RALEIGH – Laurinburg native Sgt. Maj. Stephen Minnick will end his 34 years of service with a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh today.
Minnick began his service in 1983 and held served positions as an Infantry Rifleman Team Leader, Infantry Company First Sergeant, and Operations Sergeant Major.
He completed Ranger School, Jump School, Jungle Training, Winter training, Special Forces training. Minnick completed all Noncommissioned Officer Education System courses and went through the Sergeants Major Academy. He also completed a four-year Bachelor’s Degree in Organization Management and graduated with honors.
He served three tours of duty during Desert Storm with 1-325 IN, Operation Iraqi Freedom with 105th Engineer Battalion and Operation Joint Guardian to Kosovo with the 1-252nd Armor Regiment.
Minnick was a member of the NCNG team in planning and training many NCNG units to deploy for emergency management events to include hurricanes and winter storms to help N.C. residents.
“I’ve worked with him many times over the years. He’s a great guy,” said Capt. Matthew Boyle of the North Carolina National Guard office of public affairs.
Minnick is married to Jenny Lynn Carmichael Minnick and has three children: Christian, Tyler and Allen Michael Minnick.