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Category: State Partnership Program

State Partnership Program Reaffirmation Signing Ceremony

June 7, 2023

Delegation from North Macedonia arrives, visits Ethan Allen Firing Range

Colchester, Vt. — The Vermont National Guard is hosting a delegation from North Macedonia including including the Minister of Defense, Slavjanka Petrovska, and the Chief of Defense, Lt. Gen. Vasko Gjurchinovski.

Austrian Ambassador to the U.S. Petra Schneebauer (center) hosted (from left) Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Kennedy, Vermont Secretary of Commerce Lindsay Kurrle and Austrian Defense Attache Maj. Gen. Norbert Huber during the SelectUSA Investment Summit. (Photo by Lina Linortner)

May 2, 2023

Austrian Ambassador Hosts Vermont Delegation at Investment Summit

Colchester, Vt. — Austrian Ambassador to the United States Petra Schneebauer hosted U.S. partners including U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Kennedy, the Adjutant General of Vermont Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight and Vermont Secretary of Commerce Lindsay Kurrle during this year’s SelectUSA Investment Summit.

President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal hosts Army Maj. Gen. Greg Knight

Dec. 16, 2022

Vermont Adjutant General meets with President of State Partner Senegal

Colchester, Vt — Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, adjutant general of Vermont, and a delegation of the Vermont National Guard met with the President of Senegal and the African Union in Washington D.C. on December 12.

Lt. Col. Chris Gookin receives an Order of Military Medical Merit award from Col. George Horsley, Massachusetts Army National Guard state surgeon, at Camp Johnson, Vermont, on Aug. 4, 2022. Gookin was cited for his accomplishments in establishing 98 percent medical readiness for the Vermont Army National Guard and for his work with state partners Senegal and North Macedonia. (courtesy photo)

Aug. 29, 2022

Vermont deputy state surgeon receives Order of Military Medical Merit

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The former deputy state surgeon for the Vermont Army National Guard’s Medical Readiness Detachment received the Order of Military Medical Merit in August.

The Vermont Army National Guard's C-Co. 186th BSB, (Medical) 86th IBCT (Mountain) conduct annual training with State Partner North Macedonia at the Sustainment Center on Camp Dodge, Iowa July 31st-August 13. North Macedonia and Vermont have been partners in the State Partnership Program since 1993. (U.S. Army National Guard courtesy photo)

Aug. 29, 2022

Soldiers from North Macedonia Train at Camp Dodge with their State Partner Vermont

CAMP DODGE, Iowa — The mission of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program is, “to support the security cooperation objectives of the United States.” The achievement of that goal brings many follow-on effects that benefit both partners in the SPP relationship.

Senegal Air Force Capt. Kana Ndiaye, a helicopter pilot, briefs Vermont Army National Guard Blackhawk pilots during a State Partnership Program visit to the Army Aviation Flight Facility, Burlington, Vermont. The Vermont Army National Guard hosted three Senegalese Air Force pilots July 17-22, 2022, to conduct safety, operations, and maintenance cross-training with VTARNG’s Aviators during the trip. The Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program pairs U.S. state National Guard units with other nations to facilitate international civil-military relationships. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez)

Aug. 19, 2022

Vt. Army National Guard hosts State Partner Senegal

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont — The Vermont Army National Guard hosted two Senegalese Air Force pilots and a flight engineer to conduct safety, operations, and maintenance cross-training with the VTARNG’s Aviators during a State Partnership Program visit, July 17-22.

Left to right, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, Vermont’s adjutant general; U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau; Klaudia Tanner, federal minister of defense of the Republic of Austria; U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Kennedy; Lt. Gen. Erich Csitkovits, training director and commandant, National Defence Academy, sign letters of intent between the Vermont National Guard and Republic of Austria July 19, 2022, Vienna, Austria. The Vermont National Guard also has partnerships with North Macedonia, since 1993, and Senegal, since 2008.

July 19, 2022

Vermont National Guard Signs Letter of Intent with Republic of Austria

VIENNA — With a stroke of the pen, the Vermont National Guard and Republic of Austria’s letter of intent formalizing their partnership under the State Partnership Program is official. On July 19, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, Vermont’s adjutant general; U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau; Klaudia Tanner, federal minister of defense of the Republic of Austria; and Lt. Gen. Erich Csitkovits, training director and commandant, National Defence Academy, performed a signing ceremony in Vienna to formalize the relationship between the Republic of Austria and Vermont.

A group photo of the 15th Civil Support Team, Vermont National Guard, and a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear battalion from the North Macedonia Army during a State Partnership Program engagement in Colchester, Vt., June 6-11, 2022. The engagement focused on working with civil authorities in the event of a disaster.

June 29, 2022

15th Civil Support Team Hosts State Partnership Program Engagement

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — The Vermont National Guard’s 15th Civil Support Team hosted six Soldiers from North Macedonia for civil support training at Camp Johnson in Colchester, June 6 -11th. The North Macedonia Army soldiers were from a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Battalion and came to Vermont to conduct exercises with the Vermont National Guard’s 15th CST.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Phil Vietje, an aviation instructor with C Company, 3-126th Aviation (Air Ambulance), Vermont Army National Guard, shows Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner around a UH-72 Lakota helicopter at the VTARNG Army Aviation Support Facility in South Burlington, Vermont, on May 12, 2022. The Vermont National Guard and Austrian Defence Ministry signed a State Partnership Program agreement May 11, 2022, to strengthen interagency cooperation and mutually improve in cyber defense, information operations, military mountaineering, humanitarian and disaster assistance response, and other areas. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Don Branum)

May 20, 2022

Vermont Guard demonstrates rotary-wing capabilities for Austrian delegation

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — On May 12, a day after representatives from the Vermont National Guard and the Republic of Austria formally entered into a State Partner Program, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner and staff were provided with rotary-wing flight demonstrations at Camp Johnson, the Vermont National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Colchester, Vermont.

Leaders from Vermont, the Vermont National Guard, and the Republic of Austria gathered in Montpelier for a signing ceremony officially beginning a partnership between the Vermont National Guard and the Republic of Austria through National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, Wednesday, May 11, 2022. The Republic of Austria is the third partner nation with the Vermont National Guard through the State Partnership Program. Vermont also works and trains with North Macedonia and Senegal.

May 11, 2022

Vermont National Guard, Austria formally recognize partnership

MONTPELIER, Vermont — Representatives from the Vermont National Guard and the Republic of Austria formally entered into a partnership May 11 at 2 p.m. Though work between the Austrian military and the Vermont National Guard is not new, the ceremony marked the formal beginning under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program.

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.

Green Mountain Guard Newsletter Archive

National Guard News
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Travis T. Boltjes, vice director of operations, National Guard Bureau Joint Staff, speaks to attendees of the 2026 National Guard Domestic Operations Conference at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, Feb. 10, 2026. The annual event helps strengthen the Guard’s ability to respond to disasters and large-scale emergencies at home by aligning response plans, sharing emerging issues, and synchronizing strategies and efforts for the coming year. Photo by Staff Sgt. Bryce Colvert.
Guard Leaders Gather for Domestic Ops Conference, Sync Emergency Response Plans
By National Guard Bureau | Feb. 23, 2026
ARLINGTON, Va. – Leaders from throughout the Army and Air National Guard gathered at the National Guard Professional Education Center at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, Feb. 10-12, for the National Guard Domestic...
Five of six New York Army National Guard Soldiers who received a French medal in recognition of the aid they offered to French special operations forces in August 2023, stand in formation during an award ceremony in Rochester, New York, Feb. 22, 2026. The Soldiers were awarded the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star by Maj. Gen. Michel Natali, the New York National Guard's assistant adjutant general, Army. Pictured are, from left, Staff Sgt. Jedediah Estrada, Staff Sgt. Samuel Sacco, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jared Twigg, retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aaron Taylor and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christopher Scott. Not pictured is Sgt. Zachary Albright, who was unable to attend the ceremony. Photo by Sgt. Jean Sanon.
New York Guard Soldiers Receive French Medal for Actions in Iraq
By New York National Guard | Feb. 23, 2026
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Six New York Army National Guard Soldiers who helped rescue 34 French special forces during an August 2023 firefight in Iraq received the French equivalent of the Bronze Star during a Feb. 22 ceremony at...
Soldiers of the 143rd Regional Support Group stand in formation during a sendoff ceremony for the unit at the Gov. William A. O'Neill Armory in Hartford, Connecticut, Feb. 21, 2026. The 143rd is scheduled to deploy to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Photo by Spc. Juan Perez.
Connecticut Guard Hosts Sendoff Ceremony Before Deployment
By Timothy Koster, | Feb. 23, 2026
HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Army National Guard hosted a sendoff ceremony Feb. 21 at the Gov. William A. O’Neill Armory for about 80 Soldiers assigned to the 143rd Regional Support Group as they prepare to leave for a...
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