Virginia National Guard

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

Senior leaders visit Tajikistan as Va. Guard commemorates 10 years of partnership
September 13, 2013 — Three Virginia National Guard senior leaders traveled to Tajikistan in August as part of the Virginia National Guard’s partnership with the Central Asian republic under the National Guard State Partnership Program... 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

Winchester-based 3-116th Soldiers travel to Tajikistan to share military skills, experience
June 5, 2013 — As part of the Virginia National Guard State Partnership Program, a group of Soldiers from the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team traveled to Dushanbe, Tajikistan in April for a six-day information exchange focused on introducing Tajik servicemembers to the U.S. Army Military Decision Making Process and developing leadership skills at the platoon and company levels... 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

Virginia National Guard works with Tajikistan’s Peacekeeping Operations Battalion on infantry and medical tactics
November 30, 2012 — Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard participated in missions to Tajikistan from Nov. 3-16, 2012, where they conducted an exchange in infantry tactics and medical support procedures with the Tajikistan Peacekeeping Operations Battalion in preparation for future United Nations missions... 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

STARBASE Academy blasts off in Winchester
July 24, 2012 — The Virginia National Guard hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Winchester STARBASE Academy July 23 at the Cherry-Beasley Readiness Center in Winchester. Students from Frederick Douglass Elementary School of the Winchester Public Schools took part in the first-ever five-day program that ended July 27... MORE

Program Director Susan Corrigan cuts the ribbon July 23 to officially open the STARBASE Academy in Winchester. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard)

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

203rd RED HORSE remembers Airmen, Soldiers killed in fatal plane crash 11 years ago
March 5, 2012 — Family members, friends and fellow Airmen from the 203rd RED HORSE Squadron gathered at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach March 3 to honor the 18 unit members and three Florida Army National Guard aviators who were killed in a military transport crash 11 years ago... MORE

29th ID Soldiers in Afghanistan serve at National Military Command Center
February 13, 2012 — Five officers from the Virginia and Maryland National Guard, part of the storied 29th Infantry Division's 65-person deployment to Afghanistan in the fall, are assigned to Afghanistan's National Military Command Center where they advise and assist on national military issues... MORE

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