An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
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.

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

Meet Your Guard: CCE Robert Letourneau

By 2nd Lt. Chelsea Clark 158th Fighter Wing

Name: Command Chief Master Sgt. Robert T. Letourneau
Military Specialty 9E000, Vermont State Command Chief
Years of Service: 35
Unit Joint Force Headquarters
Hometown: Richmond, Vt.
Current Town: Essex Junction, Vt.
High School: Mount Mansfield Union H.S., 1980
College: Vermont Technical College, 1982

Q. Why did you join the Vermont National Guard?
A. I joined the Vermont National Guard in 1988 after serving four years on Active Duty with the U.S. Air Force. For me personally, the draw to join was being able to continue serving without being subject to the rather nomadic life of an Active Duty Airman. The Guard is the perfect avenue to provide this ability, and I’ve never regretted my decision to join our organization.

Q. What do you do in the Vermont National Guard?
A. I am the current Vermont State Command Chief for the Vermont Air National Guard. My main duties in this position have been to ensure that the Airmen of our organization are taken care of in all situations, have the training and developmental opportunities that they need to advance in their careers provided to them, and are provided a safe environment to grow in. l advise the Adjutant General and the remainder of our leadership team on all of this, and have represented the organization nationally. I am now in the final few months of my tour in this position and will be retiring this coming Fall after 35 years of service.

Q. What do you do for civilian work?
A. I work as a state employee for the State of Vermont Military Department, as the full-time engineering technician for the Civil Engineer Squadron at the Air Guard base. In this position I provide all types of engineering support for the maintenance and updating of base facilities and infrastructure; including performing engineering designs, project management, GPS and traditional surveying, and utilizing AutoCad and Geographic Information System software for design and planning efforts.

Q. What do you think is the greatest benefit of being in the National Guard?
A. The ability to provide service to others through the many avenues that the Guard offers. There are our three main missions where we serve our state citizens during natural disasters, our country by deploying on federal missions, and our partner countries of Macedonia and Senegal through the state partner program. Beyond these all of our members can provide service to the community by participating on the Honor Guard, supporting the Young Heroes program with the Vermont Children’s Hospital, volunteering at Guard run Aid Stations at the Vermont City Marathon, supporting flag details for community organizations, speaking at assemblies and events, volunteering as mentors, etc. Many opportunities for service opened up through membership.

Q. How has being a National Guard member benefited you in your local community and job?
A. It has enabled me to develop contacts and relationships with local legislators, emergency responders, and professionals from the engineering sector. These relationships have been valuable in numerous instances over the years.

Q. What is your most memorable military moment?
A. Deploying locally to Grand Isle County to help the area recover after the 1998 Ice Storm. Relocating residents with medical conditions, providing generator support to farmers so their herds could have water and be milked, clearing roads, restoring power to homes. Very rewarding work.

Q. How long have you lived in Vermont?
A. Aside from my Active Duty time stationed in the local region at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York, and Pease AFB, New Hampshire, I’ve have been a lifelong resident of the state. I grew up in the village of Richmond and currently reside in Essex Junction.

Q. What is your favorite aspect of living or working where you do?
A. My favorite aspects of residing in Essex Junction are that it is an active community, close to most everything, and yet still on the “edge” of the population center of Chittenden County. Regarding working at the Air Guard base it would be the many professionals that I interact with daily. Highly skilled, interesting people, who make up a great team.

Q. What has surprised you about the Vermont National Guard?
A. The ability of our units, no matter their manning levels, to tackle complex missions and complete them at amazing levels of accomplishment on a continual basis. Chalk it up to our Yankee work ethic I guess. The ingenuity, skill, and professionalism of our members across the force, and up and down the ranks is incredible.

Q. What is your favorite part about serving in the VT National Guard?
A. Being able to assist others in any way I’m able, and working within a great team.

Q. How many push-ups did you get on your last physical fitness test?
A. I maxed out my pushup score for my age group, 44 total.

Q. BONUS: Ask a question for the next soldier or airmen
A. What skills have you learned through your military training that you now are able to use in your everyday work?


National Guard News
An officer with Louisville Metro Police's Hazardous Incident Response Team gets out of his hazardous material suit after working a simulated scenario with the help of Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Dormbrusch, 12th CST, New Hampshire National Guard, during a training event at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., March 13, 2023. National Guard CSTs from eight states participated in the one-day exercise.
Kentucky Civil Response Team Hosts Multi-agency Exercise
By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane, | March 17, 2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If there ever were an incident at the Churchill Downs Racetrack requiring the specially trained chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) unit of the National Guard, thanks to training done this...

Alaska Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Heather Pope is a ground transportation specialist with 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 176th Mission Support Group, 176th Wing. Pope worked to lose 133 pounds to enlist a day before her 40th birthday, the cutoff age to join the military.
Arctic Guardian Overcomes Obstacles to join Alaska Air Guard
By David Bedard, | March 17, 2023
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Rain boots. An old pair of rain boots was the difference between Airman 1st Class Heather Pope realizing her dream of becoming an Airman or a lifetime of wondering what could have...

Col. Jason Glass, Tennessee National Guard’s assistant adjutant general–air, and Nashville Mayor John Cooper place a commemorative wreath on former President Andrew Jackson’s tomb at Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, outside Nashville March 15, 2023. The ceremony took place on what would have been Jackson’s 256th birthday.
Tennessee Guard Honors Former President Jackson
By Lt. Col. Marlin Malone, | March 16, 2023
HERMITAGE, Tenn. – A wreath-laying ceremony honoring former President Andrew Jackson on what would have been his 256th birthday was held March 15 at Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, outside Nashville.During the ceremony, Col...

Guardian Angels of 212th Rescue Squadron exit a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II during a training exercise. Members of the 212th RQS jumped from a 211th RQS HC-130J into Pilot Station, Alaska, March 8, 2023, and evacuated a critically injured patient on a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk.
176th Wing Guardian Angels Parachute to Pilot Station for Medevac
By Maj. Chelsea Aspelund, | March 16, 2023
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - During a complex medevac involving three 176th Wing Guardian Angel teams, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and one HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, a combat rescue officer and a...

Fifteen New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti City, Djibouti, Mar. 10, 2023. The Soldiers, all belonging to the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, are on a 9-month deployment.
NY Guard Soldiers Become Citizens During African deployment
By Staff Sgt. Alexander Rector, | March 16, 2023
DJIBOUTI, Djibouti – Fifteen New York Army National Soldiers serving with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti March 10.The Soldiers,...