It's been a busy couple of months for the Vermont National Guard's approximately 2,700 service members.
At the start of the year, the Vermont Air National Guard was deployed to the Caribbean to assist U.S. forces. The operation culminated in the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
About 160 service members are currently in Germany as part of a multinational mission to train Ukrainian soldiers to fight the Russians. Other Air National Guard members are deployed in the Middle East.
"It's a significant piece of our flying operation, and we can't wait to bring them home," said Maj. Gen. Henry “Hank” Harder, Jr. on Vermont Edition. "We don't know when they're coming home, but we're really looking forward to welcoming them back."
Harder took command of the Vermont National Guard on Mar. 7. State lawmakers elected him in February.
The election itself was unique. Vermont is the only state in which members of the state legislature elect the Adjutant General. In the other 49 states, the Adjutant General is a gubernatorial appointee, similar to a cabinet-level position.
Regarding international deployments — some of which have drawn scrutiny — Harder said those decisions are in the hands of U.S. military officials.
"We are no longer operationally in control of our soldiers and airmen at that point," he said. "We certainly support them from here."
Vermont's Congressional delegation continues to criticize President Trump for the recent U.S. military actions in Venezuela and Iran, which occurred without Congressional authorization.
But Harder believes the National Guard's current deployments are constitutional. He said he has never followed an unlawful order in his more than 30 years in the military, and he never would.
"I would never ask my soldiers and airmen to do something that I thought was unlawful," Harder said. "I am depending on our three co-equal branches of government to do their job and put us in a position where we are defending the nation and doing our jobs."
Destined for the Guard
Harder was fascinated by aviation and military service from a young age. His father was a naval aviator in World War II. Three of his uncles also served in World War II.
After graduating from the University of Vermont, Harder worked as a flight instructor and charter pilot before applying to the Vermont Air National Guard for pilot training. "I went into it clear-eyed," he said.
After about two years of active duty training, he returned to Vermont to fly F-16s. He recalled the first time he flew an F-16, which he described as "easy to fly, challenging to land."
"I had an instructor in the back seat behind me, and I had a lot of hours in the simulator before actually taking the jet out on the runway and pushing the throttle up to take off the first time," Harder said. "But I tell you, it was something I'll never forget."
One of Harder's top priorities in his new role is recruitment. The Vermont National Guard has several hundred vacancies to fill. Harder said he plans to work closely with state officials to address their workforce development challenges.
"Our retention rates are very high, amongst the top three in the nation," he said. Harder also cited tuition benefits and a variety of job specialty skills that can help service members cross over into civilian roles.
Harder said one of his biggest points of pride is when he can help Vermonters during crises like the pandemic and the floods of 2023 and 2024.
"That is really when our soldiers and airmen are at their best, lending a helping hand to our fellow Vermonters," he said.
Today's show also included a conversation with Jared Duval, executive director of Energy Action Network, on recent rising gas prices across Vermont.
Broadcast live on Monday, March 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.
