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U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, far right, celebrated his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, center, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, far right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, center saluting, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, center, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, right saluting, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, right with wife, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, right next to wife, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, far right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, center saluting, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, far right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, center saluting, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, far right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, center, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, center right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. The ceremony did more than mark the transition of a great career, it also marked the honorary enlistment of a new Soldier, far right, into the NCNG. “My son, Sean, who unfortunately will never be able to join the National Guard, has always asked me when he would be able to join,” Col. Wallace said. “I thought my retirement would be an excellent time for him to have this opportunity.”

U.S. Army Col. Edward J. Wallace, right, celebrates his over 29-year-long career in a retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s (NCNG) Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., May 2, 2025. The ceremony was held in front of a host of family, friends, colleagues, and individuals who served under and with Wallace during his illustrious career. “The North Carolina National Guard has been led by some of the finest officers and noncommissioned officers that I have ever served with,” Wallace said.