Virginia National Guard

Flora promoted to brigadier general
June 6, 2016 — Col. Lapthe C. Flora was promoted to brigadier general at the National D-Day Memorial June 6, 2016, in Bedford, Virginia. Flora, a native of Saigon, is the first Vietnamese boat person to be promoted to general officer in the United State Army and the second of Vietnamese descent. He most recently served as the commander of the Virginia National GuardÕs Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command and will serve as the Assistant Adjutant General for Strategic Initiatives... MORE

Smith takes command of 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
June 6, 2016 — Col. E. Scott Smith takes command of the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. William J. Coffin June 5, 2016, in a traditional change of command ceremony at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Walter L. Mercer, the Virginia National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General – Army, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Coffin to Smith... MORE

Memorial Day ceremonies honor Virginia’s fallen warriors
May 30, 2016 — The service and sacrifice of Virginians from all branches of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to the United States of America were remembered May 30, 2016, at ceremonies across Virginia including the 2016 Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, and the Hanover County Veterans Memorial... MORE

Departure ceremony sends off Sandston-based aviation units
May 28, 2016 — A departure ceremony for two Virginia National Guard Sandston-based aviation units held May 27, 2016, marked the start of their federal active duty mission. Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard joined family members, friends and fellow Soldiers in bidding farewell to the Soldiers. Approximately 40 Soldiers each assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, and Detachment 2, Company B, 777th Aviation Support Battalion, are scheduled to begin serving on federal active duty in early June 2016. The units will be based in Kuwait and provide rotary wing aviation and aviation maintenance support to the U. S. Central Command area of operations. ... MORE

Zana takes charge of 91st Troop Command
May 24, 2016 — Col. William L. Zana took command of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command from Col. Lapthe C. Flora May 21, 2016, in a traditional change of command ceremony at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Walter L. Mercer, the Virginia National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General – Army, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Flora to Zana... MORE

Volunteers recognized at annual workshop
May 21, 2016 — Virginia National Guard senior leaders thanked adult and youth volunteers for their significant contributions at the 2016 Virginia National Guard State Volunteer Recognition Workshop & Youth Symposium May 21, 2016, in Richmond, Virginia... MORE

Cake cutting marks 409th birthday for Va. Guard, Jamestown Settlement
May 19, 2016 — Senior leaders from the Virginia National Guard gathered to celebrate the 409th birthday of the Virginia National Guard and the founding of the Jamestown colony with a cake cutting May 14, 2016, at Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Virginia National Guard traces the heritage and traditions of Citizen-Soldier and Citizen-Airmen service to the founding of the Jamestown colony more than 400 years ago when Capt. John Smith organized a militia to defend the colony. Since the colony’s founding May 14, 1607, there has not been a day since without a military presence in Virginia to defend freedom at home and overseas... MORE

Dept. of Military Affairs recognizes, thanks state employees
May 18, 2016 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, Brig. Gen. Paul F. Griffin, Virginia National Guard Director of the Joint Staff, and Walter L. Mercer, Director of Personnel and Administration for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, recognized and thanked Virginia Department of Military Affairs state employees at luncheons and awards ceremonies May 10, 2016, at Fort Pickett and May 12, 2016, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach... MORE

Family, friends, senior leaders bid farewell to the Red Dragons
May 18, 2016 — Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard, family, friends and fellow Soldiers bid farewell to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at multiple departure events May 14-16, 2016... MORE

Transfer of Authority Ceremony held for 116th MET
May 11, 2016 — Soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard’s 30th Military Engagement Team transferred authority to the Virginia National Guard’s 116th Military Engagement Team in a ceremony held May 8, 2016, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait... MORE

Va. Soldiers take first place at 37th BEB Sapper Stakes competition
May 10, 2016 — A squad of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fredericksburg-based 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th IBCT took first place in the Sapper Stakes competition conducted by the Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based 37th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division May 7, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The team navigated multiple stations including emplacement of a wire obstacle, leadership reaction course, obstacle course, rope bridge urban breach and M4 rifle qualification. A total of 18 teams took part in the competition, and the Virginia Guard engineers completed the course in seven hours and five minutes, 14 minutes ahead of the second place team. Soldiers from the 116th BSTB joined engineers from the 37th BEB for numerous training opportunities at Fort Pickett that was part of an ongoing partnership between the two units... MORE

Virginia Guard Soldiers train for Military Funeral Honors duty
May 5, 2016 — The Virginia National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program conducted Level 1 Funeral Honors training April 26-30 2016, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Eight Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from throughout the state participated in the 40-hour certification course which prepares Soldiers to conduct professional military funeral honors in accordance with service tradition... MORE

Virginia Defense Force supports law enforcement for Winchester festival
May 3, 2016 — Nearly 100 members of the Virginia Defense Force assisted local law enforcement keep traffic moving during the 89th Apple Blossom Festival April 29-30, 2016, in Winchester, Virginia. VDF troops from each of the four regiments came together to form Task Force Shenandoah and volunteered their time by operating traffic control points and providing mission command support at the event... MORE

High-performing Va. Army, Air Guard units recognized
May 2, 2016 — High performing Virginia Army and Air National Guard units were recognized at the Virginia National Guard Officer and Enlisted Association Conferences April 30, 2016, in Hampton and Newport News, Virginia... MORE

High-performing Va. Army and Air Guard units recognized

Candidates, cadre, graduates celebrate OCS 58th birthday
April 26, 2016 — RICHMOND, Va. — Officer candidates, graduates and cadre of the Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidate School celebrated its 58th birthday with a ceremony April 19, 2016, at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s Downtown Campus in Richmond, Virginia. Officer candidates in Class 58, who are scheduled to graduate in August 2016, organized the ceremony, which included the family of Capt. Harry Q. Rose, a graduate of Class VIII who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and remains the only Virginia OCS graduate to have been killed in action... MORE

Officer candidates, graduates and cadre of the Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidate School celebrate its 58th birthday with a ceremony April 19, 2016, at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s Downtown Campus in Richmond, Virginia. Officer candidates in Class 58, who are scheduled to graduate in August 2016, organized the ceremony, which included the family of Capt. Harry Q. Rose, a graduate of Class VIII who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and remains the only Virginia OCS graduate to have been killed in action. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

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