Fort Barfoot


Fort Pickett was officially redesignated Fort Barfoot in honor of Col. Van T. Barfoot, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient with extensive Virginia ties, during a ceremony March 24, 2023. The post is one of nine U.S. Army installations being renamed based on the Naming Commission’s recommendations to remove the names and symbols honoring or commemorate the Confederate States of America.

Located near Blackstone, Fort Barfoot has more than 225 full-time state and federal employees provide support to tenant and training units on approximately 41,000 acres featuring a combination of open and wooded terrain maneuver areas and 21 ranges capable of supporting almost any weapons system in the U.S. Army inventory with barracks to support more than 5,000 personnel as well as an Army airfield operation.

Fort Barfoot News

Virginia Department of Military Affairs employee Mike Alder began a new role as deputy to the garrison commander of Fort Barfoot Nov. 10, 2023. He previously served as the deputy director of the installation’s Directorate of Public Works.
Alder selected as first state deputy to Fort Barfoot’s garrison commander
Nov. 14, 2023
Virginia Department of Military Affairs employee Mike Alder began a new role as deputy to the garrison commander of Fort Barfoot Nov. 10, 2023. He previously served as the deputy director of the installation’s Directorate of Public Works.

Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conduct the field day exercise portion of S-130 Wildland Firefighter Training with the Virginia Department of Forestry Nov. 12, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. They received their personal protective equipment during the exercise, and the training stressed safety and also focused on basic tools, familiarization with bulldozers and engines, fireline construction and proper fire shelter use. Once their training is complete, the troops will deploy where needed by DOF for ground support. Brig. Gen. Todd Hubbard, the VNG Director of the Joint Staff, visited the troops to observe their training and thank them for supporting the mission.
VNG ends aerial fire suppression missions, starts training ground crews
Nov. 13, 2023
The Virginia National Guard demobilized the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters providing aerial fire suppression support to the Virginia Department of Forestry and began training Soldiers and Airmen for possible ground firefighting support Nov. 11, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia.

Brig. Gen. Catherine M. Jumper, the Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General - Air, provides remarks as the guest speaker for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs Workforce Development Mentoring Program Oct. 26, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. During the program, Jumper shared with program participants lessons in leadership, communication and accountability learned during her nearly 30-year career as an officer. This is the fourth class of DMA mentors and mentees since the program was launched in 2020, matching up employees with the organization’s leaders to exchange knowledge, experience and career guidance.
Jumper shares lessons in leadership with DMA mentees, mentors
Nov. 1, 2023
Brig. Gen. Catherine M. Jumper, the Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General - Air, provided remarks as the guest speaker for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs Workforce Development Mentoring Program Oct. 26, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. 

The Virginia National Guard’s Marksmanship Training Unit hosted their inaugural ROTC Pistol Championship Sept. 30, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The match included 64 cadets from schools including George Mason University, Hampden-Sydney College, James Madison University, Liberty University, Longwood University, the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech and Virginia Union University. During the match, shooters were required to engage targets from 25 meters over a three-staged excellence-in-competition match. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
Inaugural ROTC marksmanship match hosted by VNG MTU
Oct. 17, 2023
The Virginia National Guard’s Marksmanship Training Unit hosted 64 cadets from 11 Virginia colleges and universities during their inaugural ROTC Pistol Championship, held Sept. 30, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. The event ran cadets through a three-stage competition that required them to engage targets from 25 yards under varying time constraints.

The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Warrant Officer Candidate School hosts a Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course Sept. 8-10, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Completion of Pre-WOC is a prerequisite for any Virginia Army National Guard Soldier to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School. At the end of the course, Chief Warrant Officer 5 John D. Calley, the VNG State Command Chief Warrant Officer, presented recognition coins to Sgt. John Gatling in recognition of his leadership skills and Spc. Evan Hahn for scoring the highest on the Army Combat Fitness Test. In addition, Warrant Officer Gisselotte Ventura was voted by her peers as the Training, Advising and Counseling officer of the cycle. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements)
Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course prepares Soldiers to become VAARNG’s technical experts
Sept. 15, 2023
The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Warrant Officer Candidate School hosted a Pre-Warrant Officer Candidate Course Sept. 8-10, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia. Completion of Pre-WOC is a pre-requisite for any Virginia Army National Guard Soldier to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School.

Recognize, Retreat, Report

Contact Fort Barfoot

Switchboard
  • (434) 292-8621
Range Operations
  • (434) 292-2227 / (434) 292-8334
Directorate of Personnel and Community Activities
  • (434) 292-2327
Gym
  • (434) 292-2613
PX
  • (434) 292-5990
Directorate of Public Works
  • (434) 292-8303
Directorate of Logistics
  • (434) 292-2948
Fish and Wildlife Management Program