ETHAN ALLEN FIRING RANGE, Vt. – Marking a century of military training and innovation, leaders of the Vermont Army National Guard and Ethan Allen Firing Range directed an effort in April to blend history, modernization and hands-on engineer training through Task Force Centennial Alliance 2026.
Task Force Centennial Alliance 2026, a joint, regional exercise celebrating the 100th anniversary of Ethan Allen Firing Range, or EAFR, recognized EAFR’s beginnings with a mix of construction, collaboration and combat readiness training.
Teamwork was a cornerstone of the effort, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Austin Barber, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, Garrison Support Command, Vermont Army National Guard.
“It’s an opportunity for engineer units to get together, build esprit de corps and camaraderie while working on construction projects, improving infrastructure and developing our training areas,” Barber said.
Established in 1892, Fort Ethan Allen in Essex, Vermont, and Colchester, Vermont, was identified for closure after World War I, when artillery capability had become more important than maintaining a horse-mounted cavalry. In 1923, leaders proposed a new training area to save Fort Ethan Allen, and local business and political leaders rallied support for establishing a more permanent training facility. In 1926, the president of the United States authorized the final purchase of land for the proposed training area. By 1930, the new installation officially became the Fort Ethan Allen Artillery Range.
At the recent training, horizontal construction teams focused on mobility improvements essential to training operations. U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin Lyons, 181st Engineer Horizontal Construction Company, or EHCC, Massachusetts Army National Guard, said work involved roadway improvement using a grader to set the road grade and a roller to compact the material.
“Our main focus is to enhance the movement of company and battalion-size elements,” Lyons said. “It was an honor to be here.”
Vertical construction efforts included complex structural work, including the construction of concrete masonry units and walls to prepare for framing.
“It’s great training … and it’s just a great thing to be helping our fellow Vermont Guard,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Jonathan Caceres, 181st Engineer Vertical Construction Company, or EVCC, Massachusetts Army National Guard.
Other projects involved construction, enhancing bivouac areas and draining systems and addressing wildlife problems.
Near the Jericho Readiness Center, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brima Massaquoi, 181st EVCC, described a project to finish a concrete pad on which a trash compactor would be placed.
“That compactor is being placed to deter the bears in this area from being able to get at the trash and creating a huge mess,” Massaquoi said.
For vertical construction engineers, projects such as the concrete pad offer critical hands-on training.
“It allows us to put our skills to the test … especially for a lot of Soldiers who don’t practice these skills on the outside,” Massaquoi said.
Beyond engineering tasks, units incorporated tactical training to maintain overall readiness.
“Although we’re primarily engineers, we’re still Army Soldiers at heart,” said U.S. Army Capt. Brandon Lambert, 379th Engineer Construction Company, Massachusetts National Guard.
He said his teams used simulation rounds during force-on-force training to reinforce battlefield fundamentals.
Safety remained a priority. U.S. Army Sgt. Destiny Charlebois, Medical Detachment, 186th Brigade Support Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard, reinforced the importance of on-site medical care.
“It’s best to respond when you’re right there versus waiting for EMS,” Charlebois said.
Centennial Alliance 2026 resulted in more than $1 million in completed construction, 5,000 tons of material moved, 1,300 concrete masonry blocks laid and miles of roads and training areas improved. The exercise also trained 265 personnel in military occupational specialty-specific tasks while achieving a 92% operational readiness rate across the vehicular fleet.
In addition to hosting task force command elements, the Vermont Army National Guard’s Garrison Support Command oversaw range operations, maintenance and sustainment operations for the exercise.
An official closing ceremony recognized top Soldiers and contributors of the exercise. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Henry “Hank” Harder Jr., the adjutant general of Vermont, offered remarks and commended Soldiers for their performance. He also offered special recognition to U.S Army Staff Sgt. Kathleen Thompson, who performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” a cappella.
The exercise embodied the enduring spirit of the U.S. Army National Guard’s engineer corps, which Barber summed up simply as: “Essayons…let us try.”