NY National Guard Command Sgt. Major Anthony V. McLean, a Middletown resident, retires after 39 years

Syracuse, NY (02/22/2021) — New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony V. McLean, a veteran of the war in Iraq,a retired New York City Police Detective, and a Middletown resident, will retire on February 28 after 39 years of military service.

McLean's final role as a non-commissioned officer was Command Sergeant Major of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He took over the position in October 2017. He turned the job over to his successor, Command Sgt. Major Edwin L. Garris during a ceremony on February 19 at brigade headquarters in Syracuse.

"You never let any of us down. You never gave up on any Soldier. Even the ones that maybe wanted to give up on themselves," Col. Robert Charlesworth, commander of the 27th , told McLean during the change of responsibility ceremony.

"You met every challenge and saw it to the very end, without fail, and this will be your legacy."

In the days before he passed his responsibilities to Command Sgt. Maj. Edwin L. Garris, the two travelled together from one end of New York to the other, and to Washington, D.C. They visited some of the brigade's more than 3,000 Soldiers at their home units and on missions supporting the fight against COVID-19 and ensuring security in the nation's Capital.

McLean said he wanted to ensure Garris got a good look at the variety and capability the brigade is known for.

"I was fortunate to have a unit like the 27th," said McLean. "It is unlike any other unit in the Guard. And because of the significance of what we do, you will always be surprised at some of the things these Soldiers are able to accomplish."

McLean was born in Trinidad and moved to Brooklyn in 1975. He began his military career in 1982, enlisting in the U.S. Army and attending Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He served on active duty with the 82nd Airborne Division and 11th Special Forces Group.

McLean joined the New York Army National Guard in 1982, serving first as a Scout with the 142nd Long Range Surveillance Detachment. He rose through the ranks, becoming a Senior Scout and Assistant Team Leader with the 142nd LRSD; Team Leader, Squad Leader, and Platoon Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment; and First Sergeant of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment before entering the ranks of the most senior non-commissioned officers.

McLean served as the command sergeant major of two battalions, and the 369th Sustainment Brigade, as well as other elements, before taking on the job at the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat team.

He was the top enlisted leader for the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment and the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters Battalion. McLean also served as the command sergeant major for Joint Task Force Empire Shield, the New York National Guard's security force in New York City, as well as the New York National Guard's Pre-Mobilization Training and Assistance Element, and it's Citizen Preparedness Corp, a team which trains citizens to prepare for emergencies.

He deployed to Egypt in 2003, to Iraq in 2004, and to Kuwait in 2016.

A look back at his career comes with a strong measure of success, and one of the parting lessons McLean wants to share with current Soldiers.

"Don't stay in one place. Move around and learn something new," McLean said.

"No matter how difficult it is, always take those challenges and make more of what it can be."

Outside his military career, McLean is a retired detective of the New York Police Department's Warrant Squad. He said being a police officer was a job, but being a Soldier was his first passion. And that is the other lesson he wants to impart on Soldiers.

"Always remain focused and remain true to what you believe in. Always have a passion for what you do."

After full careers in the military and civilian law enforcement, McLean said he is taking a well-deserved break. But he admitted that until his parting ceremony, he hadn't come up with an answer to the question of what he will do in retirement.

In his final remarks to Soldiers, family, and friends, McLean said, "That's why god invented fishing poles and passports."

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