BLACKSTONE, Va. -- The Virginia National Guard COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic is fully operational at Fort Pickett, and any service member, TRICARE beneficiary or Department of Defense retiree may schedule an appointment to receive their vaccination. Virginia Department of Military Affairs employees and members of the Virginia Defense Force are also eligible to receive a vaccination at the clinic.

The Virginia National Guard is a unique dual-status force with a federal mission to provide a combat reserve for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to fight our nation’s wars and a state mission to provide a response force that answers the call of the Governor to defend the commonwealth. The VNG traces the history and tradition of Citizen-Soldier service to the founding of Jamestown in 1607, and there has been a military presence defending Virginia ever since.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More than 100 Virginia Air National Guard engineers reunited with family, friends and fellow Airmen May 5, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, after serving on federal active duty in Southwest Asia since October 2020. Virginia National Guard senior leaders were also on hand to thank them for their service and welcome them home. Airmen assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE, were responsible for 15 engineer projects in six countries in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program hosted basic funeral honors training for 30 U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the Fort Eustis-based 7th Transportation Brigade April 19-23, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — For Sgt. Austin Sturtz, a recruiter assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion, the opportunity to support the local Habitat for Humanity’s “Raise the Roof” event in Newport News, Virginia, sounded like a great one.

FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia Army National Guard welcomed nine new lieutenants to their ranks in a ceremony held April 25, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The new lieutenants are part of the Virginia National Guard’s winter accelerated Officer Candidate School Class 64A. Col. Doyle Gillis, the Virginia National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel, served as the guest speaker for the event, while Lt. Col. James C. Shaver, commander of 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, administered the oath of office. 

FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and civilian employees of Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett planted two trees at the MTC garrison headquarters in honor of Earth Day April 22, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- For the first time in his more than 20 year career, Master Sgt. Christopher Plath held his breath and felt the intense pressure during the take off and landing of F-22 tail #85 on April 9, 2021. As a flight chief in the 192nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Plath stayed quietly in command of his exclusive team of Virginia Air National Guard maintainers, advising them to stay focused even while a crowd of onlookers started to gather on the Langley flight line in hopes of witnessing the end result of what Plath said were long, tireless hours.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based Headquarters, 329th Regional Support Group has received a mobilization order for federal active duty in the Middle East, according to an announcement made April 29, 2021, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. In Fall 2021, more than 80 Soldiers assigned to the 329th will begin a 10-month deployment in the Central Command Area of Operations under the operational control of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve serving as the base operating support-integrator for multiple installations.

FORT PICKETT, Va. -- Cadets enrolled in the Virginia Army National Guard’s Simultaneous Membership Program, or SMP, spent three days honing their military skills April 16-18, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Approximately 80 cadets from universities across Virginia attended.

LEXINGTON, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lexington-based Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were honored by the Lynchburg Police Department April 4, 2021, for their support to civilian law enforcement during protests in Lynchburg in June 2020.

ROCKY MOUNT, Va. — U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine visited with and thanked Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Rocky Mount-based 229th Chemical Company, 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group during a ceremony celebrating the unit’s recent successes April 10, 2021, in Rocky Mount, Virginia.