194th Engineer Brigade conducting change of command
JACKSON, Tenn. - The Tennessee National Guard’s 194th Engineer Brigade will perform a change of command ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Jackson on Sunday, August 7, at 2 p.m.
Col. Michael “Trent” Scates, the current commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade, will relinquish command to Col. John “Corey” Kinton, who currently serves as the Director of Military Support for the Tennessee National Guard.
Scates served as the commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade since November 2020. During his command, he placed heavy emphasis on readiness and being trained to meet any contingency. The Soldiers with the 194th assisted with recovery operations during the Humphreys County flood, aided hurricane relief in Louisiana, and supported statewide COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts as well as supported area hospitals by augmenting hospital staff.
As the Director of Military Support for the last two years, Kinton has managed all of Tennessee’s military response to emergencies, disasters, civil unrest, and COVID-19. He has nearly 34 years of military experience, enlisting in the Tennessee National Guard in October 1988 and commissioning as an Engineer Officer through the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Army ROTC program in 1994. During his career, he deployed numerous times to Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and various countries throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America.
Kinton’s grandfather, Brig. Gen. Willian Robert Kinton Jr., was the first commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade and his father, 1st Lt. William Robert Kinton III, served in A Company, 4/109th Armor Battalion, with the 30th Separate Armored Brigade, which later became the 194th Engineer Brigade. Kinton’s son, Spc. Ziggiejoe Kinton, enlisted in the 194th and is currently serving with the 1-181st Field Artillery Regiment.
The 194th is one of nine engineer brigades in the Army National Guard and consists of over 2,000 Soldiers. Subordinate units are located throughout Tennessee.
******MEDIA COORDINATION INSTRUCTIONS******
Media interested in attending must RSVP by calling the 194th Engineer Brigade at (731) 421-8670 or email Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dennis Owens at dennis.w.owens3.mil@army.mil. Media will be met at the Armory’s main entrance.
Col. Michael “Trent” Scates will relinquish command of the 194th Engineer Brigade during a change of command ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Jackson on Sunday, August 7, at 2 p.m.
Col. John “Corey” Kinton will take command of the 194th Engineer Brigade during a change of command ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Jackson on Sunday, August 7, at 2 p.m.