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Category: Meet Your Guard

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Claire Johnson, a combat medic assigned to Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Vermont National Guard, sits in the cabin of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joshua Cohen)

March 3, 2022

Soldier Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Claire Johnson

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — When Staff Sgt. Claire Johnson, a combat medic, joined the New York Army National Guard, she did not anticipate the course her military career would take. “I originally enlisted in the New York Army National Guard when I was 17, right out of high school,” Johnson explained. “My dad was in the military, so he always pushed me in that direction, I never really knew I wanted to be in the Army, I knew I wanted to be in the medical field first.”

Pfc. Eli Nielsen, a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic assigned to Detachment 2, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, Vermont National Guard, inspects an aircraft interior at the Army Aviation Support Facility, South Burlington, Vermont, on Oct. 12, 2021. Nielsen is also a member of the Vermont National Guard Biathlon Team. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joshua T. Cohen)

Oct. 21, 2021

Biathlon opportunities attract Washington native

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont — Serving in a dual capacity, Pfc. Eli Nielsen’s days are fully occupied. An M-Day, 15 Tango, Black Hawk helicopter maintainer with Detachment 2, Charlie Company 1st Battalion 224th Aviation Regiment, Nielsen is also a member of the Guard’s Biathlon team.

Photograph

Sept. 28, 2018

Meet Your Guard: SMSgt Jonathan Brownell

South Burlington, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard highlights Essex Junction resident Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Brownell, logistics readiness superintendent with the 158th Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard.

Meet Your Guard Photo

Sept. 28, 2018

Meet Your Guard: CMSgt Brian Senecal

South Burlington, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard highlights Milton resident Chief Master Sgt. Brian Senecal, the superintendent of the 158th Fighter Wing Operations Group, Vermont Air National Guard.

Firefighting Photograph

Sept. 28, 2018

Meet Your Guard: TSgt Christopher Brown

South Burlington, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard highlights Colchester resident Tech. Sgt. Christopher Brown, leader of a fire protection team with the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard

Soldiers hiking down Jay Peak, Vermont in snow.

Aug. 31, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Maj. Matthew Wignall

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard highlights Essex resident Maj. Matthew Wignall, brigade operations officer, Headquarters, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard.

Basic Training Photo

Aug. 24, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Officer Candidate Dylan Gates

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt — This edition of Meet Your Guard highlights Colchester resident Officer Candidate Dylan Gates, an officer candidate with 2nd Modular Training Battlaion,124th Regional Training Institute.

Promotion

Aug. 24, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Lt. Col. Doran Metzger

CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Milton resident, Lt. Col. Doran Metzger, aeromedical evacuations officer, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont National Guard.

Official Photo

June 20, 2018

Meet Your Guard: CCE Robert Letourneau

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — This edition of Meet Your Guard focuses on Essex Junction resident, Command Chief Master Sgt. Robert T. Letourneau, Vermont State Command Chief, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont National Guard.

Photograph

June 20, 2018

Meet Your Guard: Tech. Sgt. Matt Dykas

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — This edition of Meet your Guard focuses on Tech. Sgt. Matt Dykas, a Colchester native and low observable aircraft structural maintenance specialist with the 158th Fighter Wing.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

TAG's State of the Guard 2026

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Green Mountain Guard Newsletter Archive

National Guard News
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, Arkansas National Guard Soldiers and Guatemalan service members partnered with Arkansas through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program move into the field June 8, 2026, during a training rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Brig. Gen. Rusty McGuire, senior trainer for the Virginia Army National Guard’s JRTC rotation, and senior trainer noncommissioned officer Sgt. Maj. Ian Gilliam met with the Soldiers to discuss training operations and multinational interoperability. The 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team is the first Army National Guard brigade to participate in a JRTC rotation as a mobile brigade combat team after transitioning from an infantry brigade combat team in 2025. JRTC provides U.S. military units and personnel with complex, realistic combat training, including joint and combined-arms operations, force-on-force scenarios and live-fire exercises. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Clements.
Arkansas National Guard, Guatemalan Partners Build Interoperability
By John Oldham, | July 16, 2026
CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas National Guardsmen and Guatemalan Army special forces recently trained together at Fort Polk, Louisiana, during Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, rotation...
Multinational participants pose for a group photo during the West African Religious Affairs Symposium, or WARAS, in Accra, Ghana, July 14, 2026. U.S. and African military chaplains from 10 partner nations gather for the three-day exchange to discuss methods to support and strengthen service members' spiritual resiliency. Photo by Airman 1st Class Alexandra Dale.
Guard Chaplains, Partners Boost Readiness
By U.S. Africa Command | July 16, 2026
ACCRA, Ghana – Military chaplains and religious affairs personnel from the National Guard and 10 African nations gathered July 14 for the launch of the West African Religious Affairs Symposium, or WARAS, a three-day event...
Several shipping containers altered to look like buildings were relocated recently to the grounds of the Pennsylvania National Guard's Fort Indiantown Gap's Unmanned Aircraft System Training and Innovation Facility. The mock village allows Unmanned Aircraft System operators to fly drones around and through simulated buildings in an urban environment. Photo by Brad Rhen.
Pennsylvania Guard Expands Drone Training
By Brad Rhen, | July 16, 2026
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – As the battlefield continually shifts toward unmanned aircraft systems, the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Fort Indiantown Gap is expanding its unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and counter-UAS...
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