Vermont National Guard Logo News
Articles
News | April 20, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Sgt. John Medenwald

Detachment 1, Garrison Support Command

MOUNT ROLLAND TRAINING SITE, Senegal  –  

Name: Sgt. John Medenwald
Military Specialty: 12 N Equipment Operator
Years of Service: 36
Unit: Detachment 1, Garrison Support Command
Deployments: 2005-2006 and 2010-2011, both to Afghanistan
Previous Senegal Trips (Year, Mission): 2015, Humanitarian demining training site construction
Hometown: Amery, WI
Current Town: North Ferrisburgh, Vt
High School/Graduation Year: Amery High School, 1981
College/Graduation: St. Michaels College, 1997

Q. What do you do in the Vermont National Guard?
A. Full-time technician as a construction project manager. I work as a traditional Guardsmen as a heavy equipment operator performing range construction and repair projects.

Q. What do you think is the greatest benefit of being in the National Guard?
A. Service to my community. 

Q. What is your most memorable military moment?
A. Embedded training, teaching, coaching and mentoring the Afghanistan Army

Q. How long have you lived in Vermont?
A. 24 Years

Q. What is your favorite aspect of living or working where you do?
A. Rural Life

Q. What has surprised you about the Vermont National Guard?
A. Teamwork

Q. What is your favorite part about serving in the VT National Guard?
A. Camaraderie with the members of my unit.

Q. How many push-ups did you get on your last physical fitness test?
A. 40

Q. What made you volunteer for this Senegal Mission?
A. I’m the contracting officer representative for the project.

Q. Is this your first time here going to Senegal? 

A. I was here in 2015 for the humanitarian demining training site mission. I was the contracting officer representative.

Q. What is your mission in Senegal?
A. We are repairing and constructing a known distance range at Mt. Rolland Training Site.

Q. Why do you think your mission in Senegal is important?
A. This continues to build on our partnership for peace with the Senegalese Armed Forces and the Vermont National Guard.

Q. What do you want to take away from this trip?
A. I want to learn even more about Senegalese culture.

Q. How do you feel about being able to train with the Senegal Army?
A. I am looking forward to it.

Q. What are some differences between Senegal and Vermont?
A. Climate, culture, and the economy.

  • FacebookFacebook
  • TwitterTwitter
  • YouTubeYouTube
National Guard News
An F-15 Eagle assigned to the 125th Fighter Wing, Florida Air National Guard, flies over the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia, during exercise Sentry Savannah 22-1 May 12, 2022. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guard’s premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft.
Sentry Savannah builds warfighter readiness, lethality
By Tech. Sgt. Morgan Whitehouse, | May 25, 2022
SAVANNAH, Ga. – About 1,300 Total Force Airmen, joint personnel and civilian partners and more than 50 airframes participated in exercise Sentry Savannah May 2-15.Hosted by the Air Dominance Center at Savannah’s Combat...
Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, visits with Hawaii Army National Guard members, Maui, Hawaii, March 5, 2022. Hokanson testified May 24, 2022, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense about operations of the Air and Army National Guard.
Recent events, past decades have transformed Guard, chief says
By Air Force Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith, | May 24, 2022
ARLINGTON, Va. – The past 20 years have proven the National Guard has transformed from a strategic reserve to an operational force, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told lawmakers Tuesday.Addressing the House Committee...
Two F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing and two F-22 Raptors from the 3rd Fighter Wing prepare to take off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, April 18, 2022, during an Aerospace Control Alert training scramble. It has been almost a decade since F-15 Eagles have sat alert in the region, protecting the airspace of the United States and Canada.
144th Fighter Wing trains for fighter jet integration in Alaska
By Capt. Jason Sanchez, | May 24, 2022
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Ten U.S. Air Force F-15s and more than 200 Airmen assigned to the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing deployed to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, to support Dissimilar Aircraft...
A ceremonial groundbreaking is held May 19, 2022, for an energy resilience project at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California. From left: Stephanie Kline, project director, and Robert Hughes, executive director, both with the U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiatives; Robert Smith, president of Bright Canyon Energy; Paul Farnan, principal deputy, assistant Secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment; U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Refugio Rosas, from the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard; Anthony Marasa, project manager with Bright Canyon Energy; and Lt. Col. Manju Vig, garrison commander of Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos.
Solar project begins on Los Alamitos joint base
By Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman, | May 24, 2022
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – A 100-acre solar project that will bolster the power grid in Southern California and provide two weeks of emergency power for Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos, broke ground May 19.The...
Alabama Air National Guard Master Sgt. Nathan Friday refuels a KC-135 Stratotanker the day before a joint midair refueling exercise with the 117th Air Refueling Wing and Romanian Air Force in Bucharest, Romania, May 16, 2022. The Alabama Guard and Romania are partners under the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.
Alabama Air National Guard, Romania complete exercise
By Sgt. Samuel Hartley, | May 24, 2022
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing conducted a week-long joint exercise with the Romanian Ministry of Defense and Romanian Air Force.U.S. Airmen and Romanian F-16 pilots...
More