Vermont Guard leaders tell committee S.56 study could boost recruitment, speed citizenship for new Americans

Senior Vermont National Guard leaders testified to the House Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee on April 24 that a legislative study of an Office of New Americans, as proposed in S.56, would help the state recruit and integrate immigrant residents — including those who join the Guard — and assist with employment and credentialing challenges facing immigrant families.

Bringing numbers: “Since 2020, we have 14 non‑citizens who have joined” in the Air National Guard and 11 who gained citizenship through Guard service, General Knight told the committee, adding that in the Army National Guard the unit tracks 35 lawful permanent residents with 14 enlisted since 2022 and five who have become citizens; he also said there may be additional service members who have since naturalized but have not…