Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing received a warm welcome home Sunday after deploying first to the Caribbean and then to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury.
Families and friends were on hand at the base in South Burlington, Vt.
“Today is about welcoming our airmen home and recognizing the extraordinary commitment they and their families have demonstrated throughout this deployment,” Maj. Gen. Henry Harder Jr., adjutant general of Vermont, said in a news release. “Our airmen answered when our nation called, and their families carried an equally important burden here at home. I am incredibly proud of all of them and grateful to everyone who stood behind them throughout their time away.”
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing received a warm welcome home Sunday after deploying first to the Caribbean and then to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury. (Vermont Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, walks with Col. Michael Blair, the commander of 158th Fighter Wing, at the Vermont Air National Guard Base, South Burlington, Vt., Sept. 6, 2026. Nordhaus traveled to Vermont to welcome home airmen from the 158th Fighter Wing from a deployment to the Middle East. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
Some members of the wing have not been home since December. The first part of the deployment was to Puerto Rico, ahead of the U.S. mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Airmen then moved on to the Middle East.
“For months, our airmen remained focused on the mission while their families carried on at home,” said Col. Michael Blair, commander of the 158th Fighter Wing. “Their professionalism and resilience throughout this deployment have been remarkable. Our focus now is giving our Airmen and their families the time and space they need to reconnect and reintegrate.”
Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, was on hand for the welcoming ceremony.
“Thank you for your service, tenacity and the sacrifice you and your families made for our nation. Outstanding job, 158th,” Nordhaus said.
Airmen assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing of the the Vermont Air National Guard return from an overseas deployment Sept. 6, 2026, in South Burlington, Vt. (Michael Davis/Air National Guard)
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