The Vermont State Guard | |
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Active | 1982 – present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Vermont |
Branch | Army |
Type | State defense force |
Role | Military reserve force |
Size | approx. 180 Cadre (cadre serve as a leadership & training core), post-9/11 was approx. 900 total |
Part of | Vermont Military Department, Vermont National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Camp Johnson – Colchester, Vermont |
Motto(s) | "Ready to Serve" |
Commanders | |
Civilian leadership | Governor Phil Scott Governor of Vermont |
State military leadership | Major General Gregory C. Knight Vermont Adjutant General Major General (VSG) Kenneth Stratton Commander VSG (since August 2018) |
The Vermont State Guard (VSG) is the all-volunteer state defense force of the state of Vermont. The Vermont State Guard serves parallel to the Vermont National Guard, acting as a reserve force for the State of Vermont Military Department. The Vermont State Guard is a reserve force composed of individuals living as civilians when not activated, but the force can be activated in the event of an attack or natural disaster to serve as a force multiplier for the National Guard, and is assigned to fulfill the state mission of the National Guard when the National Guard is deployed.
Unlike the National Guard, the State Guard cannot be federalized or deployed outside the country. Rather, the VSG can only be called up by the governor, and cannot be deployed outside the state without the governor's permission. The Vermont State Guard is authorized under Title 32, Section 109 of the United States Code and Title 20, Part 3, Chapter 61, of the Vermont State Statutes[1] and was activated via Executive Order Number 67.