29th Infantry Division

Known as the Blue and Gray Division, the 29th Infantry Division is an Army National Guard operational-level headquarters located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Its origins date back to World War I and is most known for its participation in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach in World War II. The 29th ID wartime mission is to provide mission command to subordinate brigades and forces tailored for an assigned mission. It is one of eight divisions in the Army National Guard.

The Virginia Army National Guard's 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment and the 29th Infantry Division Band are aligned under the 29th.

The 29th Infantry Division exercises training and readiness oversight over the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Florida and Alabama, the 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team from Kentucky and Virginia, the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team from North Carolina and West Virginia, the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade from Maryland and Virginia, the 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade from Alabama, the 113th Sustainment Brigade from North Carolina and the 142nd Fires Brigade from Arkansas.

The Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division Headquarters returned to the United States in March 2022 after a 9-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as the headquarters of Task Force Spartan, which exercises command and control of Operation Spartan Shield. Task Force Spartan is a unique, multi-component, total Army organization, made up of active Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve support units and is led by a National Guard division headquarters on a rotational basis. 

In its role as Task Force Spartan, the 29th ID commanded two brigades and four battalion-level task forces. Units supporting Operation Spartan Shield provide capabilities such as aviation, logistics, force protection and information management. They also facilitated theater security cooperation activities such as key leader engagements, joint exercises, conferences, symposia, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response planning. Read more about the 29th’s mobilization at https://go.usa.gov/xzw3F. 

Visit the 29th Infantry Division on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/29thID/


2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
 
The Virginia National Guard's Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, mobilized as Task Force Pegasus, officially ended its mission in Kosovo during a transfer of authority ceremony Oct. 11, 2022, at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

During Task Force Pegasus’ rotation, over 1,700 flight hours and 275 aerial missions were completed, five multinational multi-ship flights, and 14 MedEvac missions, two of which required the use of a hoist and countless hours of training. Read more about Task Force Pegasus at https://ngpa.us/22186. 

More 2-224th news: https://ngpa.us/23176 

29th Division Band

The 29th ID Band received the Superior Unit Award for training excellence during Training Year 2019. 

More 29th Division Band news: https://ngpa.us/23177

29th ID News

Spc. Javan Cooper, an 11B infantryman assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, conducts urban movement during the Region II Best Warrior Competition May 6, 2026, at Camp Dawson near Kingwood, West Virginia. The multi-day competition includes finalists from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia who will face a series of challenges, including multiple ruck marches, weapons proficiency tests, a written exam and essay, land navigation and an appearance board. The top competitors from the regional competition will represent the region at the national level later this year in Florida. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
Virginia Soldiers endure miles, mud, minimal sleep at Region II Best Warrior Competition
May 19, 2026
Rain, mud, exhaustion and unrelenting Appalachian terrain challenged Soldiers as they vied for the titles of Best Soldier and Best Noncommissioned Officer during the Region II Best Warrior Competition May 4-7, 2026, at Camp Dawson near Kingwood, West Virginia. Representing the Virginia Army National Guard were Spc. Javan Cooper, an infantryman assigned to the 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, and Staff Sgt. Frederic Newton, a recruiter assigned to the Recruiting and Retention Battalion. 
A prevention specialist in the Virginia National Guard’s Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce is the Region 2 Prevention Specialist of the Year, according to an announcement at the National Guard Bureau’s Integrated Primary Prevention Symposium. Destiny Hairston was recognized at the symposium as well by the VNG’s resiliency leaders.
Hairston named top Region 2 prevention specialist
May 19, 2026
 A prevention specialist in the Virginia National Guard’s Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce is the Region 2 Prevention Specialist of the Year, according to an announcement at the National Guard Bureau’s Integrated Primary Prevention Symposium. 
Capt. Daniel B. Glass took command of the West Point-based 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group from Capt. Trevon S. Johnson during a change of command ceremony April 10, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Lt. Col. Ryan P. Miner, commander of the 276th, presided over the ceremony and the traditional exchange of unit colors, signifying the transfer of command from Johnson to Glass.
Glass takes command of 237th Engineers
May 18, 2026
Capt. Daniel B. Glass took command of the West Point-based 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group from Capt. Trevon S. Johnson during a change of command ceremony April 10, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. 
Eight Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conducted a mountain warfare exchange with members of the Tajik military April 27 – May 1, 2026, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The engagement was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been formal partners since 2003. The exchange focused on developing and refining mountain warfare fundamentals, while fostering collaboration between U.S. and Tajik forces.
VNG Soldiers conduct mountain warfare exchange in Tajikistan 
May 14, 2026
Eight Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conducted a mountain warfare exchange with members of the Tajik military April 27 – May 1, 2026, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Multi-Function Reconnaissance Company, 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team conduct a multi-domain live-fire exercise April 18, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The MFRC incorporated new tactical unmanned aerial systems, counter-UAS capabilities and electronic warfare technology as they tackled the Automated Infantry Squad Battle Course. The exercise was the first time the unit has brought together all of the new technologies and equipment they have fielded and trained on over the last several months as part of the Army’s Transformation in Contact 2.0 initiative. Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Brig. Gen. Rusty McGuire, the Assistant Adjutant General for Army Strategic Initiatives were on hand to observe the training and thank the Soldiers for their hard work.
116th MBCT tests new tech during live-fire exercise
April 24, 2026
Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Brig. Gen. Rusty McGuire, the Assistant Adjutant General - Army Strategic Initiatives, saw some of the unit’s new capabilities put into practice during a multi-domain live-fire exercise April 18, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

29th ID Organization

Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division
https://www.facebook.com/29thID/
https://twitter.com/29thID

Fort Belvoir-based Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division
https://www.facebook.com/HHBN29ID

  • Fort Belvoir-based Headquarters and Support Company
  • Fort Belvoir-based Operations Company
  • Cheltenham, Md.- based Signal Company (Maryland National Guard)
  • Laurel, Md.- Intelligence and Sustainment Company (Maryland National Guard)
  • Troutville-based 29th Division Band

Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
 https://www.facebook.com/2ndBattalion224thAviation/

  • Sandston-based Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
  • Sandston-based Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
  • Sandston-based Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
  • Sandston-based Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
  • Chesterfield-based Detachment 2, Company C, 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment
  • Chesterfield-based Detachment 1, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment
  • Sandston-based Detachment 2, Bravo Company, 248th Aviation Support Battalion
  • Chesterfield-based Detachment 1, Company C, 2-245th Aviation Regiment 
Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team