State’s Largest Guard Unit Gets New Commander

Saturday, October 9, 2021, Lt. Col. (P) Michael G. Dykes took command of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) during a change of command ceremony at Camp Shelby.

He takes over for Col. Jason P. Nelson, who led the unit for the last two years.

During that time, the 155th ABCT underwent an Exportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) at Camp Shelby in 2020 and a month-long rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., in July 2021.

Dykes, a Wayne County native, is an assistant district attorney with the 19th Judicial District.

He’s ready to get to work as the unit’s new leader.

“It’s rewarding, but it’s probably one of the toughest jobs in the Army, whether it’s active duty or National Guard, I’ve been in both,” said Dykes.

“Over the next two training years, we’ll try to maintain our crew-level readiness. They’ve had several large-scale training exercises and a deployment to Kuwait that they’ve accomplished in the recent years.”

The 155th ABCT includes more than 4,000 soldiers.

The unit became the 155th Armored Brigade on Nov. 1, 1973.

The unit traces its history back to 1798, when it was known as the First Mississippi Regiment.

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