TAG's Corner
To our Law Enforcement Detachment, Task Force Avalanche, and Task Force Iron Gray: I'm just incredibly proud of the work you've all done. Welcome home. I'm looking forward to seeing you on drill weekend. We're definitely very, very happy to have you back.
Secondly, congratulations to the 158th Fighter Wing. They came out of conversion and are officially the only operational F-35 wing in the Air National Guard. That is a testament to their diligence, their work ethic, [and] certainly their expertise.
Army National Guard Promotions
- Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Farrow
- Sgt. 1st Class Wayne King
- Staff Sgt. Sean Brothers
- Staff Sgt. Nicole Hill
- Staff Sgt. Claire Johnson
- Staff Sgt. Courtney Larrabee
- Staff Sgt. James McKinney
- Staff Sgt. John Snook
- Sgt. Kayley Hays
- Sgt. Melodee Martin
- Spc. Tien Connor
- Spc. Zachary LaRose
- Spc. Jake McPartland
- Spc. Alejandro Tonko
- Pfc. Kevin Freeman
- Pfc. Jacob Schnoop
- Pvt. Ana Goodwin
- Pvt. Malcolm Tarleton
Air National Guard Promotions
- Tech. Sgt. Lawrence Bouissey
- Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Kelly
- Staff Sgt. Lauren Cary
- Staff Sgt. Yainna Hall
- Staff Sgt. Caleb Machia
- Senior Airman Ethan Baldwin
- Senior Airman Colin Capsey
- Airman 1st Class Nathan Hebert
Cover Story
Vermont Guardsman rescues three from a frozen lake on Christmas day
Immediate action by Vermont National Guard Staff Sgt. John Hampson on Christmas Day, 2021, “very likely saved the lives of three people,” according to U.S. Navy Reserve Cmdr. Jordan Gottfried.
And Gottfried should know, after falling through ice into the freezing water of Clearwater Lake in Maine, he was one of the three Hampson rescued.
Hampson was visiting his cousin who happened to be Gottfried’s wife over the holiday when the Gottfried’s five-year-old son walked out into the partially frozen lake and fell through the ice into water up to his neck,” Gottfried explained.
Guard mourns death of retired platoon leader, staff officer
Maj. Gen. Greg Knight writes:
It is with great sadness I report the death of retired Maj. Christopher Brooks. Chris died in a crash in his pickup truck along interstate 293 in Bedford, New Hampshire, on Jan. 23, 2022. His service with the VTARNG included 2-172 Armor as a platoon leader and Scout, A/572 Engineers as a company commander, 1-172 Cavalry and Joint Force Headquarters. He deployed to Kuwait during OIF III, patrolling out of Camp Navistar, Kuwait, covering northern Kuwait and Southern Iraq. Chris also deployed to Afghanistan with Task Force Morgan, as the company commander for A/572EN (SAPPER). Chris was a graduate of Norwich University. His was a life of service, both to our Guard and as a police Sergeant with the Bellows Falls, Vermont, Police Department.
I cannot easily capture here all that was Chris Brooks. I attended the Armor Officer Basic Course (AOBC) with him in 1999, where we first officially met. We were in class together and lived across the hall from each other at the Knierim Apartments on Fort Knox, KY. Chris made AOBC bearable, if not actually enjoyable, with our weekend barbecues and trips to Louisville. He just did Brooks. If you did not have the opportunity to know or work with him, he was one of a kind, so to speak. Chris was always invested selflessly in his mission and his Soldiers no matter where he served. He gave of himself to help other Veterans struggling with PTSD and adjustment disorder. He never lacked passion for those he served with, always a bigger than life leader. I am grateful for his friendship, and know I will miss him. Please join me in keeping Chris, and his family and loved ones, in our thoughts and our prayers. Let’s let his selfless service be the example in how we treat others. For me, he was certainly one of a kind who touched more lives than can easily be counted.
Put the Vermonters Ahead.
Task Force Iron Gray Homecoming
VTARNG Soldiers named to Olympic Biathlon Team
Three Vermont National Guard biathletes will compete in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of the U.S. Biathlon Team with an additional member named as the men’s alternate.
The U.S. Biathlon Association’s International Competition Committee finalized roster selections following the results of the recent International Biathlon Union Cup races in Brezno-Orsblie, Slovakia.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” lauded Maj. Kevin Elmer, National Guard Biathlon Coordinator. “I know all of the work and dedication our athletes and coaches put in every day and now they will get to represent their country at the pinnacle of athletic competition.”
Vermont Guardsmen to support local hospital staffing
Vermont National Guard members will increase staffing support to local hospitals struggling to meet demand in the face of the Omicron COVID-19 surge.
The Vermont Department of Health has asked the Vermont National Guard to shift support from vaccination clinics to provide wrap-around services for local hospitals because Vermont leads the nation in vaccination rate among all eligible groups age 5 and older.
“How the on-going COVID-19 pandemic affects our communities is starting to change,” said Col. Justin Davis, director of plans and operations, Vermont National Guard.
JDEC Newsletter features include Black History Month, EO complaint process
The February 2022 JDEC Newsletter is filled with impactful articles including:
- A message from General Knight about Martin Luther King Jr. as a leader.
- An interview with Arwa Kadhem, an IT Specialist at the J6, who took great risks to leave her native Iraq to live in Vermont.
- An article written by General Knight about belonging that addresses the “Good Old Boy Network” problem we and many organizations face.
- An article written by Lt. Col. Pamela Koppelmann about trust and its tangible benefits.
- News about a Black History Month celebration event scheduled for Feb. 17.
- An article about Stephan Bates – the first known sheriff in New England who lived and worked in Vergennes.
- An article about respect by Capt. Candice McClure. Sometimes respect is not as straightforward as we assume.
- A step by step guide about the military equal opportunity complaint process previewing our new EO policy and SOP.
Let’s honor Dr. King as a leader. When faced with challenges, let’s incorporate his fearlessness and tenacity. Let’s reflect on how far our country has come together thanks to how hard he has challenged us. Let’s keep moving forward.