Fort Pickett

Fort Pickett

By order of the Secretary of Defense, the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Barfoot military installation near Blackstone, Virginia, has been renamed as Fort Pickett, effective June 11, 2025, to honor 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett for his extraordinary heroism during World War II.

While pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, Pickett crawled forward and destroyed two enemy positions with grenades. After being captured, he escaped from a transport train with fellow prisoners of war and rejoined his unit before being killed in action. For his heroic actions, Pickett received the Distinguished Service Cross.

The installation was redesignated March 24, 2023, to honor Col. Van T. Barfoot, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient with extensive Virginia ties.

Located near Blackstone, Fort Pickett 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 Pickett News

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group conduct a Plus One Day with their loved ones July 18, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, during the unit’s annual training. During the event, Soldiers’ family members and significant others observed quarry operations, got hands-on with engineer equipment at a current project site and took a tour of recovery vehicles and maintenance equipment. Read more about the 276th at https://vngpao.info/3v3vjczc.

Plus One Day brings morale boost to 276th Engineers

July 28, 2025

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group conducted a Plus One Day with their loved ones July 18, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, during the unit’s annual training.

Virginia National Guard Soldiers from across the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team's medical, behavioral health and chaplaincy teams conduct integrated wellness training June 25, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The event marked the beginning of a coordinated care initiative aimed at improving holistic Soldier support through unified, interdisciplinary collaboration.

VNG launches integrated wellness training for Soldiers

July 16, 2025

A groundbreaking effort to unify medical, spiritual, and behavioral care in the Virginia National Guard took shape June 25, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, as Soldiers across the three disciplines gathered for an integrated training event focused on improving how they work together to serve the force.

Col. Arthur S. Moore takes charge as the new commander of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Jared D. Lake June 24, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Joseph A. DiNonno, 29th Infantry Division commanding general, presided over the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Lake to Moore. Command Sgt. Maj. Latane I. Gilliam, the 116th senior enlisted leader, was keeper of the colors for the ceremony. The Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided music for the event.

Moore takes command of 116th IBCT

July 14, 2025

Col. Arthur S. Moore took charge as the new commander of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Jared D. Lake June 24, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct a movement to contact training lane June 17, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The 116th is the first Army National Guard brigade to test the approved task organization for a mobile brigade combat team, and it will be evaluated during a 21-day eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation.

116th IBCT tests new mobile brigade combat team organization during XCTC rotation

July 11, 2025

The Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was the first Army National Guard brigade to test and evaluate an approved task organization for a mobile brigade combat team during their 21-day eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation in June 2025 at Fort Pickett, Virginia.