Articles
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. Air National Guard civilian firefighters, assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, pose in front of the fire truck that was the first on scene.

June 4, 2025

First to the Flames

As the sun began to set over the Green Mountains on May 2, 2025, Firefighter Doireann Chesbrough, a civilian firefighter for the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, found herself in the dayroom of the station, sitting next to the radio.

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.

A couple of Italian host nation employees with Army Field Support Battalion-Africa conduct inventory of basic issue items at the equipment configuration and hand-off area in Komotini, Greece, during DEFENDER 25, May 19. The 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s AFSBn-Africa deployed a team from Leghorn Army Depot, Italy, to Komotini for DEFENDER 25. There, the team is receiving over 700 Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 tactical vehicles and major end items from multiple APS-2 sites, including Leghorn and sites in Germany and the Netherlands, and issuing the APS gear to Vermont Army National Guard Soldiers from the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) deployed to Europe for DEFENDER 25.

May 19, 2025

Infantry APS-2 set, more issued to Vermont Army National Guard in Greece for DEFENDER 25

KOMOTINI, Greece — When the Vermont Army National Guard Soldiers touched down in Greece at 1 a.m. May 18 for DEFENDER 25, they were traveling light. The Soldiers from the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) were carrying a couple of bags each – the typical allotted baggage allowance most commercial airline companies permit.

Vermont Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, the adjutant general of Vermont, salutes Col. Michael Blair after taking command of the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing from Col. Daniel Finnegan, outgoing commander of the 158th, during a change of command ceremony

May 3, 2025

158th FW Welcomes New Commander

Col. Michael Blair assumed command of the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing during a change of command ceremony on May 3 at 1:00 p.m.

U.S. Air National Guard Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing return from deployment

April 22, 2025

Green Mountain Boys Return Home

Hundreds of Airmen from the 158th Fighter Wing have returned home to Vermont following a months-long deployment to Kadena Air Base, Japan. Over the coming weeks, additional Airmen, equipment, and F-35 Lightning II aircraft will continue to arrive home as the deployment concludes.

U.S. Air National Guard Senior Airman Landon Potvin, an operations support specialist assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, pauses his duties to take an environmental portrait for an airman spotlight story

April 15, 2025

Service Beyond the Base

An Airman with the Vermont Air National Guard's Communications Squadron makes noise on the basketball court, mentoring the youth about skills essential on and off the court.

U.S. Army Soldiers compete in a patrol race at the Goms Nordic Center, in Geschinen, Switzerland

April 9, 2025

CISM 2025 World Winter Military Games

U.S. Army Soldiers from five different states represented the U.S. Armed Forces Sports team at the 2025 CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire) Military World Winter Games hosted by the Swiss Military from March 23 to March 30 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

U.S. Army Spc. Robert Burns, an 11B Infantryman, 3-127nd A. Co. (MTN), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, mentally prepares for an alpine snowboard race at Titlis Mountain, Engelberg.

April 9, 2025

Soldier Spotlight: Spc. Robby Burns - Pro Snowboarder

U.S. Army Spc. Robert Burns assigned to 3-172nd A. Co., 86th Infantry Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont National Guard, represented the U.S. Armed Forces Sports team at the 2025 CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire) Military World Winter Games hosted by the Swiss Military from March 23 to March 30 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Palmer (left) and Spc. Eli Nielsen, Vermont National Guard, receives awards at the end of the Best Warrior Competition

April 6, 2025

Vermont Army National Guard Names 2025 Best Warriors at Ethan Allen Firing Range

The Vermont Army National Guard held its annual Best Warrior Competition at the Ethan Allen Firing Range April 5–6, 2025, challenging Soldiers and noncommissioned officers in a rigorous test of physical and mental readiness.

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
Soldiers assigned to the 153rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard monitor operations during Exercise Buffalo Falls, June 5, 2025. The Homeland Response Force exercise emphasized rapid coordination across cyber, logistics, and command elements during a simulated domestic crisis.
New York Guard Trains for Disaster Response
By Capt. Jason Carr, | June 25, 2025
NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. – One hundred New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from across the state participated in Operation Buffalo Falls, a Homeland Response Force (HRF) tabletop exercise held June 4-8...
Spc. Joe Braunagel, right, trains during a wrestling session at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, June 17, 2025. Braunagel, who serves in the Illinois Army National Guard, brings military discipline and mental toughness to the mat.
Illinois Guard Soldier Returns to College Wrestling After Deployment
By 2nd Lt. Trenton Fouche, | June 24, 2025
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Before he returned to the wrestling mat at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Spc. Joe Braunagel of O’Fallon, Illinois, returned from something much more intense — a military...
Members of the126th Logistics Readiness Squadron and the 126th Communication Flight, 126th Air Refueling Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, U.S. Air National Guard at Ramstein Air Base, Germany June 10, 2025. Illinois Guardsmen, are in Germany working alongside U.S. Military personnel and local nationals during their annual deployment for training to ensure the units effectiveness in providing robust logistics support during contingency operations anytime anywhere.
Illinois Guard Training in Germany Builds Relationships, Strengthens Readiness
By Tech. Sgt. Vincent Lang, | June 24, 2025
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Illinois - The 126th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) and 126th Communications Flight of the 126th Air Refueling Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, recently deployed for training to Ramstein Air Base,...
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