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Category: 86th IBCT (MTN)

Sept. 23, 2022

State tuition benefit opens career pathways

Staff Sgt. Joseph Poley is expanding his career options thanks to a law passed in May that provides Guardsmen with up to $16,000 in tuition benefits for Vermont state colleges. Poley, a paralegal NCO with the Vermont National Guard’s Staff Judge Advocate office, said he learned about the new state tuition benefit while discussing financial aid options with Capt. Axel Larson, the Vermont National Guard’s education service officer.

Sept. 22, 2022

Vermont National Guard holds distinguished visitor day for legislators

Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, Vermont’s adjutant general, hosted 12 Vermont legislators during a tour of the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont, on Sept. 20, 2022. Legislators received a brief from Range Control, a tour of the new Army Mountain Warfare School, and the National Guard Biathlon program.

Sept. 16, 2022

Vermont Guard honors MIAs, former POWs

The Vermont National Guard and Vermont State Guard held a ceremony Sept. 16 at Camp Johnson, Vermont, to honor former prisoners of war and those missing in action, including three former POWs from World War II and a former POW who was captured by North Korea in 1968.

Sept. 14, 2022

Vermont Guard holds annual TAG Match

Every year the Vermont Adjutant General hosts the Combat Marksmanship Competition for Soldiers and Airmen at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont. This year's competition was held Sept. 10-11. Commonly called the TAG Match, it is open to all members of the Army and Air National Guard with the intention of promoting marksmanship proficiency. The participants are able to compete for pistol and rifle badges that can be worn on their uniforms. The most coveted of these is the Governor’s Twenty tab, which is worn on the left sleeve above their unit patch.

Sept. 9, 2022

Vt. citizen Soldier honors those lost to suicide

“Twenty-two a day” is a phrase many veterans use to talk about suicide awareness within the veteran community. It’s a number John Brutzman, the Vermont National Guard’s substance abuse prevention coordinator, is working to decrease.

Aug. 29, 2022

186th BSB conducts annual training at Camp Dodge, Iowa

The Vermont Army National Guard’s 186th Brigade Support Battalion completed its annual training at the Army National Guard Sustainment Training Center (STC) at Camp Dodge, Iowa, July 31-Aug. 13.

Aug. 15, 2022

Vermont Guardsmen Demonstrate Readiness Under Stress

Vermont National Guard Soldiers navigated obstacles, completed fitness tasks and engaged targets during a live-fire exercise conducted by Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) on Aug. 13.

June 1, 2022

Vermont National Guard holds Memorial Day ceremony

On May 26, 2022, the VTNG held a Memorial Day ceremony at Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. The occasion marked the second time the ceremony was conducted at the Fallen Hero’s Memorial’s new site, a location accessible to the public. In attendance, Vermont’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight was joined by Vermont’s Lt. Governor Molly Gray, Vermont Gold Star families, and veterans.

May 27, 2022

Vt. director of joint staff retires

The Vermont National Guard director of joint staff retired May 26, 2022, in a ceremony held at the Green Mountain Armory. Brig. Gen. David Manfredi served for 34 years both on active duty, with the 10th Mountain Division, and in the Army National Guard in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and for the past 17 years in the VTNG.

May 10, 2022

Vermont Guard to support training exercise Swift Response 22

More than 120 Vermont Army National Guard Soldiers will participate in training exercise Swift Response 22 in North Macedonia from May 11 to 17. Exercise Swift Response is an annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise that takes place this year in Eastern Europe, the Arctic High North, Baltics, and Balkans from May 2-24.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

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.

National Guard News
U.S. Soldiers with the 177th Military Police Brigade, Michigan National Guard, board a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment General Support Battalion, Michigan National Guard, during Northern Strike 26-1, Jan. 28, 2026, at Camp Grayling, Michigan. Exercise Northern Strike 26-1 is a Joint National Training Capability accredited, Army-sponsored, National Guard Bureau program where participants face cold-weather conditions while training to meet the objectives of the Department of War's Arctic strategy. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri.
Northern Strike ‘26 Winter Iteration Concludes
By Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri, | Feb. 5, 2026
GRAYLING, Mich. – More than 450 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen braved freezing temperatures and extreme winter conditions during the winter iteration of Northern Strike 26, Jan. 26-29.An Army-sponsored, National Guard Bureau...

Soldiers assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard's 120th Field Artillery Regiment conduct winter sling-load operations at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Jan. 28, 2026. The training was designed to test equipment during cold-weather operations as well as the gear Soldiers are issued for cold-weather survival. Photo by Scott Sturkol.
Wisconsin Guard Artillery Soldiers Train in Extreme Weather
By Scott Sturkol, | Feb. 5, 2026
FORT McCOY, Wis. – About 200 Soldiers assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard's 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment, completed important individual tasks and trained on M777 and M119 howitzers in cold weather Jan...

The 157th Security Forces Squadron Small Arms Range building stands at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, Jan. 9, 2026. The small arms indoor range was allocated $16 million on a construction project set to fix several infrastructure challenges. Photo by Tech. Sgt. April Jackson.
New Hampshire Guard’s New Small Arms Range to Boost Readiness
By Tech. Sgt. April Jackson, | Feb. 5, 2026
PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. – A new $16 million small arms range is set to enhance readiness, boost training efficiency and modernize weapons qualification for Airmen assigned to the New Hampshire Guard’s 157th Air...