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 Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participate in retention flights aboard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Dec. 7, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The Soldiers were provided this unique opportunity in order to increase retention rates, improve unit morale, and foster camaraderie. (U.S. National Guard photos by Sgt. Rhita Daniel)
Virginia Army National Guard strengthens retention with aviation experience
Dec. 16, 2024
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participated in retention flights Dec. 7, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia.
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct sling load training Dec. 7, 2024, at Blackstone Army Airfield in Blackstone, Virginia. Soldiers who are graduates of the Army’s Air Assault and Pathfinder schools passed along their knowledge and skills to help build the operational knowledge within the unit. VNG aviators assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division provided aviation support for the training.
Red Dragons hone their sling load skills during drill weekend
Dec. 9, 2024
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted sling load training Dec. 7, 2024, at Blackstone Army Airfield in Blackstone, Virginia.
Lt. Col. Eric M. Johnson takes command of the Fort Barfoot-based Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion from Lt. Col. Kim D. Wynn during a ceremony Dec. 4, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Charles B. Martin Jr., Commander of the Virginia Army National Guard, presided over the ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Wynn to Johnson, and Sgt. Maj. Jessica Dickenson, RRB command sergeant major, was the keeper of the colors. The Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided music for the event. Read more about RRB at https://vngpao.info/VaARNGRRB.
Johnson succeeds Wynn as Recruiting and Retention Battalion commander
Dec. 9, 2024
Lt. Col. Eric M. Johnson took command of the Fort Barfoot-based Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion from Lt. Col. Kim D. Wynn during a ceremony Dec. 4, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers join local, state and federal agencies to help educate and reinforce the importance of a drug-free lifestyle in schools and communities Oct. 29, 2024, during a Red Ribbon Week event at Miles Jones Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia. Led by the Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, the event also included a VNG Lakota helicopter and crew assigned to the Sandston-based Detachment 1, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment and military police Soldiers assigned to the Hanover-based 229th Military Police Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group. The VNG team also supported a similar event Oct. 25 in Colonial Heights, Virginia.
VNG’s Counterdrug Task Force supports Red Ribbon Week events
Nov. 22, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers joined local, state and federal agencies to help educate and reinforce the importance of a drug-free lifestyle in schools and communities during Red Ribbon Week events at schools across central Virginia Oct. 24-30, 2024. 
Col. Juanita Rohler takes command of the Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. Dennis Rohler, her husband, Nov. 2, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The 329th also welcomed a new senior enlisted leader when Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph R. Viera accepted responsibility from Command Sgt. Maj. Brian H. Coleman. Brig. Gen. Charles B. Martin Jr., Commander of the Virginia Army National Guard, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Clements)
329th RSG welcomes new commander, senior enlisted leader
Nov. 6, 2024
In another historic moment for one Virginia National Guard family, Col. Juanita Rohler took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. Dennis Rohler, her husband, Nov. 2, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The 329th also welcomed a new senior enlisted leader when Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph R. Viera accepted responsibility from Command Sgt. Maj. Brian H. Coleman.

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