South Burlington, Vt. –
Name: Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Brownell
Military Specialty: 2S000 Logistics Readiness Superintendent
Years of Service: 27
Unit: 158th Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron
Hometown: Bellows Falls, Vt.
Current Town: Essex Junction, Vt.
High School/Graduation Year: 1990
College/Graduation: Vermont Technical College 1999 A.S. Electrical Engineering, Champlain College 2011 BS Software Engineering and Champlain College 2018 MS Executive Leadership
Q. Why did you join the Vermont National Guard?
A. I joined the Vermont Army National Guard in Westminster Vermont following in the footsteps of my two older brothers. I later joined the Vermont Air National Guard after the September 11th attacks in 2001.
Q. What do you do in the Vermont National Guard?
A. I am currently the Logistics Readiness Superintendent for the 158th FW.
Q. What do you do for civilian work?
A. I worked at IBM as a Senior IT Consultant for 16 years and joined the 158th FW fulltime in 2015 to assist with the base with its conversion to the F-35 airframe.
Q. What do you think is the greatest benefit of being in the National Guard?
A. In order to live life to the fullest, you must live with passion and serve a cause greater than yourself. I found that being a member of the Guard has afforded me the opportunity to serve my country and my fellow citizens. I am a servant to my neighbors, my family, and my fellow Airmen.
Q. How has being a National Guard member benefited you in your local community and job?
A. The Vermont National Guard has instilled a service before self-attitude that I hold dear to this day. The Guard has consistently challenged me at every turn and pushed me to achieve objectives that I never dreamt possible.
Q. What is your most memorable military moment?
A. The day I graduated from military boot camp at Fort Dix, N.J.. After several weeks of structured education both physical and mental, confidence in myself and my abilities came to life.
Q. How long have you lived in Vermont?
A. I am a graduate of Bellows Falls Union High School in Bellows Falls, VT. I have lived in Vermont my entire adult life, 39 years now.
Q. What is your favorite aspect of living or working where you do?
A. First and foremost I love Vermont. I have traveled to different parts of the county and abroad, but always look forward to coming home. As a squadron superintendent, I enjoy helping other Airmen realize their full potential and the amazing things they can accomplish. Watching our Airmen grow and achieve objectives never before imagined has been the most rewarding thing about my job.
Q. What has surprised you about the Vermont National Guard?
A. Having experienced tremendous loss in my life, the Guard was there to see me through. The sense of family and support was amazing, I never realized the impact the fantastic personnel would have on me.
Q. What is your favorite part about serving in the VT National Guard?
A. Service to the people of this great state is my favorite part of being in the guard. Certainly money is not a driving factor here for me, but knowing that I represent the citizenry of this state is the driving force that keeps me coming back.
Q. How many push-ups did you get on your last physical fitness test?
A. 52