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A photo of 1st Lt. Kelsey Flannery, an F-35A Lightning II pilot assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron of the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, returns from a training mission from South Burlington Air National Guard Base, Vermont, Sept. 7, 2022. Flannery, who is the Air National Guard's first female F-35 pilot, made her first flight with the 158th after returning from three years of flight training. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Ryan Campbell)

Sept. 8, 2022

Air Guard’s 1st female F-35 Pilot completes inaugural flight

Vermont Air National Guard — Three years of training led to one very important day. Taking off over the mountains of Vermont, history is made at 20,000 feet. The 158th Fighter Wing has been no stranger to making history. In 2019, it was the first wing in the Air National Guard to receive the F-35A Lightning II. As the only wing in the Guard to fly a fifth generation fighter, the Airmen have continuously made their mark including recently completing the first overseas Guard deployment of the F-35. Now, the latest chapter of Green Mountain Boys history has been written.

Sept. 7, 2022

Vt. Guard biathletes represent U.S. at Fourcade Nordic Festival

COLCHESTER, Vermont — Sgt. Deedra Irwin and Spc. Sean Doherty, both assigned to Detachment 1, Garrison Support Command, participated in the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival in France Sept. 2-4.

Lt. Col. Chris Gookin receives an Order of Military Medical Merit award from Col. George Horsley, Massachusetts Army National Guard state surgeon, at Camp Johnson, Vermont, on Aug. 4, 2022. Gookin was cited for his accomplishments in establishing 98 percent medical readiness for the Vermont Army National Guard and for his work with state partners Senegal and North Macedonia. (courtesy photo)

Aug. 29, 2022

Vermont deputy state surgeon receives Order of Military Medical Merit

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The former deputy state surgeon for the Vermont Army National Guard’s Medical Readiness Detachment received the Order of Military Medical Merit in August.

The Vermont Army National Guard’s 186th Brigade Support Battalion completed their annual training at the Army National Guard Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge, Iowa, July 31-Aug. 13. The Sustainment Training Center provides training for more than the medics of the 186th. There’s training for all the elements of the BSB, supply and distribution, forward support, maintenance, and other technical training. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Larissa Woods)

Aug. 29, 2022

186th BSB conducts annual training at Camp Dodge, Iowa

CAMP DODGE, Iowa — The Vermont Army National Guard’s 186th Brigade Support Battalion completed its annual training at the Army National Guard Sustainment Training Center (STC) at Camp Dodge, Iowa, July 31-Aug. 13.

The Vermont Army National Guard's C-Co. 186th BSB, (Medical) 86th IBCT (Mountain) conduct annual training with State Partner North Macedonia at the Sustainment Center on Camp Dodge, Iowa July 31st-August 13. North Macedonia and Vermont have been partners in the State Partnership Program since 1993. (U.S. Army National Guard courtesy photo)

Aug. 29, 2022

Soldiers from North Macedonia Train at Camp Dodge with their State Partner Vermont

CAMP DODGE, Iowa — The mission of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program is, “to support the security cooperation objectives of the United States.” The achievement of that goal brings many follow-on effects that benefit both partners in the SPP relationship.

Senegal Air Force Capt. Kana Ndiaye, a helicopter pilot, briefs Vermont Army National Guard Blackhawk pilots during a State Partnership Program visit to the Army Aviation Flight Facility, Burlington, Vermont. The Vermont Army National Guard hosted three Senegalese Air Force pilots July 17-22, 2022, to conduct safety, operations, and maintenance cross-training with VTARNG’s Aviators during the trip. The Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program pairs U.S. state National Guard units with other nations to facilitate international civil-military relationships. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez)

Aug. 19, 2022

Vt. Army National Guard hosts State Partner Senegal

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont — The Vermont Army National Guard hosted two Senegalese Air Force pilots and a flight engineer to conduct safety, operations, and maintenance cross-training with the VTARNG’s Aviators during a State Partnership Program visit, July 17-22.

U.S. Army Soldiers of Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard, participate in a stress shooting exercises at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vt., Aug. 13, 2022.

Aug. 15, 2022

Vermont Guardsmen Demonstrate Readiness Under Stress

JERICHO, Vermont — Vermont National Guard Soldiers navigated obstacles, completed fitness tasks and engaged targets during a live-fire exercise conducted by Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) on Aug. 13.

Left to right, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, Vermont’s adjutant general; U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau; Klaudia Tanner, federal minister of defense of the Republic of Austria; U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Kennedy; Lt. Gen. Erich Csitkovits, training director and commandant, National Defence Academy, sign letters of intent between the Vermont National Guard and Republic of Austria July 19, 2022, Vienna, Austria. The Vermont National Guard also has partnerships with North Macedonia, since 1993, and Senegal, since 2008.

July 19, 2022

Vermont National Guard Signs Letter of Intent with Republic of Austria

VIENNA — With a stroke of the pen, the Vermont National Guard and Republic of Austria’s letter of intent formalizing their partnership under the State Partnership Program is official. On July 19, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, Vermont’s adjutant general; U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau; Klaudia Tanner, federal minister of defense of the Republic of Austria; and Lt. Gen. Erich Csitkovits, training director and commandant, National Defence Academy, performed a signing ceremony in Vienna to formalize the relationship between the Republic of Austria and Vermont.

A group photo of the 15th Civil Support Team, Vermont National Guard, and a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear battalion from the North Macedonia Army during a State Partnership Program engagement in Colchester, Vt., June 6-11, 2022. The engagement focused on working with civil authorities in the event of a disaster.

June 29, 2022

15th Civil Support Team Hosts State Partnership Program Engagement

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The Vermont National Guard’s 15th Civil Support Team hosted six Soldiers from North Macedonia for civil support training at Camp Johnson in Colchester, June 6 -11th. The North Macedonia Army soldiers were from a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Battalion and came to Vermont to conduct exercises with the Vermont National Guard’s 15th CST.

Chuck Brewer has been with the VT Guard for almost three years serving as Director of Psychological Health within the Guard’s Behavioral Services Office at Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. According to Brewer, his responsibilities include ensuring Guardsmen are ready to deploy from a behavioral health perspective. (Vermont Army National Guard photo by Joshua T. Cohen)

June 29, 2022

Meet Your Guard: Chuck Brewer, director of psychological health

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — Chuck Brewer has been with the Vermont National Guard for almost three years serving as Director of Psychological Health within the Guard’s Behavioral Services Office at Camp Johnson in Colchester.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

Green Mountain Guard Newsletter Archive

National Guard News
Left to right, West Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Michael Atik, Qatari Emiri Land Forces soldier Sultan Saleh Al-Mrri and West Virginia Army National Guard Solider of the Year Spc. Dominic Starry pose for a photo in Umm Salal Muhammed, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2025. The West Virginia Army National Guard hosted its annual Best Warrior Competition in partnership with Qatar Armed Forces Feb. 2-5, 2025, at the National Service Academy in Doha, Qatar.
West Virginia, DC Guard Compete in Qatar for Best Warrior
By Officer Candidate Ayden Norcross, | Feb. 7, 2025
UMM SALAL MUHAMMED, Qatar - Sixty-five service members from the West Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard traveled 7,000 miles to Qatar’s National Service Academy for the 2025 Best Warrior Competition.Qatar and...
Members of the Bulgarian Defense Ministry and the Tennessee Air National Guard pose for a photo after Bulgaria took delivery of its first batch of F-16 “Fighting Falcon” aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, site, Jan. 31, 2025. Tennessee and Bulgaria have been partners in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 1993.
Tennessee National Guard Supports Bulgaria’s F-16 Acquisition
By Tech. Sgt. Darrell Hamm, | Feb. 7, 2025
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Bulgarian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 “Fighting Falcon” aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s production facility Jan. 31, marking a milestone in its efforts to modernize its military as a NATO...
A U.S. Air Force Airman assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing marshals a C-130H Hercules at the Combat Readiness and Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi, Feb. 5, 2025. Exercise Sentry South-Southern Strike is a joint military training focusing on contingency response operations, agile combat employment, aeromedical evacuation, maritime training, specialized fueling operations and strategic airlift and airdrops.
Air Guard Conducts Sentry South-Southern Strike Exercise
By Senior Airman Shardae McAfee, | Feb. 7, 2025
GULFPORT, Miss. – Approximately 500 service members from the Active, Guard and Reserve components of the U.S. military participated in exercise Sentry South-Southern Strike 2025 at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training...
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