Articles
Photo of fire fighters from the Vermont National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing engaging in an aircraft fire during an exercise in New London, North Carolina.

June 26, 2026

Training with Fire

New London, N.C. — In an era where technology has transformed the way people learn, work, and connect, some skills are still best learned the old fashioned way: face to face and hands on. For firefighters assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, this meant traveling to North Carolina over the spring to train on live jet fuel fires. This training brought a level of realism many of them had never experienced before despite years of protecting aircraft at the Burlington International Airport and surrounding communities.

Photo of U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matthew Brown, left, the director of the joint staff, chief of staff, Army, Vermont National Guard, checking his shot placement with U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Trey Lytle, right, a combat arms instructor assigned to the 158th Security Forces Squadron, while qualifying on his weapon at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont.

June 23, 2026

Locked and Loaded

Jericho, Vt. — Combat Arms Instructors from both the Vermont Air and Army Guard went down the line, confirming each weapon was on safe. Once all weapons were safely holstered, an instructor gave the green light to head down range to check shot placement and receive feedback.

Photo of Brooke Adams, daughter of a currently deployed service member, delivering remarks during a Memorial Day ceremony in Milton, Vt., May 25, 2026.

May 25, 2026

158th Fighter Wing Family Continues Memorial Day Tradition During Deployment

Milton, Vt. — Every Memorial Day, the Milton Fire Station usually echoes with the voice of Darren Adams, a member of the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing, as he delivers the community's annual remarks. But this year, with her father deployed overseas to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), a new voice stepped up to the podium: his daughter, Brooke.

May 19, 2026

From Armor Officer to Educator: Retired Lt. Col. Steven Gagner reflects on service

For retired Lt. Col. Steven Gagner, leadership has never been confined to a battlefield, classroom or boardroom. Instead, it has been a lifelong pursuit shaped by service, education and a commitment to helping others grow.

May 2, 2026

Engineers Build for the Future While Honoring the Past at Centennial Alliance 2026

Marking a century of military training and innovation, leaders of the Vermont Army National Guard and Ethan Allen Firing Range, directed an ambitious effort to blend history, modernization, and hands-on engineer training through Task Force Centennial Alliance 2026.

May 2, 2026

Legacy of the Ethan Allen Firing Range - Centennial Alliance

Established in 1926 as a modest training ground for Vermont’s Citizen-Soldiers, the Ethan Allen Firing Range has grown into one of the premier military training sites in the northeastern United States, marking a century of readiness, resilience and evolution with the completion of Centennial Alliance 2026 on April 24, 2026.

May 2, 2026

181st Engineers Participate in Centennial Alliance

Soldiers assigned to the 181st Engineer Vertical Construction Company, Massachusetts National Guard put their skills to work at Range 6-3 on the Ethan Allen Firing Range, constructing a pole barn as part of exercise Centennial Alliance 2026.

Photo of a U.S. Air Force EB-57s, assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard, waiting on the runway in South Burlington, Vermont. The photo is used to provide historical context to the story, but does not feature the pilots described in the story.

May 1, 2026

Remembering the Crew of 52-1571

Vermont Air National Guard — Charles W. Diggle III and Bertrand White were young officers with the Vermont Air National Guard, earning their place in the demanding profession of Air Force pilots, where precision is routine, and risk is never far away.

May 1, 2026

HQDA Safety Streamer for the 15th Civil Support Team

The 15th Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) of the Vermont Army National Guard was presented the Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) Safety Streamer at the Army Aviation Support Facility, in South Burlington, Vermont, on May 1st, 2026, during a formal ceremony attended by Major General Henry "Hank" Harder Jr., The Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, and Brigadier General Matthew M. Brown, Director of the Joint Staff.

A photo of Kaitlyn Schoemes, a student at Northwestern Technical Center, putting her fire gear on during a SkillsUSA competition at the Vermont Air National Guard base in South Burlington, VT, April 8, 2026.

April 27, 2026

Local Students take on SkillsUSA Challenge

Vermont Air National Guard Base — Under the watchful eye of a Vermont Air National Guard assistant fire chief, he asks a student to explain how they would treat a patient with an object protruding from their eye, one of many high-pressure scenarios during the SkillsUSA competition.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

TAG's State of the Guard 2026

Note: the above YouTube video link may not work on all government computers. 

Green Mountain Guard Newsletter Archive

National Guard News
A fragment of a World War II P‑38 Lightning aircraft is displayed at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 23, 2026. The Wisconsin National Guard assisted in recovering and transporting aircraft components from Papua New Guinea as part of an effort to bring home the historic fighter that U.S. Army Air Forces Maj. Richard I. Bong flew and named
Wisconsin Guard Helps Return WWII Plane Section
By Leslie Westmont, | July 24, 2026
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin National Guard has helped return a recovered section of a P-38 Lightning plane, more than 80 years after Wisconsin native and World War II fighter ace Maj. Richard I. Bong flew combat missions...
A U.S. Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade transports water in a water bucket over wildfires in Northern Minnesota, July 15, 2026. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency on July 12, activating the Minnesota National Guard to support civil authorities with aerial wildfire suppression operations. This joint Army and Air National Guard response showcases the state's readiness to protect life, preserve property and support Minnesota communities. Photo by Staff Sgt. Tylin Rust.
National Guard Supports Wildfire Suppression Efforts From the Midwest to West Coast
By Sgt. 1st Class Amber Peck, | July 24, 2026
ARLINGTON, Va. – National Guard units from across the country are supporting wildfire suppression operations in multiple states, providing aerial firefighting aircraft, helicopters and personnel to assist civil authorities as...
U.S. Airmen with the Air National Guard assigned to force support squadrons from Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Puerto Rico, assemble a tent during the fiscal year 2026 Home Station Readiness Training at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 17, 2026. The Home Station Readiness Training is a joint total force integration training involving the 140th Force Support Squadron, 154th Force Support Squadron, 142nd Force Support Squadron, 926th Force Support Squadron and 156th Force Support Squadron, designed to test participants expeditionary capabilities and ensure that force support personnel are prepared to perform their mission in a contested environment. Courtesy photo.
Puerto Rico Guard Airmen Build Force Support Readiness
By Master Sgt. Victor Vazquez, | July 24, 2026
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Airmen from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s 156th Force Support Squadron joined nearly 100 force support professionals from four Air National Guard units and one Air Force Reserve...
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