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 Black Hawk helicopter crews and Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members conduct hoist operations rescuing six citizens Sept. 27 and 28, 2024, in the Abingdon area. The VNG aviators and Chesterfield first responders form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, providing rotary wing aviation hoist capabilities and aerial rescue evacuation. They also conducted route and area search and rescue flights and transported a ground rescue team.
Virginia National Guard continues support after Hurricane Helene
Oct. 4, 2024
The Virginia National Guard continues to support response efforts after Hurricane Helene with troops staged Oct. 4, 2024, in Abingdon, Virginia. Approximately 20 Soldiers with tactical trucks remain on duty with the ability to conduct transportation, debris reduction and commodity distribution missions.
Approximately 20 Virginia National Guard 20 Soldiers are staged and ready with tactical trucks capable of high water transportation Sept. 26, 2024, in Abingdon, Virginia, in order to support the response to potential impacts of Hurricane Helene.
VNG staged, ready in Abingdon, Roanoke for possible severe weather response operations
Sept. 27, 2024
The Virginia National Guard staged approximately 20 Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high mobility transportation Sept. 26, 2024, in the Abingdon area in order to support the response to potential impacts of Hurricane Helene. The VNG also staged two Black Hawk helicopters with transport, damage assessment and rescue hoist capabilities in the Roanoke area.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participate in the Virginia Public Safety Foundation’s 10th Annual Commemorative Ceremony Sept. 14, 2024, at the Virginia Public Safety Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. Army and Air Guard senior leaders participated in the roll call of Guard members, first responders and other Virginians who have died in service to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Other VNG Soldiers and Airmen also participated in the ceremony, including the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band, which provided ceremonial music and a bugler for the playing of taps. The memorial, established in 2014, includes the names of 32 Virginia National Guard service members who died on official state or federal orders under Title 32 of the United States Code.
VNG Soldiers, Airmen honor those remembered at Public Safety Memorial
Sept. 20, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen helped honor those being remembered at the Virginia Public Safety Foundation’s 10th Annual Commemorative Ceremony Sept. 14, 2024, at the Virginia Public Safety Memorial in Richmond, Virginia.
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team compete in the battalion's Carl “Chubby” Proffitt Jr. Squad Competition, known as the “Chubby Cup,” Sept. 7, 2024, at Fort Walker, Virginia. Each team competed in a series of events including physical fitness, marksmanship, a ruck march, react to contact, casualty evacuation and a pugil stick battle. The competition honors both the unit’s lineage and the legacy of Proffitt, who served with 3-116th during World War II, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Read more about 3rd Battalion at https://bit.ly/3Mzedlk.
St. Lo Battalion squads compete for “Chubby Cup”
Sept. 9, 2024
Ten teams of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team competed in the battalion’s 3rd annual Carl “Chubby” Proffitt Jr. Squad Competition Sept. 7, 2024, at Fort Walker, Virginia. 
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team serve as part of the opposing force of the Oregon National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team during Joint Readiness Training Center Rotation 24-09 July 24, 2024, at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. JRTC provides realistic training environments to help prepare units for complex operations. VNG Soldiers operated at the company level for tactical operations and were able to refine their standard operating procedures and battle drills. Lessons learned will also help prepare the 116th for their upcoming JRTC rotation in 2026.
116th IBCT provides OPFOR support for JRTC rotation
Aug. 30, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team provided opposing force support during Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 24-09 July 8 - Aug. 3, 2024, at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. 

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