Vermont National Guard Presents Governor Phil Scott Historic Photo

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez | Governor Phil Scott visited with Soldiers from 3rd Battalion 172nd Infantry-Mountain, who were part of Task Force Avalanche, and assisted with the Kabul Airlift during Operation Allies Refuge. The Office of The Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard and the Soldiers of the Mountain Battalion presented Gov. Scott with a photo from the flight when they departed. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez)  

COLCHESTER, VERMONT, UNITED STATES

11.30.2022

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez 

Joint Force Headquarters - Vermont National Guard Public Affairs

Camp Johnson, Colchester, Vermont- Vermont Governor Phil Scott stopped by Camp Johnson November 30, to talk to three Soldiers who were deployed in 2021. The Soldiers took part in “Operation Allies Refuge” in the final days of war in Afghanistan.
The three Vermont Soldiers who met Scott were with Task Force Avalanche, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry (Mountain) and were assigned to U.S. Central Command in Southwest Asia. Spc. Noah Scott, Sgt. Riley Benoit, and Staff Sgt. Ian Facey were mortarmen assigned to provide security at the airport with indirect fire if needed.
Scott listened as the Soldiers described what their mission was at the airport and what it was like to take part in such an historic event.
Sgt. Benoit described what it was like while they were on duty.
“The Taliban patrolled the streets outside the airport. We would see them about every 15 minutes while we were up in the guard towers looking down on them. They were armed and we were armed but we never raised our weapons, and neither did they thankfully.”
The Afghan capitol Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15th, Hamid Karzai Airport was the only route out of the country that was not controlled by the Taliban. The Vermont Soldiers were among several thousand NATO troops providing security at the airport. The Vermont Soldiers arrived at Hamid Karzai Airport on August 18th, and departed on August 29th. The Vermont Army National Guard presented Gov. Scott a framed photo of the Soldiers departing Afghanistan on a C-17 military transport that was packed with departing NATO forces.
The evacuation mission was one of the largest airlifts in history, from 14 August to the 24th the U.S. evacuated 82,300 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport.

• Date Taken: 11.30.2022
• Date Posted: 12.01.2022 14:28
• Story ID: 434302
• Location: COLCHESTER, VERMONT, US