Vermont adjutant general releases statement on Afghanistan > Vermont National Guard > News & Press Releases For The Vermont National Guard

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U.S. 1st Lt. Ana Monteiro, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment (1-101st), Massachusetts Army National Guard, goes down a slide with an Afghan girl at Arian School during a humanitarian aid drop of school supplies on Nov. 10, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Monteiro and other Soldiers of the 1-101st have 'adopted' the mostly girl school by providing three more classrooms and donating school supplies several times since May

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U.S. 1st Lt. Ana Monteiro, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment (1-101st), Massachusetts Army National Guard, goes down a slide with an Afghan girl at Arian School during a humanitarian aid drop of school supplies on Nov. 10, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Monteiro and other Soldiers of the 1-101st have 'adopted' the mostly girl school by providing three more classrooms and donating school supplies several times since May.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Swayer Alberi the Brigade Medical Operations Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) Mountain (MTN), Task Force Wolverine, from Eden, Vt., and with Maj. Lora Bowens a nurse practitioner with the 86th IBCT (MTN), TF Wolverine, from Saint Albans, W.Va., discuss what medical materials are needed at the birthing center with the head doctor of the Women's Birthing Center, Charikar, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2010. Alberi and Bowens are both members of the Female Engagement Team (FET) that visit the Birthing Center to address some concerns they may have. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kristina Gupton/Released)

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U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Swayer Alberi the Brigade Medical Operations Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) Mountain (MTN), Task Force Wolverine, from Eden, Vt., and with Maj. Lora Bowens a nurse practitioner with the 86th IBCT (MTN), TF Wolverine, from Saint Albans, W.Va., discuss what medical materials are needed at the birthing center with the head doctor of the Women's Birthing Center, Charikar, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2010. Alberi and Bowens are both members of the Female Engagement Team (FET) that visit the Birthing Center to address some concerns they may have. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kristina Gupton/Released)

U.S. 1st Lt. Ana Monteiro, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment (1-101st), Massachusetts Army National Guard, swings with an Afghan girl at Ariana School during a humanitarian aid drop of school supplies on Nov. 10, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Monteiro and other Soldiers of the 1-101st have 'adopted' the mostly girl school by providing three more classrooms and donating school supplies several times since May.

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101110-A-5816L-048

U.S. 1st Lt. Ana Monteiro, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment (1-101st), Massachusetts Army National Guard, swings with an Afghan girl at Ariana School during a humanitarian aid drop of school supplies on Nov. 10, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Monteiro and other Soldiers of the 1-101st have 'adopted' the mostly girl school by providing three more classrooms and donating school supplies several times since May.

U.S. Army Maj. Lora Bowens, a nurse practitioner with 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), 86th IBCT (MTN) Task Force Wolverine and a Saint Albans, W.Va., resident, writes down a list of medical supplies that are needed by the Women's Birthing Center, Charikar, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2010. Bowens is a member of the Female Engagement Team (FET) who visits the Women's Birthing Center to address some concerns the women may have within the center. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kristina Gupton/Released)

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100915-A-1182G-046

U.S. Army Maj. Lora Bowens, a nurse practitioner with 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), 86th IBCT (MTN) Task Force Wolverine and a Saint Albans, W.Va., resident, writes down a list of medical supplies that are needed by the Women's Birthing Center, Charikar, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2010. Bowens is a member of the Female Engagement Team (FET) who visits the Women's Birthing Center to address some concerns the women may have within the center. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kristina Gupton/Released)

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont –

Like you, I've been watching the situation in Afghanistan over the past 48 hours. If you deployed to Afghanistan, you may feel right now like you've somehow 'failed.' I want to assure you that nothing is further from the truth. The Vermonters who deployed to Afghanistan served with honor and distinction: our military members execute the mission they are given, no matter how challenging. You did your job and no one will ever take that away from you.

For our Service Members who gave their lives in Afghanistan, and those impacted over the 20 years of our time there, please continue to hold them and their families in our hearts.

If you or someone you know is struggling, I encourage you to reach out. Talk to me directly; talk to a mental health specialist, a battle buddy, a commander, or a first sergeant. We have resources available to you at www.vtguard.com/suicide-prevention.

Here are just a few stories of our work from 2010, if you would like to take a moment to remember with me:

Vermont Guard Soldiers jump right into their mission
Gov. Douglas visits troops, raises Vermont battle flag
Vermont National Guard unit creates relationship with school in Kabul
Vermont Guard unit adjusts to changing mission

Stay in the arena. You make a difference.

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TAG's State of the Guard - April 2025

The above YouTube video link may not work on all government computers. Read the transcript of MG Gregory Knight's full State of the Guard here.

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National Guard News

U.S. Missouri National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Katie Herrel, the cyber operations chief for the Missouri National Guard, speaks during a cybersecurity subject matter expert exchange with local government members in Panama City, Panama, July 22, 2025. The training brought together a diverse group of agencies, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Panama Canal Authority, and other national emergency services.

Missouri Guard Hosts Cyber Exchange with Panamanian Partners

By Tech. Sgt. Kaylee Clark, | July 30, 2025

PANAMA CITY, Panama – U.S. cyber specialists from the Missouri National Guard, in coordination with U.S. Southern Command, hosted a cyber subject matter exchange alongside Panamanian government and security agencies this week...

Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen exhibit military aircraft and field artillery capabilities during an aerial demonstration at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 25, 2025. The demonstration consisted of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with the 1-147th Aviation Battalion, F-35A Lightning II aircraft with the 115th Fighter Wing, a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft with the 128th Air Refueling Wing, and several M119 howitzers with the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s 1-120th Field Artillery Regiment, all amid a dramatic display of Pyrotechnics.

Wisconsin National Guard Showcases Guard Mission at AirVenture

By Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman, | July 30, 2025

OSHKOSH, Wis. - Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen offered more than 690,000 guests from 80 countries a first-hand look at the mission of the National Guard during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 2025...

Alaska Army National Guard HH-60M MEDEVAC Black Hawk aviators assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, conduct a hoist training demonstration while hosting mission partners for a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 21, 2025. The AKARNG Dustoff aviators collaborated with U.S. Coast Guardsmen assigned to Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic out of Kodiak and Sitka Air Stations, Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescue squadrons, U.S. Army aviators from Fort Wainwright’s 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, Alaska State Troopers, and civilian search and rescue professional volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group. The collaborative training drew on the participants’ varied backgrounds, experiences, and practices to enhance hoist proficiency and collective readiness when conducting life-saving search and rescue missions in Alaska’s vast and austere terrain.

Alaska Guard Hosts Symposium for Search and Rescue Partners

By Dana Rosso, | July 30, 2025

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to G Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, hosted mission partners for a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army...