329th Regional Support Group
Constituted July 18, 1917 in the Virginia National Guard as Headquarters, 54th Field Artillery Brigade, and assigned to the 29th Division, the unit was converted and reorganized September 1, 2008, as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 329th Regional Support Group. The RSG consists of the 276th Engineer Battalion, the 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and the 1030th Transportation Battalion.
Today, the unit deploys to provide contingency and expeditionary base operations support, with responsibilities for managing facilities, providing administrative and logistical support of Soldier services, and ensuring the security of personnel and facilities on a base camp. The RSG provides mission command of assigned units during homeland security, homeland defense, and civil support missions within the United States, to include managing the reception, staging, onward movement, and integration of supporting forces.
Despite restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 329th RSG successfully adjusted to a “new normal” and accomplished several major objectives throughout 2020.
For months in late 2019, the 329th RSG diligently planned and prepared to participate in DEFENDER-Europe 20, a joint, multi-national, U.S. Army Europe-led, U.S. European Command exercise designed to test the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy a large combat-credible force to Europe and integrate with partners and allies. While DEFENDER-Europe 20 was cancelled due to the global pandemic the planning and training involved proved invaluable to the operations the 329th would support in 2020.
In early 2020, the 1033rd Engineer Support Company provided much needed assistance to flood ravaged areas of southwest Virginia.
In the spring, the 329th HHC and its subordinate battalions mobilized over 270 Soldiers to provide significant support to the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Missions included N95 mask fit training, support to COVID-19 testing sites, logistics support for shipments of personal protective equipment around the Commonwealth, support to local food banks and personnel to conduct the command and control for three Virginia Guard COVID response Task Forces.
In the fall of 2020, the 276th Engineer Battalion and 1032nd Transportation Company began their state-side deployments to support domestic federal operations. Prior to mobilizing for their federal mission, the 276th, with the help of their subordinate companies, provided civil disturbance support to Virginia agencies as violent protests spread across the Commonwealth in the spring and summer of 2020.
As the 329th enters 2021, current and future operations show no signs of slowing. The RSG continues to provide requested support to civil disturbances and COVID-19 efforts while simultaneously planning for upcoming federal mobilizations.
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