MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont lawmakers will soon decide who will lead the state’s National Guard as Major General Gregory Knight retires and plans to leave his post in early March.
Two military commanders made their bid at the Statehouse on Tuesday to be the next commander of the Vermont National Guard.
“I come to you here with a deep sense of passion, passion for service,” said Vermont National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Hank Harder.
“I’ve worked very hard to get here, and I just appreciate the opportunity,” said Vermont National Guard Col. Roger “Brent” Ziegler.
Harder, who served for 36 years, wants to prioritize recruiting and focus on strength, readiness, resilience, and respect. “We need to be ready all the time for federal call-up and state missions. I will continue to keep my eye on the ball to make sure our soldiers and airmen have the resources they need to do their job,” Harder said.
Ziegler has served for several decades and wants his position to mark a transformational era with a focus on soldiers feeling protected, respected, and empowered. “Strengthening recruitment and enhancing retention, improving disaster response and combat readiness, and building a trusted professional organized organization,” Ziegler said.
The job has more attention now as Vermont Air National Guard troops were deployed to the Caribbean, and others are headed to Germany to train Ukrainian soldiers.
Lawmakers asked how the men would follow the law in light of the Trump administration’s numerous requests to call up Guard units for law enforcement roles in U.S. cities.
“It’s never been murky in my career. I think we need to make that as clear as we can. But as adjutant general, I will follow the letter of the law, that’s what I can tell you,” Harder said.
The two also emphasized disaster response with a changing climate and a focus on the mental health and well-being of soldiers. “Where service members know when they have to come to drill, when their annual training is, that helps out with their relationship with their employers and in turn helps out with retention,” Ziegler said.
Vermont is the only state in the country that has lawmakers vote on the adjutant general. That vote is scheduled for February 19. The change of command ceremony is set for March 7.
