First Sgt. Benjamin Garner (left), of Headquarters

First Sgt. Benjamin Garner (left), of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, speaks with one of his soldiers during Joint Task Force-Panther, Sept.1, in Charlotte, N.C. Garner, of Waynesville, N.C., has been a member of the North Carolina National Guard for nearly 20 years, following in the footsteps of his father, a 34 year National Guard retiree. JTF-Panther was an operation where North Carolina National Guardsmen supported Mecklenburg County civil authorities during the Democratic National Convention.