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Category: North Macedonia

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, operating High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle turrets armed with two M2A1 .50 Cal machine guns and two M240 machine guns fire rounds during a combined arms live-fire night exercise as a part of Immediate Response 25.

June 4, 2025

Vermont Guard Soldiers prove lethality along NATO allies at Immediate Response 25

KRIVOLAK, North Macedonia — U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard participated in a combined arms live-fire exercise, May 29-31, 2025, during Immediate Response 25.

U.S. Soldiers with the 572nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, and Austrian Land Forces assemble brazier charges used to breach wire barriers as part of Immediate Response 25 during DEFENDER 25

June 1, 2025

Vermont National Guard cross-train U.S. infantrymen and Austrian Land Force personnel on various demolition techniques

KRIVOLAK, North Macedonia — U.S. Soldiers assigned to Bravo Company, 572nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard cross-train U.S. infantrymen and Austrian Land Force personnel on various demolition techniques, June 1-3, 2025, during Immediate Response 25, a large-scale, joint exercise with NATO Allies and Partners at the Krivolak Training Area, Krivolak, North Macedonia, taking place May 26 to June 9, as part of DEFENDER 25, the U.S. Army’s premier large-scale deployment exercise in Europe.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, adjutant general, Vermont National Guard, listens to a speaker during the 26th US-Adriatic Charter Chiefs of Defense Conference (CHOD) in Skopje, North Macedonia, September 27, 2023.

Oct. 5, 2023

North Macedonia hosts US-Adriatic Charter Conference

SKOPJE, North Macedonia — U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, Vermont adjutant general, and leaders from seven other U.S. states joined their partner nation Chiefs of Defense (CHoD) for the 26th US-Adriatic Charter Chiefs of Defense Conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, on September 27.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, adjutant general, Vermont National Guard, and North Macedonia Lt. Gen. Vasko Gjurchinovski, chief of the general staff, Army of the Republic of North Macedonia

Sept. 27, 2023

Vermont National Guard delegation visits North Macedonia

SKOPJE, NORTH MACEDONIA — Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, the Adjutant General for the Vermont National Guard, and a delegation of Vermonter Soldiers and Airmen kicked off their visit to North Macedonia at the U.S. Embassy and Ministry of Defense in Skopje on September 25.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Army Soldiers with Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard, perform a live-fire training lane, Ethan Allen Firing Range, Jericho, Vermont, July 16, 2020. The live-fire range was conducted as part of their annual training.

May 10, 2022

Vermont Guard to support training exercise Swift Response 22

CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont — 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.

U.S. Army Capt. Mike Arcovitch, commander, and Sgt. Gloria Kamencik, public affairs specialist, 172nd Public Affairs Detachment, Vermont Army National Guard, lead a crisis communication workshop at the Army Home in Skopje, North Macedonia, Feb. 8-10, 2022. The Vermont National Guard and North Macedonia have been partners in the State Partnership Program since 1993.

Feb. 16, 2022

Vermont Guard shares communication strategy with state partner

SKOPJE, North Macedonia — Soldiers from the Vermont Army National Guard led a crisis communication workshop at the Army Home in Skopje, North Macedonia, Feb. 8-10.

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
Minnesota Army National Guard Spc. Bronson Stachowiak, from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, who serves as a unit supply specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 682nd Engineer Battalion is one of 27 service members from the Minnesota National Guard and NATO allied nations Canada and Croatia who participated in the 2026 Minnesota Best Warrior Competition April 15-18, 2026, at Camp Ripley, near Little Falls, Minnesota. This competition tests participants’ knowledge, technical and tactical proficiency, physical endurance and resilience through a series of demanding events. Minnesota’s winners will move on to compete against the best Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from across the Midwest at the Region IV Best Warrior Competition, hosted this year by the Michigan National Guard at Fort Custer, April 29-May 3, 2026. Photo by Staff Sgt. Bob Brown.
Minnesota Guard, Croatia Partners Participate in Best Warrior Competition
By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh, | April 22, 2026
LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – Twenty-seven Minnesota Guard members, along with Canadian and Croatian soldiers, tested their skills April 15-18 during harsh weather conditions in the 2026 Minnesota Best Warrior Competition.The...
Maj. Jaymar Imperial, Operations Officer, 10th Civil Support Team gives a briefing during a multi-agency Radiation Response Workshop, April 3, 2026 at Camp Murray, Wash. Courtesy photo.
Washington Guard Leads Multi-Agency Radiation Response Workshop
By Joseph Siemandel, | April 22, 2026
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – The Washington National Guard’s 10th Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) hosted a multi-agency Radiation Response Workshop April 3, bringing together federal, state and local partners to...
Airmen from the 146th Airlift Wing, 152nd Airlift Wing and the 302nd Airlift Wing train alongside CAL FIRE ground crews during their annual Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, recertification training at McClellan Air Tanker Base, Sacramento, Calif., April 20, 2026. The MAFFS is a roll on and off system that enables a military C-130 aircraft to become a firefighting air tanker that can spread thousands of gallons of fire retardant, aiding ground crews to supress wildfires. The training ensures that aircrews and support personnel remain qualified to operate the MAFFS system and fly into hazardous fire areas at any time of year. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Ulber.
California Guard Conducts Training Ahead of Wildfire Season
By Tech. Sgt. Michelle Ulber, | April 22, 2026
McCLELLAN AIR TANKER STATION, SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Airmen with the 146th Airlift Wing began their annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, recertification and training April 20, in preparation to support aerial...
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