Green Mountain Guard May 2024

J-9 Mission: The J-9 directorate of integrated programs empowers members and families to reach their full potential within a culture supportive of growth, resilience, and adaptability.

Over the last 20 years the military has added many programs to support Service members, Veterans and Families. However, what we found is that as those programs were added, they were assigned to different areas of the organization. As a result, the program managers reported to different sections, and it often became confusing for members or units to find the right program for the right person at the right time.

To remedy this, the VTNG adopted a new organizational structure in 2022 that consolidates all these people-centered programs, now known as the “J-9,” or the Wellness, Readiness and Prevention (WRAP) Directorate.

This creates a no wrong door resource for units, members, and their families to access all the care available. This new structure will also enable all the programs to coordinate initiatives, support one another, and mitigate training redundancies wherever possible.

To contact J-9 resources, call 888-607-8773 (24/7); a Vermont Veterans Outreach Specialist will connect you with the program(s) you need.

To speak directly with a VTNG credentialed advocate for those impacted by sexual assault, call 802-316-6734 (24/7).

To speak with Behavioral Health services, Army members can call 802-503-2433 (24/7); and Air members call 802-660-5463 (Office hours).

To access the Veterans Crisis Line, call 988 and press 1 or text 838255.

The J-9, WRAP resources include:

Family Programs and Airmen & Family Readiness

Behavioral Health (Joint)

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (Joint)

Equal Employment and Opportunity; and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Joint)

Army Resilience, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention

Integrated Primary Prevention Program (Joint)

Chaplains (Joint)

It is truly an honor to serve you and your families, and as the J-9 team we are committed to help you to be your best.

-Mr. Scott Detweiler - J9 Director

The Vermont Army National Guard has named its Best Warriors of 2024; Sgt. Zach Joseph of HHC, 3-172nd Infantry, and Spc. Zachary Keefer of A Co. 572 BEB, outscored their peers, earning the titles of Best Warrior among Non-Commissioned Officers and Junior Enlisted Soldiers, respectively.

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They distinguished themselves by demonstrating exceptional skill, endurance, and leadership, earning them the highest scores during the two-day competition that featured a barrage of intense and demanding physical and mental tests.

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“I had a lot of tough competition out there,” said Sgt. Zach Joseph. “Everyone was working so hard in every event, it really is an honor to have been able to say my effort earned me the win.”

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Within the ranks of the United States military, sharing a last name is not all that uncommon, but for U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sarah Gerry and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Laura Gerry, it's more than just a coincidence, that’s because the two are sisters.

Sarah, an aircraft armament systems loader at the 158th Fighter Wing, joined the Vermont Air National Guard in June 2014, saying she was driven to leveraging the Guard's educational benefits, embracing the globe-trotting life, and “learning unique skills while gaining leadership opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Laura, a munitions systems storage handler at the 158th Fighter Wing, was influenced to enlist at the Vermont Air Guard in 2020 by a blend of personal and professional aspirations. “Learning skills that I would not be able to in the civilian workforce I saw as incredibly valuable,” she said.

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