Virginia National Guard

34th CST conducts drug hazard training in Manassas
July 13, 2021 — Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team conducted unique drug identification training and a full-scale response exercise June 22 - 24, 2021, at the Manassas Readiness Center in Manassas, Virginia... MORE

VNG Soldiers move historic M84 to Richmond for restoration, display
July 13, 2021 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the G4 Maintenance Assistance and Instruction Team moved a historic M84 self-propelled 4.2 mortar carrier June 25, 2021, from the Charlottesville Readiness Center to the VNG Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the G4 Maintenance Assistance and Instruction Team offload an M84 self-propelled 4.2 mortar carrier June 25, 2021, at the VNG's Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia.

Deployed 29th Infantry Division warrant officers celebrate 103rd birthday
July 12, 2021 — Virginia Army National Guard warrant officers assigned to the 29th Infantry Division, deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, celebrated the Warrant Officer Corps’ 103rd birthday alongside their 36th Infantry Division counterparts July 9, 2021, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait... MORE

Gillis promoted to brigadier general, will lead VaARNG strategic initiatives
July 7, 2021 — Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., was promoted to brigadier general July 10, 2021, at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, and succeeds Brig. Gen. James A. Zollar as the Virginia National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General for Army Strategic Initiatives. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, announced the promotion and assignment July 2... MORE

Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., is promoted to brigadier general July 10, 2021, at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. Gillis succeeds Brig. Gen. James A. Zollar as the Virginia National Guard's Assistant Adjutant General for Army Strategic Initiatives, and the promotion and assignment are effective July 10.

VNG wraps CVC support, continues mobile vaccination missions
June 30, 2021 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen continue to provide support to the Virginia Department of Health and Virginia Department of Emergency Management as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. VNG mobile vaccination support teams continue to operate across the commonwealth, while the task force assigned to provide logistics and administrative support to Community Vaccination Clinics has concluded their mission. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers conduct a mobile vaccination mission on board international ships in May and June 2021 in Norfolk, Virginia.

VNG Soldiers make strong showing at fitness competition
June 30, 2021 — Six Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers traveled to Arkansas to compete at the DekaStrong National Guard Challenge fitness competition May 22-23, 2021, at the National Guard Professional Education Center in Camp Robinson, Arkansas... MORE

Six Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers traveled to Arkansas to compete at the DekaStrong National Guard Challenge fitness competition May 22-23, 2021, at the National Guard Professional Education Center in Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

Logistics officer balances family with military career
June 30, 2021 — Lt. Col. Alyssa Astphan grew up in a military family. Her father served, her uncle served, and before them, her Lebanese grandfather served in World War II with a local militia and both the French and British Armies. Continuing her family's legacy of military service always seemed like a given. From the time she knew about the concept of careers, she knew hers would be spent in the military... MORE

HART trains on rooftop rescue hoists during quarterly exercise
June 30, 2021 — Virginia National Guard aviation crews and Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members trained on rescue hoist operations during a training exercise June 8-10, 2021, in Chesterfield County, Virginia. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard aviation crews and Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members train on confined-space rescue hoist operations June 10, 2021, in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

29ID Soldiers participate in Supporting Warrior Action Team training
June 28, 2021 — Soldiers from the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division, along with Soldiers from various Fort Hood-based units, recently participated in Supporting Warrior Action Team training at Fort Hood, Texas... MORE

DMA managers participate in inaugural Leader Development Course
June 28, 2021 — Virginia Department of Military Affairs supervisors participated in the inaugural DMA Leader Development Course June 15-17, 2021, at the Virginia National Guard Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia... MORE

Virginia Department of Military Affairs supervisors participate in the inaugural DMA Leader Course June 15-17, 2021, at the Virginia National Guard Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia.

First Army assists with 29th ID validation as National Guard unit preps for Operation Spartan Shield
June 26, 2021 — Following the announcement for its call to overseas service to support Operation Spartan Shield, the Virginia Army National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division (29th ID) successfully conducted its post-mobilization at North Fort Hood... MORE

Ceremony remembers 77th anniversary of D-Day
June 17, 2021 — The valor, fidelity and sacrifice of D-Day participants were remembered June 6, 2021, at the observance of the 77th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia... MORE

183rd RTI holds recognition ceremony for WOCS graduates
June 16, 2021 — The Virginia National Guard's Warrant Officer Candidate School welcomed five new graduates from class 21-001 during a recognition ceremony hosted by the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute June 5, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve candidates swear in as new warrant officers during a graduation ceremony hosted by the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute June 5, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

VDF Communication Battalion conducts readiness exercise
June 16, 2021 — The Virginia Defense Force Communication Battalion, Support Operations Group conducted an operational readiness exercise June 5, 2021, at multiple locations across Virginia to validate unit readiness in the event of activation in support of civil authorities... MORE

Virginia Defense Force personnel assigned to the Communication Battalion, Support Operations Group relay message traffic in a Mobile Communication Platform June 5, 2021, in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Signal officer shares journey of transition, acceptance
June 16, 2021 — When Maj. Keilyn DiStefano started her military career in 1998, it was in a different state, under a different name, with a different gender assignment. Back then, she wasn’t herself... MORE

Once open transgender service was authorized in the military, Maj. Keilyn DiStefano said she was among the first transgender Soldiers to receive a memo authorizing her to comport to the standards of her affirmed gender.

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