An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Articles
News | July 30, 2016

Rescuers train in small spaces

By Sgt. Heidi Kroll 172nd Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt.  –   The Massachusetts Search and Extraction Team, part of the New England National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP), rescued a simulated casualty from the bottom of the well during Vigilant Guard 2016 at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, Vt., July 30, 2016. The team was participating in a Vigilant Guard Exercise that provides an opportunity to improve cooperation and relationships with regional civilian, military, and federal partners in preparation for emergencies and catastrophic events.

Upon arriving the on scene the team, found a tripod that was located near the well and created a rope system to lower a Soldier down. Once he was able to assess simulated casualty and identify his injuries, a plan was put in place to hoist them both out to safety.

“I quickly started teaching the guys how to set up belays, having them set up the rope systems that we needed,” said U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Divincetis, machinist, 182nd Engineer Company (Sapper), Massachusetts National Guard.

Divincetis showed his team members how to tie the proper knots, and use pulleys to set up the rope system that they would be using to hoist the child from the well. The team also created the rappel system that was used to lower U.S. Army Spc. Stephen Mattucio, combat engineer, 101st Battalion Headquarters, Headquarters Company, Massachusetts National Guard, down the well.

“It’s definitely good training, we have learned a lot here, and we now know how to make the process faster and safer. I have rappelled before, it is nothing like going down a confined well to retrieve a child,” said Mattucio.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Gasque, medic, 102nd Medical Group, Massachusetts National Guard, provided instruction to Spc. Mattucio while he evaluated the child. He then explained on how to stabilize the injuries, and what preparations would be needed to hoist Timmy out without causing further injuries.

“Incredibly realistic training, we used whatever we had with us to react to the situation, there are a million ways to do to things,” said Divincetis.

“Every training event that we can be involved in, the Massachusetts Search and Extraction team jumps on it. We were prepared to jump into this situation with less than what was provided; we were able to complete two missions successfully,” said U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Walter St. Dennis III, combat engineer, 182nd Engineer Company (Sapper), Massachusetts National Guard.

The Massachusetts Search and Extraction team are supporting Vermont in Vigilant Guard 2016 which is an exercise meant to test 9 states National Guard units, title ten forces, federal, local agencies. di

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. 

Green Mountain Guard Newsletter Archive

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...
More