New York Army National Guard Col. Patrick Clare, who graduated from Jordan-Elbridge High School in 1994, took command of one of the most famous units in the National Guard–the “Harlem Hellfighters”-during a Sunday, Oct. 22 ceremony at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill.
Clare, a veteran of the Iraq War, assumed command of the 369th Sustainment Brigade from Col. Seth Morgulas, who had led the brigade since 2019.
Clare is the son of Richard and Mary Ann Clare of Jordan.
The 369th traces its history back to the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment of World War 1. The unit’s Soldiers distinguished themselves in battle during the war, wining more than 176 individual heroism medals and a unit award from the French Army.
The unit’s official nickname comes from the location of the brigades’ National Guard Armory, in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood and the English translation of the German word “hollenkampfer,” which is what the enemy called the Soldiers.
Today the 369th Sustainment Brigade is a headquarters which controls up to five major logistics and support units which sustain Army combat forces.
Clare has served in the New York Army National Guard since he enlisted as a truck driver in 1994.
In 2000 he was commissioned as an officer through the New York Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School.
Clare has served in a number of key logistics positions to include forward support battalion company commander, forward support battalion commander, brigade logistics officer, assistant chief of staff for logistics for the 42nd Infantry Division, deputy commander of the 53rd Troop Command, and Joint Force Headquarters logistics officer.
He deployed to Iraq in 2004-2005 as the transportation officer for the 42nd Infantry Division in Tikrit. And in 2011 he deployed to Kuwait as brigade logistics officer for the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He also deployed to Kuwait as the chief logistics officer for the 42nd Infantry Division in 2020.
Clare also responded to New York City in 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Clare is a 2002 Graduate of Nyack College with a BS in Business Administration and is a 2019 graduate of the U.S. Army War College with a master’s in strategic studies. He earned an associated degree from Cayuga County Community College in Auburn in 1997.
His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Clare works for the National Guard as a full-time federal technician serving as the New York Army National Guard Director of Logistics.
He resides in Clifton Park with his wife Nicole, their son Ryan, and daughter Michaela.
