124th Regional Training Institute

The 124th Regional Training Institute gives the Vermont National Guard an internal capability to provide Soldiers the highest degree of professional, functional, and specialty training as well as a capability and capacity to train service members from other states, Department of Defense components, and international forces as directed. The schools and specialty courses offered by RTI, locally and through distance learning, are nationally accredited and internationally recognized. Vermont National Guard instructors are frequently requested to teach partner nation forces in information operations. Graduates of our schools place highly in international mountaineering competitions and effect real change globally in support of the National Defense Strategy. Additionally, RTI Soldiers provide civil support to the state of Vermont. The 124th Regimental Headquarters consists of three subordinate schoolhouse commands.

Brig. Gen. David Manfredi, director of joint staff for the Vermont National Guard, speaks during his retirement ceremony May 26, 2022, at Camp Johnson, Vermont. General Manfredi retired May 26 after more than 30 years of service, including assignments as commander of the 124th Regiment (Regional Training Institute) and commander of the 3-172nd Infantry (Mountain). He deployed to Afghanistan twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Nathan Rivard)

May 27, 2022

Vt. director of joint staff retires

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The Vermont National Guard director of joint staff retired May 26, 2022, in a ceremony held at the Green Mountain Armory. Brig. Gen. David Manfredi served for 34 years both on active duty, with the 10th Mountain Division, and in the Army National Guard in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and for the past 17 years in the VTNG.

The Vermont National Guard has a new substance abuse prevention coordinator. In January 2022 John Brutzman was hired for the position. Brutzman is also an M-Day Solider with six years in service. Brutzman works at the Vt. Guard Behavioral Health Office at Camp Johnson. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joshua Cohen)

May 4, 2022

Meet Vt. Guard’s new substance abuse prevention coordinator

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — Eliminating the stigma around seeking mental health services is a goal for John Brutzman, the Vermont Guard’s new substance abuse prevention coordinator. “When I started this job, I would often hear that a solider could get trouble for seeking psychological health services, it’s just not the case, and I would like to see that stigma eradicated,” he said.

U.S. Staff Sgt. Andrew Fryburg, chief instructor at the 24th Regimental Training Institute’s modular training battalion was presented with the Master Instructor Badge on April 19, 2022, by Col. William Wagner, RTI Commanding Officer. Fryburg is the first Vermont National Guard RTI instructor to have attained the Master Instructor Badge which requires 500 hours of study. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joshua T. Cohen)

April 20, 2022

Vt. Guardsman earns master instructor badge

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — Staff Sgt. Andrew Fryburg, chief instructor at the 124th Regimental Training Institute’s modular training battalion was awarded the Master Instructor Badge on April 19, 2022. During the ceremony, Vermont National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, remarked, “there are fewer that 100 Master Instructors across the Army, so that should give you an idea of the scope of this undertaking and the significance of the award, you are building the future leaders of the US Army.”

U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 172 Infantry (Mountain) Headquarters Company and C Company, Vermont National Guard, conduct mountain training with Royal Saudi Land Forces Special Forces at the RSLF Mountain Warfare School in Saudi Arabia. Between October and November 2021, approximately 70 U.S. Army Soldiers attended the training. (Courtesy photo)

April 1, 2022

Vermont Guard Soldiers hone mountain skills with Saudi Arabian Special Forces

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — For the first time, a conventional U.S. Army National Guard unit conducted training with Royal Saudi Land Forces Special Forces Instructors at the Royal Saudi Land Forces Mountain Warfare School.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Task Force Avalanche of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, return home from deployment, in South Burlington, Vermont, Dec 9, 2021. Family, friends, and colleagues were present to greet the Soldiers as they arrived. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Denis Nuñez)

Feb. 16, 2022

Adjutant general issues biannual update: Feb. 2022

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, the state adjutant general, released the Vermont National Guard's legislative update on Feb. 14.

Leadership
Col. William H. Wagner
Command Sgt. Maj. John Digby
History
The 124th Coast Artillery Battalion was activated at Camp Haan, California, on May 24, 1943. The Battalion was reorganized to the 124th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on June 28, 1943. The 124th AAA entered combat at Dymchurch, England July 24, 1944, and was part of Operation Crossbow, the defense of London against Nazi rocket attacks.

The Battalion was deactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, Oct. 18, 1945.

On Aug. 28, 1951, the Battalion was reactivated and designated as the 124th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, a unit of the Vermont National Guard. The Battalion was re-designated the 124th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Dec. 1, 1953.

On March 1, 1959, Units of the Vermont National Guard’s 172nd Infantry Regiment and the 124th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion were reorganized as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions of the 172nd Armor Regiment. After Sept. 8, 1961, the 124th Antiaircraft Battalion unit name was no longer used.

In the late 1990s the National Guard deactivated individual state military academies in favor of Regional Training Institutes for providing formal instruction. In recognition of the 124th AA Battalion’s history and lineage, on May 20, 1997 Vermont’s Regional Training Institute was designated the 124th Regiment.
Units
124th Headquarters Battalion
2nd Modular Training Battalion, 124th Regiment
3rd Information Operations Battalion, 124th Regiment
4th Signal Training Battalion, 124th Regiment
Army Mountain Warfare School, 124th Regiment