Vermont Air Guard cancels July 4 flyovers to train for Iraq

Above: A flyover at the 'Wings Over Vermont' celebration last August, which commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the Vermont Air Guard. The airshow took place at the Burlington Waterfront on Lake Champlain.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — The Vermont Air National Guard is canceling a series of July 4 flyovers in Vermont and Maine because the pilots and support personnel are preparing for another overseas deployment.

In a letter to the seven Vermont communities and one in Maine that had been expecting flyovers, Air Guard Col. Phil Murdock said the real-world mission had to take precedence.

“Our time, energy and resources must be dedicated to preparing for deployment,” said Murdock, commander of the 158th Fighter Wing...

“We’re rapidly approaching our time,” said Air Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Lloyd Goodrow. “Nothing concrete yet, but our time in the box is coming around soon.”

Read the rest at Air Force Times

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