Virginia National Guard

Fort Pickett celebrates improvements on 77th birthday
July 3, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. —Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett leaders celebrated the installation’s 77th birthday July 3, 2019, with a cake cutting at their headquarters. The post has transformed from its origins in the 1940s and training personnel for service in World War II to now being one of the premier military and public safety training facilities on the East Coast. Fort Pickett was originally called Camp Pickett when construction began in early 1942 and formally dedicated July 3, 1942. The camp was originally built on 46,000 acres covering parts of four counties. The installation grew rapidly with the United States’ entry into World War II, and boasted about 1,000 barracks buildings, 70 officers’ quarters and other buildings by the end of 1942... MORE

276th Engineers tackle Fort Pickett improvements during AT
June 26, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group made significant progress in efforts to improve some of Fort Pickett’s training areas during their annual training June 1-15, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

576th Engineer Detachment constructs, repairs facilities at SMR during annual training
June 25, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Onancock-based 576th Engineer Utilities Detachment, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group constructed new training facilities and repaired current ones at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, during their annual training June 8-22, 2019... MORE

Veterans, retirees volunteer time, effort to help restore historic Duster
June 21, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Every Thursday at the Virginia National Guard’s Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia, a spirited group of veterans and retirees comes together with chisels, scrapers, sanders and other tools to tackle a unique restoration project with historical significance... MORE

Gunnery simulators augment Army Guard training
June 19, 2019 — SUFFOLK, Va. – Spc. Erik Murphy, a cavalry scout with the Virginia Army National Guard’s Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, stood in the turret of a Humvee, prepared to engage targets with his M2 .50 caliber machine gun. “Gunner ready,” he said to his truck commander, as they proceeded down a dusty road. Soon enough, the commander called out an approaching target. “Target identified,” Murphy responded. “500 meters.”... MORE

Spc. Erik Murphy, a cavalry scout with the Virginia Army National Guard's Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, engages targets with an M2 .50 caliber machine gun on the Individual Unstabalized Gunnery Trainer during training at the Suffolk Armory in Suffolk, Virginia, June 8, 2019. The IUGT is a computer-based simulator that connects the body of a weapon to a virtual reality system and is used to augment the training on crew-served weapons.

183rd RTI celebrates accreditation success
June 18, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute gathered to celebrate their success in the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command accreditation process June 22, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

Gibbs takes responsibility of Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion
June 14, 2019 — FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Command Sgt. Maj. Terry Gibbs took responsibility as the senior noncommissioned officer of the Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion from Command Sgt. Maj. Dempsey O. Whitt June 13, 2019, in a change of responsibility ceremony held at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Both command sergeants majors are members of the Virginia National Guard. This is the first time in the twelve-year history of the Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion in which two Virginia National Guard command sergeants majors took responsibility back to back of the organization. This position is an active duty, title 10, one-year commitment with the opportunity to extend beyond the one-year tour... MORE

Va. National Guard hosts inaugural Women’s Summit
June 14, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard hosted their inaugural Women’s Summit June 19, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Women from across the force attended the event, which this year focused on balancing the demands of women’s personal and professional lives... MORE

29th ID remembers D-Day, 75 years later
June 13, 2019 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. – A group of 25 National Guard Soldiers from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Kentucky assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based, 29th Infantry Division joined more than 1,300 U.S. service members, partnered with 950 troops from across Europe and Canada, in northwestern France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, the WWII Allied invasion of Normandy, commonly known as D-Day... MORE

Virginia Defense Force conducts communications, security training in Lynchburg
June 13, 2019 — LYNCHBURG, Va. — Members of the all-volunteer Virginia Defense Force conducted training on the communications systems and security capabilities they could use during emergency response operations in support of the Virginia National Guard July 13, 2019, in Lynchburg, Virginia. VDF personnel trained on high frequency radio employment for voice and data messaging and security capabilities like access control... MORE

Riggers reflect on D-Day heroics 75 years after harrowing operation
June 12, 2019 — BLACKSTONE ARMY AIRFIELD, Va. – The intensity and magnitude of the great sea, air and land invasion known as D-Day was not fully comprehended by Sgt. Trayon Augburn. The parachute rigger was wearing a World War II-era uniform while preparing for a parachute jump June 6 at Fort Pickett – the exact day his airborne brethren had landed on the beaches of Normandy, France 75 years ago. The Soldier admitted he knew little about the battle involving 156,000 Allied troops, including 73,000 Americans, 13,000 of them from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions who would have been wearing a uniform identical to his... MORE

VNG Soldiers to extend enlistments during Army Birthday Ceremony at the Pentagon
June 12, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Two Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers will extend their enlistments during the Army Birthday Cake Cutting Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. June 13, 2019, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley and the Sergeant Major Of the Army Daniel A. Dailey will host the event celebrating the U.S Army’s 244th Birthday... MORE

Virginia National Guard honors volunteers at 2019 Volunteer Recognition & Training Workshop
June 10, 2019 — WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia — Brig. Gen. James W. Ring, the Virginia National Guard Director of the Joint Staff, honored dozens of VNG volunteers at the 2019 Virginia National Guard State Volunteer Recognition and Training Workshop June 9, 2019, in Williamsburg, Virginia. The annual two-day event recognizes and thanks volunteers for their efforts in support of family programs and includes training and information sessions on a variety of topics... MORE

Bedford ceremonies mark 75th anniversary of D-Day
June 7, 2019 — BEDFORD, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen greeted World War II veterans and acted as military escorts during a roll call honoring their service at the observation of the 75th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 2019, at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band performed ceremonial music, and members of the Virginia Defense Force volunteered their time to assist local law enforcement with traffic flow, parking and pre-security checks before the event... MORE

Army National Guard offering six-year $20,000 re-enlistment bonus
June 6, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers with an ETS date before Sept. 30, 2019, who have not re-enlisted are eligible for a $20,000 bonus... MORE

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