News

July 29, 2016

Bridge Collapse Training Exercise

BERLIN, Vt. — Soldiers with the 250th Engineers Company, Connecticut National Guard, and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) came together for a simulated bridge collapse exercise, Berlin, Vt., July 29, 2016. This training provided an opportunity for both groups to gain knowledge, while bringing together two entities who don’t often get to train together as a group.

July 29, 2016

Distinguished visitors observe Vigilant Guard 2016

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. — Distinguished visitors from many different countries, states and territories visited Vermont to observe the ongoing events during Vigilant Guard 2016, July 29, 2016. Vigilant Guard is a national level emergency response exercise, sponsored by the National Guard and NORTHCOM, which provides National Guard units an opportunity to improve cooperation and relationships with regional civilian, military, and federal partners in preparation for emergencies and catastrophic events.

July 29, 2016

Search and Rescue

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt. — A simulated earthquake shook Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, Vt., July 29, 2016 as part of Vigilant Guard 2016. This resulted in several downed trees, as well as collapsed bridges and buildings, with individuals and simulated casualties located throughout the scenario. The scenario was set up to test title 10 forces, state, federal and local agencies, emergency responders and nine states with National Guard units.

July 29, 2016

Security Forces remain vigilant

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. — The Vermont National Guard Force Protection, the Vermont State Guard and Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 86th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 86th Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, provides security during Vigilant Guard 2016. This exercise runs from July 22, 2016, to August 2, 2016. Vigilant Guard is a national level emergency response exercise, sponsored by the National Guard and NORTHCOM, which provides National Guard units an opportunity to improve cooperation and relationships with regional civilian, military, and federal partners in preparation for emergencies and catastrophic events.

July 28, 2016

High-intensity training during vigilant guard 2016

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. — When training to respond to an emergency, high intensity hands-on training is imperative to improve skills. A simulated building collapse surrounded by broken concrete included casualty actors, crushed and overturned vehicles, 185-pound mannequins with realistic-like injuries, and various other placed obstacles create an intense learning environment at Camp Johnson, Colchester, Vt, July 28, 2016. This training was planned not only for the Vermont National Guard, but civilian entities and military units from various states. This scenario is just one of many planned to take place during Vigilant Guard 2016.

July 28, 2016

New England CBRNE trains during Vigilant Guard 2016

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt. — The New England National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) began their mission on Range 3-1 at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site (CEATS), Jericho, Vt., July 28, 2016 as part of Vigilant Guard 2016. This CERFP consists of Army National Guard Soldiers in partnership with the Air National Guard.

July 28, 2016

Vermont National Guard Soldiers provide site support

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. — The 86th Brigade Special Troops Battalion provided support for Vigilant Guard 2016, a training exercise for National Guard units, Title 10 forces, state, federal and local agencies across Vermont for Vigilant Guard 2016, July 28. The unit acted as site supports for exercise lanes at Camp Johnson and Camp Ethan Allen Training Site to facilitate the training of personnel in a realistic environment.

July 27, 2016

FEMA Taskforce 1 Urban Search and Rescue participates in Vigilant Guard 2016

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt. — Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Massachusetts Taskforce 1 Urban Search and Rescue, in-processed for Vigilant Guard 2016 at the Cram Dining facility, Camp Ethan Allen Training Site (CEATS), Jericho, Vt., July 27, 2016. Vigilant Guard 2016 has approximately 5000 participants from nine States National Guard units, title ten forces and state, federal and local agencies.

July 27, 2016

Medical countermeasures training during Vigilant Guard 2016

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — Members of the Vermont National Guard, regional civilian and federal partners came together for Vigilant Guard 2016 training at the 158th Fighter Wing, Burlington International Airport, South Burlington, Vt., July 27, 2016. Vigilant Guard 2016 is a national level emergency response exercise sponsored by the National Guard and NORTHCOM. The Medical Counter Measures (MCM) exercise, one small portion of Vigilant Guard 2016, was a way to practice response skills to a health epidemic in the state.

July 27, 2016

Vigilant Guard 2016

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — After three years of planning the Vigilant Guard 2016 exercise began in earnest July 27, 2016 at the 158th Fighter Wing, Burlington International Airport, South Burlington, Vt. Service members received mock Strategic National Stockpile supplies to respond with medical counter measures during a simulated emergency. Dr. Harry L. Chen, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, U.S. Air Force Maj. General Steven Cray, Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard, and Christopher Herrick, the director of the Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, spoke about the role of their respective organizations during the training and how that would transfer to a real-life disaster scenario. The event is a starting point of more to come during Vigilant Guard 2016.