Vermont Army National Guard preparing for 'Super Bowl of training' at Burlington rail yard

Jess Aloe
Burlington Free Press
Vermont Army National Guard vehicles line the Burlington rail yard on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

The Vermont Army National Guard is loading vehicles and other equipment onto rail cars in downtown Burlington this week in preparation for "the Super Bowl of training events."

The Guard is heading to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for a Joint Readiness Training Center Rotation. Roughly 2,000 Vermonters are making the trip to Louisiana, said Capt. Mike Arcovitch. 

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Over 5,000 soldiers from 18 states will participate in the exercises in total, which simulate a realistic, high-stress deployed environment. The training will last about a month, from the end of April until the end of May.

The event is the largest exercise available for infantry. 

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"Vermont's Mountain Brigade's stellar reputation earned in combat and through multiple trips to JRTC in the past is why we were selected," said Col. Nathan Lord, commander of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.  

A Vermont Army National Guard truck awaits loading onto a flat-car at the Burlington rail yard on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

The preparations will continue through Thursday. Most of the equipment will be moved to the rail yard early in the morning to minimize traffic disruptions, Arcovitch said. 

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In 2017, former top Guardsman Maj. Gen. Stephen Cray hinted at a possible brigade-wide deployment, though no plans have been announced. Army units train four or five year cycles, and are expected to be ready to deploy at the end of the cycle.

A soldier from the Vermont National Guard's 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) stands guard behind an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun during a "Decisive Action Training Environment" rotation at Fort Polk, La., June 21, 2014. The 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), parent unit of 3rd Battalion, is the only National Guard brigade to take part in a rotation here at the Joint Readiness Training Center in 2014

Cray said the Vermont Army National Guard would hit peak readiness in late 2019 or 2020. 

Contact Jess Aloe at 802-660-1874 or jaloe@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @jess_aloe