Virginia National Guard

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)

Va. Beach-based 529th CSSB receives national training award
September 30, 2013 — Maj. Geoffrey R. O’Neill and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy D. White accepted the Reckord Trophy for training excellence on behalf of the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Sept. 23, 2013, during the 135th National Guard Association of the United States General Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. NGAUS presents the Reckord Trophy each year to the Army National Guard battalion that achieves the highest state of readiness in the country. O’Neil recently relinquished command of the 529th to Maj. Michael Waterman and White currently serves as the battalion’s command sergeant major... MORE

203rd RHS completes Phase I of IRT project at Virginia Military Institute
July 10, 2013 — The Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron completed the first phase of an Innovative Readiness Training project while conducting their annual training from June 3-28, 2013, at Virginia Military Institute’s McKethan Park in Lexington, Va., laying concrete pads and re-locating a road to provide a safer entrance to the park... MORE

203rd RED HORSE performing humanitarian construction in Panama
June 6, 2013 — Members of the Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron are currently deployed to Panama for a 12-week humanitarian construction effort as part of Beyond the Horizon 2013 led by Joint Task Force Jaguar, Army Southern Command. Work on the project began in early April... MORE

Virginia Guard officer candidates get close encounter with history
May 19, 2013 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – In 21 years, Col. Thom Morgan has only missed teaching Virginia Guard officer candidates military history one time, and that was when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He and his father, Lonnie Morgan, work together each year to give the officer candidates a unique first-hand look into Virginia’s military history, and have been doing so since 1992... MORE

Students of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 55 participate in a military history class April 21, 2013 at the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The course was taught by Col. Thom Morgan, Virginia Guard director of manpower and personnel, and included more than 75 pieces of primarily Civil War-era military weaponry from the personal collection of Morgan’s father. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Virginia Guard officer candidates clean up for local charity
May 9, 2013 — RICHMOND, Va. -- Officer candidates from the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School worked together May 4, 2013, clearing debris, mowing grass, trimming hedges and blowing leaves at two homes operated by a local charity called SupportOne, as part of their class community project. Twelve OCs participated in the event, dubbed “Extreme Yard Makeover Day,” and made use of tools and equipment lent by a local landscaping firm co-owned by one of the candidates. ... MORE

Officer candidates from Class 55 of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School clear debris and work on landscape improvements May 4, 2013, as part of their class community project in Richmond, Va. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

203rd RED HORSE memorial service honors 12th anniversary of fatal airplane crash
March 7, 2013 — The Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron held a brief ceremony to lay an honor wreath March 3, 2013, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach to honor the 18 unit members and three Florida Army National Guard aviators who were killed in a military transport crash 12 years ago... MORE

OCS Class 54 conducts service project in Blackstone
August 29, 2012 — Virginia Officer Candidate School Class 54 conducted a community service project at the Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department Aug. 25 2012 as part of the Phase Two requirements of their course curriculum. Candidates coordinated with the Fire Department Chief and applied a fresh coat of paint to the station’s hallways... MORE

Soldiers from Virginia Officer Candidate School Class 54 pose with cadre and members of the Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department Aug. 25, 2012 after applying a fresh coat of paint on the walls of the station’s hallways. The project was part of the Phase Two requirements of their course curriculum. (Contributed photo)

203rd RED HORSE Airmen recognized at Hometown Heroes Salute
August 20, 2012 — Senior leaders of the Virginia National Guard recognized more than 120 Airmen from the Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron during a Hometown Heroes Salute ceremony Aug. 18 at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. The ceremony honored the unit’s service as they completed approximately 70 projects in seven countries, at 18 different sites, during their deployment from March to October 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom... MORE

203rd RED HORSE Airmen tackle new Air Force Qualification Course at Camp Pendleton
May 10, 2012 — Airmen from the Virginia Air National Guard’s 203rd RED HORSE Squadron hit the beach at the Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach May 6 for individual weapons qualification on their M-4 rifles. It was the first time the Airmen from the 203rd RHS fired using the Air Force’s new Air Force Rifle Qualification Course... MORE

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