The North Carolina Army National Guard Armory in Clinton is under new command, as Turkey-area native Col. Benjamin Wynn officially took over at a change of command and reflagging ceremony on Saturday morning.
Wynn has been the new commander since March 1, with the March 7 ceremony marking the transition form former Commander Col. Paul Hollenack of Wilmington to Col. Wynn, who lives in Raleigh with his wife, Marie, and stepsons, Henry and Brady.
The unit headquartered at the Clinton Armory, the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, is now the 30th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, transitioning from tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles to drones and other more mobile forms of combat, and from being the headquarters for soldiers from North and South Carolina and West Virginia to being solely made up of North Carolina-based Guardsmen.
Hollenack was commander of the unit, nicknamed “Old Hickory,” for the past three years.
Brigadier General Wes Morrison praised Hollenack for “answering the call” and serving just as citizen soldiers have served for 250 years. “I want to personally thank you for your leadership, your devotion to duty and selfless service as a true citizen soldier,” he told the outgoing commander. “Job well done.”
He added that he has known Wynn since he was a second lieutenant in the 119th Infantry. “We have confidence in you, your leadership, and your team-building skills as you face one of Old Hickory’s most defining moments,” he told Col. Wynn.
Gen. Morrison went on to say that the 30th’s change in structure will be the biggest change the bridgade has seen in almost 50 years. “The mission does not change for our citizen soldiers,” he said. “And that is to … destroy enemies of the United States.”
In his remarks, Hollenack stated, “If you take nothing else from what I say today, I hope you leave knowing how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to lead this formation over the last three years. It was the honor of a lifetime, and I will forever cherish joining the distinguished line of leaders that have held the call sign of Hickory 6.”
Hollenack said that Old Hickory had become his second family during his time there. “The 30th Brigade has accomplished a lot over the past three years,” he shared, recounting intensive training in Georgia, responding to Hurricane Helene and rolling out modernization and transformation efforts.
“We’ll lose our tanks, our Bradley Fighting Vehicles and our engineers,” he said. “The result will be a lighter, more mobile infantry force prepared to meet the challenges of a growing threat environment.”
Many soldiers will have to undergo additional training and reclassification, but Hollenack contended, the change will be a positive one for the brigade overall.
“As in all my experiences in the Army, the best parts are always the people,” he stated.
Wynn graduated from Union High School, where he played football and was a part of JROTC, and went on to earn a degree from NC State University. He enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1999, and has been deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan. Most recently, he was the G3 for the North Carolina Army National Guard. He has earned the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.
“I am absolutely overwhelmed by the support from our local community, and also from our retired members of the brigade,” Wynn said. “It is overwhelming to see, and it really highlights how much of a family the brigade really is.”
He acknowledged Chaplain Bryan Harvey, the deputy division chaplain of the 29th Infantry Division, who served as his gunner during the Iraq deployment. Sgt. Jason Stewart was acknowledged as well, with Wynn calling him “an absolute institution in the 30th.”
“We met here many years ago, right here on this very drill hall floor, two privates from Sampson County learning how to jam in the motor pool,” Wynn joked. “You’re always part of the family. You’ll always be one of my best friends in the guard and I love you, brother, and appreciate everything you’ve done for the NC National Guard.”
Wynn concluded by saying, “It is my honor to assume command of this formation, and to stand among the soldiers of the 30th Brigade. We inherit a legacy forged long before any of us arrived here, one carried by the soldiers of the 30th Infantry Division. From the beaches of Normandy to the brigs of San Roque, to the brutal fighting during the Battle of the Bulge, the soldiers of Old Hickory prove that citizen soldiers can stand toe-to-toe with any force in the world. Their courage, discipline and grit built the reputation we carry forward today.”
He promised that the transition to a mobile brigade is not leaving history behind, but building upon it. “Transformation will demand new tactics, new equipment and new ways of thinking about how we fight and sustain our force,” he said. “It will challenge leaders and test systems. But the soldiers of the Old Hickory Brigade are ready. Together, we will honor the legacy of Old Hickory and build this brigade to the nation’s premier mobile brigade combat team.”
Wynn finished his comments by thanking his wife Marie, who’s also a National Guard soldier, serving in support services. “And yet, she’s still a loving wife and incredible mother to our sons,” he said. “I’m deeply grateful for you.”