Virginia National Guard

203rd RHS refine skills at FTX while training for wartime missio
November 23, 2014 — Airmen from the Virginia Air National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron refined essential skills and expeditionary training during a field training exercise Nov. 7-9, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Approximately 120 Airmen from the 203rd RHS participated in the multi-day FTX, which emphasized simulated wartime tasks including bare-base establishment and operations, rapid runway repair, and security controls... MORE

529th CSSB unfurls colors, begins mission in Kuwait
October 16, 2014 — The 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, a Virginia Army National Guard unit from Virginia Beach, Va., took the reins from the 751st CSSB, a South Carolina Army National Guard unit from Columbia, S. C., in a transfer of authority ceremony Aug. 11, 2014, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait... MORE

Virginia Guard OCS graduates 7 new officers
October 2, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — In a ceremony held Sept. 27, 2014, seven officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 57B earned their commissions at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute in front of family, friends and Virginia National Guard leaders and Soldiers. The candidates started the 56-day summer accelerated program in July and completed the course in early September... MORE

Seven officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia Guard’s Officer Candidate School receive their commissions and grade from OCS Sept. 27, 2014, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute in front of family, friends and Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers and leaders. The Soldiers were part of Class 57B, and successfully completed the summer accelerated OCS program which began in July. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

203rd RED HORSE engineer projects aide VMI, Fort A. P. Hill
August 7, 2014 — Airmen from the Virginia Air National Guard’s Camp Pendleton-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron conducted engineer projects to construct a pavilion at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va. and reconstruct a runway at Fort A. P. Hill, Va., July 7 to Aug. 1, 2014. The projects provided opportunities for the Air Guard engineers to conduct real-world training that benefited both communities... MORE

Governor welcomes eight new Virginia Guard officers
July 29, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Governor Terry McAuliffe welcomed eight new Virginia National Guard officers during their graduation and commissioning ceremony as the guest speaker July 26, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Va. The officers of OCS Class 56 completed a two-year Officer Candidate School Course at Fort Pickett to earn their commissions. ... MORE

Second Lt. Daniel K. Frantzen presents Governor Terry McAuliffe with a certificate of appreciate for serving as the guest speaker for Officer Candidate School Class 56 July 26, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Va.

529th CSSB Soldiers depart for federal duty in Kuwait
June 26, 2014 — Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and senior state government and military leaders bid farewell to the Virginia National Guard’s Camp Pendleton-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group June 22, 2014, in Virginia Beach. Approximately 70 Soldiers of the 529th are scheduled to report to Fort Hood, Texas, for 30 to 45 days of mobilization training before deploying to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom... MORE

Va. Guard officer candidates complete community service project
June 17, 2014 — BLACKSTONE, Va – Virginia Officer Candidate School Class 56 visited residents at Clay’s Assisted Living on Saturday, May 24, 2014, as part of their Phase II community service requirement. Officer candidates coordinated with Barbara Mosley, a manager at Clay’s Assisted Living, to orchestrate a presence patrol at the center. ... MORE

Officer Candidates from the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 56 visit residents at Clay’s Assisted Living in Blackstone, Va., May 24, 2014, as part of their Phase II community service requirement. (Courtesy Photo)

Four officer candidates earn commissions
April 16, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Four Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates pinned on second lieutenant rank at a graduation and commissioning ceremony held April 12, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett. The officers of OCS Class 57A completed the eight-week Accelerated Officer Candidate School Course at Fort McClellan, Ala., to earn their commissions. ... MORE

Four Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates pin on second lieutenant rank at a graduation and commissioning ceremony held April 12, 2013, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett. The officers of OCS Class 57A completed the eight-week Accelerated OCS Course at Ft. McClellan, Ala., to earn their commissions. Col. Doug Messner, commander of 183rd RTI, gave the remarks at the ceremony, and Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, presented each candidate with a framed diploma. Each candidate selected who would administer their oath of office, pin on their rank shoulder boards and the NCO to receive their first salute and sliver dollar. The silver dollar salute is an Army tradition that newly commissioned second lieutenants present a silver dollar to the first enlisted Soldier who salutes them. The coin symbolically acknowledges the receipt of respect due the new rank and position. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

529th CSSB Soldiers prepare for federal mobilization
March 25, 2014 — Soldiers from the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducted their final field training exercises from March 2-23, 2014, at Fort Pickett to prepare for their upcoming federal mobilization to Kuwait. The three-week annual training period focused on Army Warrior Tasks, battle drills, mandatory briefings and online training. Approximately 70 Soldiers will begin serving on federal active duty June 19, 2014, and a departure ceremony is scheduled for June 22... MORE

Commonwealth ChalleNGe welcomes two new classes, host of changes to the program
March 11, 2014 — The Virginia Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy underwent some changes before it welcomed 111 cadets into Class 40 earlier this year. The cadets of Class 40 completed their “acclimation period” into ChalleNGe Jan. 23-31, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach... MORE

Memorial service honors 203rd RED HORSE Airmen killed in 2001
March 7, 2014 — The Virginia Air National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron conducted a memorial ceremony March 3, 2014, at Camp Pendleton to honor 18 unit members and three Florida Army National Guard aviators killed in a plane crash 13 years ago. The 203rd engineers and the Florida aviators from Detachment 1, 171st Aviation Battalion, were killed March 3, 2001, when the C-23 Sherpa they were flying in crashed in a cotton field near Unadilla, Ga... MORE

Virginia Guard OCS Class 57 begins at Fort Pickett
February 9, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – The first phase of becoming a commissioned officer in the Virginia Army National Guard began Jan. 24-26, 2014, for 33 new officer candidates. The weekend was Zero Phase for Class 57 at the Virginia Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School, located at the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute... MORE

Officer candidates from Class 57 of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School conduct land navigation training Jan. 25, 2014, at Fort Pickett, Va., during the Zero Phase of the course. For many of the candidates, this was their first drill with the OCS program. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Virginia Guard Soldier to serve as bobsled coach in 2014 Olympics
January 29, 2014 — First Lt. Michael Kohn, a Virginia National Guard Soldier assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, is among nine Soldiers in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program named as members of the U.S. Olympic Team who will compete at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, scheduled for Feb. 7 through 24 in Sochi, Russia... MORE

Ceremony marks change of command for 203rd RED HORSE Squadron
November 19, 2013 — After more than four years of serving as the commander of the 203rd RED HORSE Squadron, Lt. Col. Peter S. Garner relinquished command to Lt. Col. J. Stock Dinsmore during a change of command ceremony Nov. 16, 2013, in Virginia Beach, Va. “Lt. Col. Garner has led from the front in a professional manner through several deployments,” said Brig. Gen. Wayne A. Wright, Deputy Adjutant General of Virginia and senior officer for the ceremony. “He has given his all to make this a great unit.”... MORE

Virginia Guard OCS graduates earn commissions, take oath of office
November 6, 2013 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – In a ceremony held Oct. 26, 2013, 10 officer candidates enrolled in Class 55 of the Virginia Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School earned their commissions at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The ceremony marked the end of a nearly two year journey for the candidates as they received their OCS diplomas, took their oaths of office and earned their second lieutenant bars... MORE

Ten officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia Guard’s Officer Candidate School receive their commissions and graduated from OCS Oct. 26, 2013, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute in front of family, friends and Virginia Army National Guard senior leaders. The candidates heard remarks from Col. Douglas R. Messner, 183rd RTI commander, and Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, before taking their oath of office, affixing their new rank and receiving their first salute as lieutenants from a member of the enlisted ranks. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

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