The First Company Governor's Foot Guard

10/15/2026

🎗️ October Is More Than Just a Month of Awareness.

October brings attention to three deeply important causes: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and World Mental Health Day (October 10).

Three different causes. One powerful message: You never truly know the battles someone else is fighting.

Early detection saves lives. Speaking up can save lives. Compassion, understanding, and support can change lives.

At the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard, we recognize that strength isn’t always measured by what we can endure, but also by our willingness to stand beside those who are struggling.

Check on your people. Listen without judgment. Speak up. And above all, be kind.

10/11/2026

Annual Training may have had the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard hard at work, but our responsibilities didn’t stop at the gates of Camp Niantic!

While our members were busy sharpening their skills, strengthening their readiness, and carrying on centuries of military tradition, we were also answering the call to fulfill additional commitments for the Connecticut Military Department.

From the Ellington 250th Anniversary Celebration to the Hartford Athletic Championship Game, our members proudly represented the First Company while balancing an already demanding Annual Training schedule.

Because when duty calls, the First Company answers - even when our calendar says we’re already busy! 🇺🇸

Balancing training, tradition, and service is no small task, but our members stepped up to ensure every mission was carried out with the professionalism, pride, and dedication that have defined this Company since 1771.

10/08/2026

On this day in 1771, a legacy was born.

Today, October 8th, we proudly celebrate the 255th birthday of the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard!

Long before the United States declared its independence, before Connecticut became a state, and before our nation was even born, the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard was established by charter in 1771.

For more than two and a half centuries, our Company has stood as a living testament to Connecticut’s military heritage, carrying forward the traditions, discipline, and commitment to service established by those who came before us.

Through the American Revolution, the birth of a nation, generations of change, and countless chapters of American history, one thing has remained constant: the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard continues to stand.But our history isn’t simply found in old documents, historic uniforms, or the sound of muskets on the parade ground.

Our history is alive. It lives in every member who has worn our uniform, every officer who has led our ranks, every tradition passed from one generation to the next, and every individual who continues to dedicate their time to preserving something far greater than themselves.

We are more than a ceremonial military unit. We are the guardians of a legacy that began 255 years ago, and we carry the responsibility of ensuring that legacy continues for generations yet to come. Today, we honor those who founded this Company, those who served before us, those who stand proudly in our ranks today, and those who will one day take our place.

1771 wasn’t simply the beginning of our history. It was the beginning of a promise to preserve it.

Happy 255th Birthday to the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard!

10/04/2026

There are some members whose impact on the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard simply cannot be measured by years of service, rank, or the positions they held.

As Second Lieutenant David McInerney and First Sergeant Wayne Lanham prepare to retire from the First Company, we recognize two of our most valued members…men whose dedication, leadership, knowledge, and commitment have left a lasting mark on this historic organization.

Throughout their service, both men have given countless hours to the Company, not for recognition, but because they believed in the mission, the traditions, and most importantly the people standing beside them.

Their experience and institutional knowledge cannot easily be replaced. They have helped guide members, supported leadership, passed down traditions, and contributed to the brotherhood and camaraderie that have sustained the First Company for generations.

Retirement may mark the end of their active service with the Company, but it does not erase the legacy they leave behind. The lessons taught, the stories shared, the friendships built, and the example they set will remain part of the First Company long after they hang up their uniforms.

To Second Lieutenant David McInerney and First Sergeant Wayne Lanham: thank you for your service, your loyalty, your friendship, and everything you have given to the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard.

You leave this Company better because you were part of it…and you will always be part of the First Company family.

Please join us in congratulating these two outstanding gentlemen on their well-earned retirement. 🇺🇸

10/04/2026

Thank you to FOX61 for this great segment! 📺 🎥

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fuEWswKtrh4&pp=iggUQAFKEGtqSUdFQXRsUkVycTBZWmM%3D&ra=m&fbclid=IwVERDUAUvXOZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUPoQNIyTSTBJBlhJ8kA6oflHjJ7u1HNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7i5WJtuby_qfg-sBMGF91LE83Q2y_fG5eSJnh4IdCP7jYtaUQX_BKYFysjRA_aem_wN3SkIga1U8ur_WG3v1fJQ

Saturday's event at the Old State House in Hartford celebrated the ...

10/04/2026

Blue skies, sunshine, and more than two centuries of tradition came together for a beautiful Rochambeau Day!

After last weekend’s weather forced a postponement, today was well worth the wait as the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard joined Connecticut’s Old State House to commemorate comte de Rochambeau, the French forces, and the Franco-American alliance that helped secure American independence.

We were honored to be joined by our sister company, the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, along with the Kentish Guard, distinguished guests, dignitaries, and friends who came together to celebrate and preserve this important piece of our shared history.

And we can’t forget the incredible George Washington and comte de Rochambeau reenactors, who truly helped bring this moment in history to life. Their portrayals gave those in attendance a glimpse into the people, partnership, and history behind the traditions we continue to honor today.

As America celebrates 250 years, there’s no better time to bring our history to life.

A special thank you to Sally Whipple, Executive Director, and Nicole Sousa, Events & Outreach Manager, of the Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House; Brad Fay of Stepping Stone Strategies; Christine Jewell of the Ancient Burying Ground, and Lieutenant Brittany Franco, Public Affairs Officer with the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard.

Events like Rochambeau Day don’t simply happen. Without the countless hours of hard work, coordination, and planning that take place behind the scenes, longstanding traditions like this would not be possible. Thank you for helping ensure this piece of history continues for another generation. Blue skies, sunshine, and more than two centuries of tradition came together for a beautiful Rochambeau Day!

10/03/2026

Don’t forget! TOMORROW!!!

This amazing event, with the partnership of , is sure to be one to remember!

We look forward to seeing old faces and new ones celebrating a momentous moment in Connecticut’s history!

10/02/2026

Our Annual Training came to an earlier than planned conclusion this year as we shift our focus to our rescheduled Rochambeau Commemoration this Saturday.

Over the past several days, you’ve seen the training, the range, the muskets, the drill, the classroom instruction, and plenty of moments of camaraderie. But what you don’t always see are the people working behind the scenes for months to make it all happen.

And they deserve some serious credit.

🍽️ Sergeant Brites, our Mess Sergeant, kept the Company fed, happy, and ready to train with some incredible meals throughout the week. A well-fed Company is a happy Company, and he certainly delivered.

⚙️ LT Trimboli, our Quartermaster; Staff Sergeant Buckland, our Supply Sergeant; and Sergeant Handschumacher, our Motor Sergeant, are the power behind the weapons, equipment, supplies, transportation, and, of course, making sure there is plenty of black powder and fun in stock. If we needed it, chances are they had already thought of it.

📸 LT Franco, our Public Affairs Officer, brought you along for the ride, giving you the behind the scenes and up close look at Annual Training that you’ve seen throughout the week.

🎓 Captain Gara, Headquarters Company Commander, brought years of experience, knowledge, and instruction to the table, giving our members invaluable insight and education throughout training.

🗺️ And finally Major Hite, LT McHugh, SGM Caraballo and Captain Cyr were the brains behind the planning, scheduling, coordination, and missions that turned months of preparation into a successful week on the ground.

Annual Training doesn’t simply happen when we arrive at camp. Long before the first member reports in, there are countless hours of planning, ordering, coordinating, preparing, troubleshooting, and adjusting taking place behind the scenes.

These individuals, and all those who stepped up throughout the week, are the backbone of a successful, productive, safe, and rewarding Annual Training.

To everyone who put in the work when nobody was watching: thank you.

Now, we trade Annual Training for another important piece of our history and tradition.

Next stop: Rochambeau Day. 🇺🇸🇫🇷

10/02/2026

Thursday at Annual Training had us shifting gears as we traded the range for some time back on the drill floor. 🇺🇸

The morning was dedicated to Drill & Ceremony (D&C) as the Company prepared for our rescheduled Rochambeau Day this Saturday. After a week of weapons training and field activities, it was time to sharpen formations, movements, and ceremonial precision ahead of one of First Company’s longstanding traditions.

The afternoon brought everyone indoors for some good old-fashioned PowerPoint presentations. 📊

LT Franco, our Public Affairs Officer, gave the Company insight into Operations Security (OPSEC) and Social Media, focusing on how what we share online can impact not only the individual, but the unit as a whole.

LT McHugh, our Adjutant, followed with a presentation on Company Administration & Personnel Procedures, helping members better understand the administrative side of serving with First Company.

We concluded the day on a much more relaxed note with our Family & Friends Cookout and Picnic- a chance to step away from training, enjoy some good food, and spend time with the families and friends who support our members throughout the year.

10/01/2026

On Monday, our members studied the history, operation, and safe handling of black powder weapons. Yesterday, they brought that knowledge to life at Camp Wyllis…stepping beyond the classroom and into the hands on experience of loading, handling, and firing these remarkable pieces of military history.

With every careful movement, thunderous report, and unmistakable cloud of smoke, our members connected with a tradition carried forward through generations of the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard. This is more than training to us … it’s a direct link to those who served before us.

History isn’t just something we preserve. Sometimes, we get to fire it. 🇺🇸💥

And you don’t have to watch history from the sidelines.

If you’re looking for camaraderie, tradition, unique training opportunities, and the chance to become part of an organization with centuries of history behind it, there’s a place for you in our ranks.