TAG's Corner
In the first February installment of TAG's Corner, General Knight discussed mental health awareness, suicide prevention, deployments, and the importance of diversity and inclusion within the Guard.
In the second installment, General Knight talked about the federal government's mask mandate, the COVID-19 vaccine, and the Courageous Voices podcast by Staff Sgt. Selena Correa and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kirby Addison.
COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
The second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine might kick you in the pants, but it won’t turn you into a fish or give you superpowers.
Medics with the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Medical Group delivered first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine here Feb. 3 while answering questions and dispelling rumors.
158th Fighter Wing trains at Tyndall AFB
Capitol Security
Approximately 100 Vermont Army National Guard Soldiers continued their mission to support security efforts near the Capitol in Washington.
A number of Soldiers took advantage of the setting to re-enlist or visit historical sites like Gettysburg and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The element from Vermont joins nearly 20,000 National Guard service members deployed to provide security, communications, medical evacuation, logistics, and safety support to district and federal agencies. The public’s safety is the top priority of the National Guard. Service members will meet the requirements of the supported civil authorities, posturing with protective equipment, weapons and live ammunition.
All service members deployed in support of Operation Capitol Response will follow COVID-19 protocols in accordance with Center for Disease Control guidelines and may quarantine upon their return from the Capitol region.
HR specialist brings love of languages to Vermont Guard
“Polyglot” is not a word typically used to describe someone. For Ines Eley, the newly hired human resources specialist at Camp Johnson, who has mastered seven languages and dialects, it suits her well. Born in the Republic of Congo, and educated in Senegal and France, Eley has a natural ability for learning languages.
Not surprisingly, her multilingual talents only tell part of her story. Eley was born in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, a city with a population of approximately 1.7 million people. It was the one-time capital of Free France during World War II. When Eley group up there, it was known for its vibrant music scene where nearly every street made room for musicians.
10th Mountain Division Soldiers undergo specialized training in extreme weather
An introduction to unique winter skill sets was provided to soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division Feb. 18-20 at the Vermont Army National Guard Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vermont.
Experts from the Army National Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) guided squads through exercises specific to operations in a mountainous winter environment.
Special Emphasis Program Managers discuss Black History Month, inclusion
As Black History Month draws to a close, Vermont Guard Special Emphasis Program Managers Army Staff Sgt. Selena Correa and Air Force Tech Sgt. Kirby Addison joined Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight for an additional discussion on the month’s events following a Feb. 19 “TAG's Corner.”
Highlighting ideas on increasing diversity and inclusion throughout the Guard, Addison said progress and lasting change are necessary “in order to be the best nation we can be.” Addison said that support from all command levels is essential to achieving these goals.
Vermont Air National Guard On Drill
Promotions
Army National Guard
- Pvt.-2 Samuel Austin
- Pvt.-2 Elijah LaBounty
- Spc. Madison Day
- Spc. Zachary Schult
- Spc. Amanda Shute
- Cpl. Shane Arcilla
- Cpl. Brennan Bordonaro
- Cpl. Alan Phillips
- Cpl. Skye Stevens
- Sgt. James Kessebaum
- Sgt. Taylor Laurin
- Sgt. Shawn Rainville
- Sgt. Albert Snow
- Sgt. 1st Class Michael Shackford
Air National Guard
- Senior Airman Tun Lam
- Staff Sgt. Derrick Langalis
- Staff Sgt. Spencer Marquis
- Tech. Sgt. Garvin Laurent
- Tech. Sgt. Christopher Russell