Articles

April 17, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Staff Sgt. Ryan Maskell

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Staff Sgt. Ryan Maskell, a heavy equipment operator with Detachment 1, Garrison Support Command, who is also a native of Highgate, Vt. Maskell and his unit worked with the Senegalese Army to build and repair a firing range in Senegal

April 16, 2018

Vermont Guard engineers kick off range project

Vermont National Guard Engineers kicked off a firing range project here with a team of Senegalese Armed Force Engineers Monday.

March 30, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Maj. Scott Brochu

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Maj. Scott Brochu, a logistics readiness officer with the 158th Fighter Wing, who is a native of South Burlington, Vt., and currently lives in Essex, Vt. Brochu has served in the Vermont National Guard for 26 years.

March 30, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Bond

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Bond, a maintenance analyst, with the 158th Fighter Wing, who is also a native of Colchester, Vt., and now lives in Milton. Bond has served in the Vermont Air Guard for nine years.

March 30, 2018

Meet your Guard: Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Riley

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Riley, a vehicles operations/ground transportation specialist, with the 158th Fighter Wing, Logistics Readiness Squadron, who is also a native of Colchester, Vt. Riley works as a full time supervisor for the Vehicle Operations Section of the Logistics Readiness Squadron.

March 20, 2018

Vermont National Guard medical personnel work in Senegal

Vermont National Guard members mobilized to Senegal Feb. 4-23 to work with Senegalese medical personnel to obtain experience providing services as part of a medical readiness training exercise.

Feb. 16, 2018

Meet your Guard: 1st Lt. John Helme

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on 1st Lt. John C. Helme, a signal officer, with 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), who is also a native of Barre, Vt., and currently lives in Burlington, Vt. Helme teaches math at Colchester Middle School.

Feb. 16, 2018

Meet your Guard: Staff Sgt. Yulia Benson

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Staff Sgt. Yulia Benson, a 42R band musician, with 40th Army Band, 86th Troop Command, Garrison Support Command, who is also a native of Kazan, Russia, and currently lives in Milton, Vt. Benson has served in the Vermont National Guard for 11 years and works full time in the guard.

Feb. 16, 2018

Meet your Guard: Sgt. Peter Shepardson

This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Sgt. Peter Shepardson, a 91B wheeled-vehicle mechanic, with Bravo Company, 186th Brigade Support Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), who is also a native of Essex Junction, Vt., and currently lives in Westford, Vt. Shepardson has served in the Vermont National Guard for three years.

Jan. 27, 2018

National Guard Biathlon Regionals Held in Vermont

National Guardsmen from 24 states competed in their respective Regional Biathlon Competitions at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont. Biathlon consists of target shooting and ski racing. Competitors, ranging from novice to master, are divided into west, central, and east regions.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

TAG's State of the Guard 2026

Note: the above YouTube video link may not work on all government computers. 

National Guard News
Spc. Jose Marfisi and Spc. Esteven Llopiz, assigned to the 714th Quartermaster Water Purification Company, secure a raw water intake pump during a Water Purification Rodeo at Lago Cerrillos, Ponce, Puerto Rico, July 24, 2026. The Soldiers positioned and secured the intake pump to ensure a continuous flow of raw water from the reservoir into the water purification system. The task is a critical step in establishing expeditionary water purification operations that provide safe, potable water in support of military operations and domestic emergency response missions. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Eric Maldonado.
Puerto Rico Guard Distributes One Million Gallons of Water in Drought Response
By Siul Lopez Morales, | Aug. 28, 2026
CANOVANAS, Puerto Rico – The Puerto Rico National Guard has distributed more than 1 million gallons of water and purified more than 298,000 gallons of water through its Water Sentinels mission drought response, which focuses...

Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, Wisconsin Army National Guard, conduct medical evacuation hoist training with role players portraying simulated casualties at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Aug. 24, 2026. Patriot 26, an Air National Guard-hosted exercise taking place at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, brings together about 1,000 Airmen and Soldiers from National Guard units across 35 states, along with federal, state and local agencies, to enhance domestic response readiness and interagency coordination during large-scale emergencies. The scenario allows aircrews to practice locating, hoisting and evacuating simulated patients from areas where terrain or other conditions may prevent an aircraft from landing. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Conley.
Guardsmen Boost Domestic Response Capabilities in Patriot 26
By Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Conley, | Aug. 28, 2026
FORT McCOY, Wis. – About 1,000 Airmen and Soldiers from National Guard units across 35 states are participating in Patriot 26 alongside federal, state and local agencies, strengthening their domestic response...

The Washington Army National Guard hosted the Construction Facilities Management Office 201 Resource Management Course, a three-day course in the Army National Guard G9’s national training program. Instruction focused on military
construction appropriations, cooperative agreements and budget execution strategies, providing financial specialists, facility managers and senior leaders from across the country with tools to effectively manage funding while remaining compliant with fiscal law. Photo by Peter Chang.
Washington Guard Strengthens Fiscal Readiness
By Peter Chang, | Aug. 27, 2026
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Financial specialists, facility managers and senior leaders from across the country gathered at the Aviation Readiness Center for the Construction Facilities Management Office 201 Resource...