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 Infantry 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 Infantry 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

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force–District of Columbia (JTF-DC) assist with traffic control in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19, 2025, in support of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. Approximately 8,000 National Guard service members from approximately 40 states and territories comprise JTF-DC to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration. At the request of civil authorities, these National Guard service members provide critical support such as crowd management, traffic control points, CBRN response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations. Their expertise and seamless collaboration with interagency partners help ensure a safe and peaceful transition of power during this historic event. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Spc. Ericka Gillespie).
Virginia National Guard supports 60th Presidential Inauguration
Jan. 24, 2025
Approximately 250 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were part of the approximately 8,000 National Guard service members that came together to comprise Joint Task Force-District of Columbia in support of the 60th Presidential Inauguration Jan.18-21, 2025. National Guard members from approximately 40 states, territories and the District of Columbia supported the 60th Presidential Inauguration at the request of the Secret Service, U.S. Capitol and Metropolitan Police.
Pvt. Tariq Rahaman takes the oath of enlistment into the Virginia Army National Guard as a 35F intelligence analyst Jan. 14, 2025, during a ceremony held at the Virginia National Guard Sgt. Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. Rahaman became the first Virginia Army National Guard Soldier to enlist into the state’s newly-returned 29th Division Artillery. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
Enlistment marks return of 29th DIVARTY
Jan. 24, 2025
After nearly two decades, the Virginia Army National Guard celebrated the return of the 29th Division Artillery with the enlistment of Pvt. Tariq Rahaman in a ceremony held Jan. 14, 2025, at the Virginia National Guard Sgt. Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. Col. Shawn Talmadge, commander of the new unit, administered Rahaman’s oath and spoke about the significance of the event.
Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Hawley will succeed Command Sgt. Maj. Irving Reed Jr. as the Virginia Army National Guard State Command Sergeant Major effective Feb, 1, 2025, according to an announcement made Jan. 17 by Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia.
Hawley named new VaARNG senior enlisted leader
Jan. 23, 2025
Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Hawley will succeed Command Sgt. Maj. Irving Reed Jr. as the Virginia Army National Guard State Command Sergeant Major effective Feb, 1, 2025, according to an announcement made Jan. 17 by Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division conduct an unmanned air systems exchange with the Republic of Tajikistan January 13-17, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The exchange was conducted in support of the Department of Defense‘s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been partners since 2003.
29th ID Soldiers conduct UAS exchange in Tajikistan
Jan. 21, 2025
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division conducted an unmanned air systems exchange with the Republic of Tajikistan Jan. 13-17, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Personnel at Blackstone Army Airfield conducted a quarterly pre-accident plan exercise Dec. 12, 2024, near Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The scenario simulated a Virginia National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter experiencing a serious engine issue, resulting in a hard landing, a large-scale fuel leak, and a mass casualty incident with more than five passengers and crew members injured. In addition to BAAF personnel and Virginia National Guard flight crews, first responders and personnel from Fort Barfoot, surrounding localities, and the Fort Barfoot-based Foreign Affairs Security Training Center participated. The exercise aimed to test the preparedness and coordination of key responders in the event of a serious incident at BAAF. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
VNG tests response capabilities at Blackstone Army Airfield
Jan. 20, 2025
As a chill wind whipped across the Blackstone Army Airfield Dec. 12, 2024, the Flight Operations Center buzzed with anticipation. Radios and phones crackled to life as an expected call came through, from a Virginia National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The call was prefaced by “Exercise! Exercise! Exercise!,” then, the crew said they were coming in for a hard landing, that one of their engines was out and, with personnel on board, they’d need emergency services. This call, and the events it pushed into motion, was part of the Virginia National Guard’s quarterly exercise to test the organization’s aviation pre-and-post-accident plan.

The Shield Newsletter

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 Infantry Brigade Combat Team