Virginia National Guard

Virginia National Guard provides high water transport capabilities in Danville, helicopter rescue on standby
October 12, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard deployed two medium tactical vehicles and four Soldiers to provide high water transport capabilities Oct. 12, 2018, in Danville, Virginia, after heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the area. The Soldiers spent one day on state active duty and assisted local officials with health and welfare checks. A VNG aviation crew of four Soldiers and a team of three Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members were on standby Friday morning in Chesterfield County with the ability to reach Danville in an hour if needed. The VNG aviators and Chesterfield rescue technicians form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team to provide rotary wing aviation rescue hoist capabilities that can conduct aerial rescue evacuation... MORE

Soldier Spotlight: Meet Sgt. Timothy Mahanes
October 10, 2018 — Sgt. Timothy Mahanes grew up around heavy equipment so, when he decided to join the Virginia National Guard, enlisting as a 12N, a horizontal construction engineer, was a natural fit... MORE

Virginia OCS dedicates building to Capt. Harry Q. Rose
October 3, 2018 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — An intimate gathering of Soldiers and family members marked the dedication of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building in honor of Capt. Harry Q. Rose Sept. 22, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

(L-R) Helen Rose Creel, Lt. Col. Harry Gardner, Phyllis Rose Gardner and Albert Lee Creel stand next to the sign commemorating Capt. Harry Q. Rose, Sept. 22, 2018, at the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building at Fort Pickett, Virginia. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Matt Lyman)

DMA hosts second supervisors course at SMR
October 3, 2018 — The Virginia Department of Military Affairs conducted its second Supervisor Course Sept. 18-20, 2018, at Camp Pendleton State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach... MORE

Virginia OCS dedicates building to Capt. Harry Q. Rose
October 3, 2018 — An intimate gathering of Soldiers and family members marked the dedication of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building in honor of Capt. Harry Q. Rose Sept. 22, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Rose graduated from OCS Class VI in 1966 and earned the honor graduate distinction after completing the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he first branched as an artillery officer... MORE

Transporters, aviators return from support missions in the Carolinas
October 2, 2018 — Virginia National Guard transportation Soldiers returned from supporting Hurricane Florence flood response operations in North Carolina Sept. 24, 2018, and a team of VNG aviators and Chesterfield County rescue technicians returned from South Carolina Sept. 27... MORE

Governor Northam signs Executive Order transferring Department of Military Affairs to Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs
September 26, 2018 — Governor Ralph Northam signed Executive Order Twenty Sept. 26, 2018, transferring oversight of the Department of Military Affairs from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs. With the majority of the budget for the Virginia National Guard coming from federal funds and the need to increase recruitment and retention opportunities, the agency transfer is occurring at a crucial time to meeting end-strength goals... MORE

VaANG Airmen protect aircraft, citizens under hurricane threat
September 24, 2018 — Virginia Air National Guard Airmen evacuated U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talons ahead of hurricane Florence from Joint Base Langley-Eustis and set up shelters in the local community, Sept. 11, 2018... MORE

Gillis takes command of 329th Regional Support Group
September 22, 2018 — Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., took command of the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. K. Weedon Gallagher in a change of command ceremony Sept. 9, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General- Army, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Gallagher to Gillis. The National Anthem was performed by Gillis’ daughter, Evan Renee Winter... MORE

Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team departs for South Carolina
September 22, 2018 — A Virginia National Guard aviation crew of four Soldiers and a team of three Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members departed Sept. 22, 2018, from Chesterfield County, Virginia, to support the South Carolina National Guard with recovery operations after Hurricane Florence caused serious flooding across the state. The VNG aviators and Chesterfield rescue technicians form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team to provide rotary wing aviation rescue hoist capabilities that can conduct aerial rescue evacuation in situations where there is potential loss of life, limb or eyesight or significant property damage... MORE

VDF augments Virginia National Guard support for Hurricane Florence
September 21, 2018 — The Virginia Defense Force brought nearly 50 personnel on state active duty to assist the Virginia National Guard with the statewide response to Hurricane Florence Sept. 9-18, 2018. VDF personnel provided multiple capabilities including interoperable communications, operations center augmentation, operations center liaison, incident management assistance, state-managed shelter logistics and public information... MORE

VNG supports multi-state, multi-agency response to Hurricane Florence
September 20, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard staged more than 1,500 personnel Sept. 12, 2018, at key locations across the commonwealth to support local and state emergency management officials with possible response to Hurricane Florence, but most were not needed when the storm turned further south. When Governor Ralph Northam authorized Virginia’s resources could be redirected to North Carolina, the VNG sent sent approximately 40 Soldiers and 20 light medium tactical vehicles to support with recovery efforts where the hurricane caused widespread flooding... MORE

AG swears in new JFHQ Inspector General
September 19, 2018 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, swore in Col. Anthony Daniels as the new Joint Force Headquarters – Virginia Command Inspector General Sept. 6, 2018, in Richmond, Virginia... MORE

CERFP search & extraction team trains in West Virginia
September 19, 2018 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to a specialized response force traveled to Camp Dawson, West Virginia, for a 12-day, four-phase course on the basics of search and extraction during the latter half of August. The eleven Soldiers who attended the course are all assigned to the 180th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group... MORE

Va. National Guard Airmen prep communications gear for crisis
September 19, 2018 — A hurricane threatens to hit Virginia and Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen respond. Mission command centers are set up and task forces are assigned in various regions throughout the commonwealth before the storm makes landfall. Commanders, Soldiers and Airmen rely on the use of technology to communicate with one another when geographically separated. It is vital to the mission to have a strong line of communication between mission command centers and the men and women out in the field... MORE

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