183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute 

The Virginia Army National Guard’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute has a rich history and is recognized as one of the best warrior training locations due to the ability to leverage world class instructors and modern classroom facilities, as well as the extensive training resources at Fort Barfoot. This allows the Regional Training Institute to enhance our Warriors’ mastery of their craft while honing their leadership skills.

The Regiment is comprised of over 100 of the finest trainers in the Virginia Army National Guard organized into three battalions. The Regional Training Institute specializes in a multitude of areas, to include the 11B1O, 11B2/3, 11C1O, 88M1O Military Occupational Skill transition courses, the Air Assault and Pathfinder mobile training teams, the Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, the Virginia Army National Guard’s Marksmanship Program, and the Officer and Warrant Officer Candidate Schools.

In 2022 the Regiment was successful in maintaining their Accreditation, scoring in the top one percent in the country. The Regiment was able to do this while training over 1,000 Soldiers and simultaneously supporting Operation Allies Welcome, which allowed over 10,000 Afghans to be able to successfully come to the United States through Fort Barfoot. Instructors from 1st Battalion, under the command of LTC Richard Harrison, were focused on training infantryman and graduated almost 300 Soldiers from the courses they provided in 2022. Instructors from 2nd Battalion, under the command of LTC Aaron Loy, focused on transportation training courses and qualified more than 100 new truck drivers, as well as conducting additional bus driver and truck driver training to units throughout the Virginia Army National Guard. 

Instructors from 3rd Battalion, under the command of LTC Eric Quinn, had the privileged mission of training the future leaders of the Virginia Army National Guard as they host the Officer Candidate and Warrant Officer Candidate Schools. This past year saw the battalion commission over 20 second lieutenants. The Warrant Officer Candidate School produced 6 newly minted Warrant Officers.

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183rd RTI News

The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Warrant Officer Candidate School hosts a Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course Sept. 8-10, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Completion of Pre-WOC is a prerequisite for any Virginia Army National Guard Soldier to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School. At the end of the course, Chief Warrant Officer 5 John D. Calley, the VNG State Command Chief Warrant Officer, presented recognition coins to Sgt. John Gatling in recognition of his leadership skills and Spc. Evan Hahn for scoring the highest on the Army Combat Fitness Test. In addition, Warrant Officer Gisselotte Ventura was voted by her peers as the Training, Advising and Counseling officer of the cycle. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements)
Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course prepares Soldiers to become VAARNG’s technical experts
Sept. 15, 2023
The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Warrant Officer Candidate School hosted a Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course Sept. 8-10, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Completion of Pre-WOC is a pre-requisite for any Virginia Army National Guard Soldier to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School.
U.S. Army Soldiers from across the nation receive their blue Infantry Shoulder Cords July 26, 2023, in recognition of their successful completion of the 11B Infantry Transition Course, taught by cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Over three weeks, 22 Soldiers at the 10, 20 and 30 skill levels learned basic infantry tactics, testing themselves mentally and physically along the way. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
Challenge, camaraderie fuel 11B transition for newest infantry Soldiers
Aug. 8, 2023
A few times each year, the Virginia National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, conducts an 11B Infantry Transition Course. The Soldiers who attend this course, all junior Soldiers and noncommissioned officers, each arrive with their own reason for being there. Some want to test themselves, to see if they can survive and thrive in the infantry. Others are fulfilling childhood dreams, or chasing promotion opportunities. Whatever their reason, their goal is singular: to earn the 11B military occupational specialty and leave Fort Barfoot with a blue infantry shoulder cord.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers compete during the state’s annual small arms combat marksmanship match, hosted by the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, May 19-21, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Nearly 90 shooters participated in the event and competed as both individuals and as teams of four. The event required competitors to shoot with both rifle and pistol from a variety of firing positions and distances. The competition's final event was a three-gun match where teams of four traverse a course of three firing stations consisting of pistol, rifle and shotgun. The teams earn scores based on course time and target accuracy. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements)
VNG hosts combined arms marksmanship match
May 29, 2023
The Virginia National Guard’s Marksmanship Training Unit tested the skills of nearly 90 shooters during the Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match, a three-day combined arms match held May 19-21, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The Virginia National Guard’s annual marksmanship match brought together Soldiers and Airmen from across the state to test their skills on both rifle and pistol. The shooters were challenged with matches that required them to engage targets with both rifle and pistol from a variety of firing positions and distances.
The Virginia National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Dan Abbott and the West Virginia National Guard’s Spc. Bret Williams take top honors after the five-day Army National Guard Region II Best Warrior Competition May 19, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Abbott, a 12N horizontal construction engineer assigned to Fort Barfoot, was named Region II NCO of the Year, and Williams, a 12W carpentry and masonry specialist assigned to the 922nd Engineer Detachment, was named Region II Soldier of the Year. The West Virginia National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Avery Liller and the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Spc. Nicolas Shaffer were named runners-up in their respective categories. Eleven ARNG NCOs and Soldiers representing Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia participated in the five-day competition, which included a written exam, 13-mile ruck march, Army Warrior Tasks, day and night land navigation, confidence course, combat water survival test and timed multi-weapon challenge. See more photos of the competition at https://ngpa.us/25356.
Virginia NCO, West Virginia Soldier take top honors at Region II Best Warrior Competition
May 26, 2023
The Virginia National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Dan Abbott and the West Virginia National Guard’s Spc. Bret Williams took top honors after the five-day Army National Guard Region II Best Warrior Competition May 15-19, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia.
Virginia National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve candidates swear in as new the nation’s newest warrant officers during a recognition ceremony at the conclusion of the Virginia National Guard’s Warrant Officer Candidate School, taught by cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, May 6, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The ceremony marked the conclusion of WOCS for the six candidates, who were pinned with their new WO1 rank during the ceremony. Chief Warrant Officer 5 John D. Calley, the State Command Chief Warrant Officer, served as the guest speaker for the event.(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
New VNG warrant officers recognized as TACs make national impact
May 16, 2023
The Virginia Army National Guard’s Warrant Officer Candidate School celebrated and recognized the graduation of six warrant officer candidates from Class 23-001 in a ceremony held May 6, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The class of newly-promoted warrant officers included Soldiers from both the Virginia and North Carolina Army National Guard, as well as the U.S. Army Reserve.