Vermont is a state with the population over 600 thousand people. The state has a veteran population over 36k click here for more Vermont veteran information. Vermont is surrounded by New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York.

Vermont State Flag History

The first flags in what is now the American state of Vermont were those of the European colonial empires that settled there. Both the French and British made early attempts at settlement in what is now Vermont. The land was in dispute between the British colonies of New Hampshire and New York when the American Revolution began in 1775. During the war, in 1777, settlers there declared the independent nation of the Vermont Republic, which acted as an ally to the United States against Great Britain. The Green Mountain Boys Militia Flag became associated with the republic.

It consisted of a field of green with a blue canton containing 13 white stars. The Vermont Republic persisted until 1791, when it earned admission to the United States as the 14th state. In 1795, the national flag of the United States added two stars to the original thirteen in its canton in honor of the admission of Vermont and Kentucky. Vermont continued to see changes in the national flag until the present 50 star flag. Vermont used the Green Mountain Boys Flag as its state flag until 1804 when the number of states increased to 17.

Vermont adopted a flag similar to the national flag, but with 17 stars and 17 stripes. The word Vermont appeared in the top stripe. In 1837, Vermont changed its flag to one with 13 red and white horizontal stripes and a blue canton with the state’s coat of arms. Since there was often confusion between the state and national flags, Vermont finally adopted its current state flag in 1923.

The flag shows the state’s coat of arms on a field of dark blue.

The pine tree in the middle represents the forests of Vermont, while the cow and three sheaves of wheat represent the dairy and agriculture industries of the state. The Green Mountains are seen in the background. The deer head on the top is symbolic of the state’s wildlife. The state motto, “Freedom and Unity” is written in a red banner below the shield.

 

Map of Vermont Military Bases

Coast Guard Station Burlington

Originally established in 1948, Coast Guard Station Burlington was staffed by only four people. It was a seasonal position whose main responsibility was to maintain the navigation aids on Lake Champlain. Today it has grown into a year-round operation staffed by 25 Guardsmen. Over the years, commercial traffic on the lake has decreased, but tourist traffic has increased exponentially. The staff here have their hands full with over 200 search and rescue operations per year, as well as assisting disabled boaters, locating missing vessels and responding to accidents on the lake. Winter adds another dimension to their calls to action, throwing ice rescue training into the mix. All in all, Coast Guard Station Burlington responds to help over 1,000 boaters every year. Another very important part of their mission is maintaining the 40 short-range aids and 103 floating aids of navigation (also known as ATON). Burlington is part of the First Coast Guard District and reports to Sector Northern New England. Their main area of responsibility revolves around the 125 miles of Lake Champlain and Coast Guard Auxiliary coordination for Lake George and Lake Scanadaga.