Vermont Air National Guard members to be deployed to the Caribbean, Sen. Welch says

Members of the Vermont Air National Guard are being deployed to the Caribbean, according to Sen. Peter Welch.Welch sent out a release on Friday evening, saying that members of the 158th Fighter Wing will be sent to the Caribbean to support Operation Southern Spear.Welch thanked VTANG for their service and said he knows how difficult it will be to leave their families during the holiday season. He also said that he strongly opposes the Trump administration’s mobilization of the Vermont Air National Guard and urged Congress to step in and prevent Trump from beginning an “undeclared” and “illegal” war against Venezuela.”I will continue to urge my colleagues — Democrats and Republicans — not to cede our constitutional authority for a war of choice based on lies,” Welch said in a prepared statement.NBC5 earlier reported that the Vermont Air National Guard had been ordered to active federal duty, but until Friday, it was unclear where those forces would be deployed.Trump said Wednesday that the United States had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress. NBC5 has reached out to the Department of Defense for more information. They declined to comment.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. —

Members of the Vermont Air National Guard are being deployed to the Caribbean, according to Sen. Peter Welch.

Welch sent out a release on Friday evening, saying that members of the 158th Fighter Wing will be sent to the Caribbean to support Operation Southern Spear.

Welch thanked VTANG for their service and said he knows how difficult it will be to leave their families during the holiday season. He also said that he strongly opposes the Trump administration’s mobilization of the Vermont Air National Guard and urged Congress to step in and prevent Trump from beginning an “undeclared” and “illegal” war against Venezuela.

“I will continue to urge my colleagues — Democrats and Republicans — not to cede our constitutional authority for a war of choice based on lies,” Welch said in a prepared statement.

NBC5 earlier reported that the Vermont Air National Guard had been ordered to active federal duty, but until Friday, it was unclear where those forces would be deployed.

Trump said Wednesday that the United States had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.

NBC5 has reached out to the Department of Defense for more information. They declined to comment.