders in May 2013 to 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, where he served as the Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) Platoon Sergeant with Weapons Company. In January 2014, he was frocked to First Sergeant and received a Permanent Change of Assignment (PCA) to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. From September 2014 to April 2015, he was deployed as part of the Ground Combat Element (GCE) and participated in Operation Inherent Resolve 15.1. Upon returning from the deployment, he requested for a PCA back to 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, where he served as Company First Sergeant with Charlie Company. From October 2015 to May 2016, he was deployed with the GCE and participated in Operation Inherent Resolve 16.1.

First Sergeant Turay executed reassignment in June 2016 to Camp Pendleton, C.A., where he served as Company First Sergeant with Charlie and Headquarters and Service Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group. He also served as the unit's Martial Arts Instructor Trainer. In February 2018, he was frocked to Sergeant Major and executed a PCS to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12. Sergeant Major Turay served a pivotal role in the Squadron's re-designation in October 2020, transitioning from F/A-18 Hornets to F-35B Lightning Squadron. He was reassigned to 7th Marine Regiment in June 2021 and assumed the role of Regimental Sergeant Major.

He currently serves as the Marine Aircraft Group 39 Sergeant Major and assumed the billet in January 2024. Sergeant Major Turay's personal awards include the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.