Virginia National Guard

429th BSB trains at Iowa’s Sustainment Training Center for AT
February 5, 2018 — Approximately 200 Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team spent two weeks in January training at the Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Soldiers from Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies made the trek to icy Iowa, along with a few Soldiers and leaders from the Headquarters Company... MORE

VDF kicks off recruiting push at amateur radio convention
February 5, 2018 — The Virginia Defense Force kicked off a new recruiting push with a display at the Frostfest amateur radio show and convention Feb. 3, 2018, in Richmond, Virginia. The all-volunteer reserve of the Virginia National Guard is looking to grow from its current strength of approximately 300 personnel to its full authorized strength of 750... MORE

Fort Pickett welcomes new garrison commander
February 4, 2018 — Lt. Col. Paul Gravely took command of Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett from Col. Preston Scott, Jr., Feb. 3, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Walter Mercer, Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General – Army, presided over the exchange of organizational colors that represented the change of garrison command from Scott to Gravely... MORE

Combating social media impersonation of military personnel
February 2, 2018 — Frequently, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command receives notifications from individuals stating they were scammed online by someone claiming to be a U.S. Soldier. Unbeknownst to the U.S. Soldier, an online scammer has used the Soldier’s name and available social media photos to perpetrate a crime... MORE

MEDEVAC Soldiers prepare for Kosovo deployment
February 2, 2018 — “Superb.” That was Sgt. Ashley Camper’s response when prompted to explain the quality of training she is receiving during her mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas. Camper is one of 26 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Chesterfield-based Detachment 2, Company C, 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment who are deploying for nine months as part of Kosovo Force 24, the 24th rotation of U.S. Soldiers to support the multinational peacekeeping mission in Kosovo... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard to field new personnel and pay system
January 24, 2018 — The Virginia Army National Guard is fielding a new personnel and pay system in 2019 that will have an easy-to-use online platform that provides more self-service capabilities for Soldiers. The Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army, or IPPS-A, will go online in early 2019... MORE

Governor commends the Va. National Guard
January 19, 2018 — Governor Ralph Northam and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran commended the Virginia National Guard for the organization’s service to commonwealth and country at a legislative reception hosted Jan. 18, 2018, by the Virginia National Guard Officer’s Association and Virginia Army and Air National Guard Enlisted Association in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to the reception, retired Air Force Col. Rich Anderson, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, shared his thoughts on leadership and public service as part of the Virginia National Guard’s ongoing Distinguished Speaker Series... MORE

AG updates General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus
January 18, 2018 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, provided an update on the Virginia National Guard to members of the Virginia General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus Jan. 17, 2018, in Richmond, Virginia. Before the update, Senator Bryce Reeves and Delegate Nick Freitas, co-chairs of the caucus, recognized retired Col. Rich Anderson for his many years of service in the House of Delegates. Anderson had previously served as the co-chair of the caucus with Reeves... MORE

Airman earns award from every branch of service
January 16, 2018 — Not many people can say they’ve received awards from every branch of service in the military. Through hard work, dedication and a love for his job, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ryan Folks, 192nd Medical Group health systems specialist, 149th Fighter Squadron medical element NCO in charge, and aerospace medical services technician, achieved just that... MORE

Va. National Guard supports Governor Northam’s inauguration
January 15, 2018 — More than 200 Virginia National Guard and Virginia Defense Force personnel were on duty Jan. 13, 2018, supporting the inauguration of Ralph Northam as the 73rd Governor of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. Soldiers, Airmen and members of the VDF conducted a variety of missions including playing ceremonial music, firing a 19-gun salute with artillery howitzers and providing command and control of the inaugural parade marching elements. A formation of Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen led the inaugural parade, and aviation crews conducted a flyover with UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters... MORE

MEDEVAC Soldiers depart Virginia in advance of Kosovo deployment
January 8, 2018 — After more than a year of training, approximately 25 Soldiers assigned to Detachment 2, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment said goodbye to the Commonwealth of Virginia and officially began their federal mobilization that will take them to Kosovo in the coming weeks. The Soldiers in the unit gathered along with family members, friends and fellow Soldiers for a departure ceremony Jan. 4, 2018, at the Chesterfield County Airport and then departed in small groups in the days that followed, with the largest group leaving Jan. 5 on four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters... MORE

Va. National Guard supports winter storm response with transportation and aerial resupply
January 8, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard put more than 100 personnel on state active duty in the Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore areas Jan. 3, 2018, to provide assistance to state and local authorities when heavy snow hit the region. Over the following three days, Soldiers transported first responders and essential emergency services employees through heavy snow, assisted with response calls and patient transports and aviation crews delivered food, medicine and other supplies to icebound Tangier Island, Virginia. All Virginia National Guard personnel were released from duty by end of the day Jan. 7... MORE

Virginia National Guard & Virginia War Museum remember WWI
January 2, 2018 — In early December 1917, 150 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 117th Military Police Company had already spent two months in France, arriving there eight months before the 29th and 80th Divisions and just seven months after President Woodrow Wilson declared war. One hundred years later, on Dec. 2, 2017, at the Virginia War Museum in Newport News, Virginia, retired Chief Warrant Office 4 Alexander F. Barnes, command historian for the Virginia National Guard, told the story of the 117th Military Police Company... MORE

Virginia, Maryland National Guard Soldiers lead Level 1 Funeral Honors training for Va., Md., N.C. troops
January 2, 2018 — More than a dozen Army National Guard Soldiers from Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina completed a five-day Level 1 Funeral Honors Training hosted by the Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Program Dec. 11-15, 2017, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach, Virginia... MORE

Va. National Guard hosts closure ceremony in Clifton Forge
December 29, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard hosts a closure ceremony at the former location of the Clifton Forge Readiness Center Nov. 29, 2017, to formally mark the transfer of the facility to Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. Soldiers lowered and folded the U.S. and Virginia flags in front of the facility for the final time, and Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, presented the Virginia flag to Dr. John J. Rainone, president of Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, to symbolize the transfer of the readiness center to college... MORE

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