About This Partnership

Austria became Vermont's third state partner on Oct. 15, 2021, making Vermont the fifth National Guard with three state partners. The countries' military cooperation stretches back to 1983, with partnerships between the Army Mountain Warfare School, U.S. Army Biathlon Program, and 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) and their Austrian counterparts. The Vermont National Guard has also undertaken trilateral events with both Senegal and Austria since 2015 through the Physical Security and Stockpile Management Program, focused on safe munitions storage and disposal of expired munitions.

Recent Austrian Partnership News
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Gagner, commander, Army Mountain Warfare School, 124th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), Vermont National Guard, escorts an Austrian military delegation through the AMWS at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, Vermont, Feb. 14, 2022. Austria is scheduled to be Vermont’s newest state partner under the State Partnership Program.

March 1, 2022

Vermont National Guard hosts Austrian delegation

COLCHESTER, Vt. — The Vermont National Guard hosted Austrian military members at numerous National Guard sites Feb. 14-15 as part of the State Partnership Program.

Oct. 26, 2021

State Partnership Program helps Guard build enduring relationships

ARLINGTON, Virginia — With the recent additions of the Vermont National Guard partnership with Austria and New Hampshire National Guard with Cabo Verde, the State Partnership Program now includes just under half the world’s nations.

Senior leaders with the Vermont National Guard, Austrian Defence Attache staff and personnel from the Office of the Secretary of Defense pose for a photo outside the Pentagon on Oct. 15, 2021. Austria and Vermont will become partners within the U.S. Defense Department's State Partnership Program. The pairing of Austria and Vermont was announced as part of the U.S.-Austria Defense Talks between delegations from the Federal Ministry of Defence of Austria and the DOD. (Courtesy photo)

Oct. 21, 2021

VTNG-Austria state partnership explained

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The Defense Department announced on Oct. 15 a new partnership between the Vermont National Guard and the Austrian Ministry of Defence, establishing Vermont’s third state partnership in the 28-year history of the program.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

Vermont Partnerships

Links

Austrian Delegation