VNG troops moving resources to Pulaski, Carroll and Grayson Counties

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia National Guard Soldiers staged in Abingdon and Cedar Bluff, Virginia, are deploying to Pulaski, Carroll and Grayson Counties Feb. 14, 2025, to assist local emergency managers support citizens impacted by severe weather and power outages. The Soldiers will have heavy-duty tactical vehicles and plan to assist with transportation and distribution of food and water as well as chain saws to help clear debris from roads. Additional Soldiers remain staged at VNG facilities in Abingdon and Cedar Bluff and can quickly deploy where needed in the region. Approximately 45 Soldiers are currently in the Southwest Virginia area and ready to assist.

Another team of approximately 20 Virginia National Guard Airmen is mustering in Virginia Beach and will deploy to the same areas to provide additional resources. They are expected to be in place Friday afternoon.

“Virginia National Guard planners have been working in close coordination with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to stage VNG resources at locations where they are most needed,” said Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia. “As our fellow Virginians experience power outages and the impacts of severe weather, it is a privilege for VNG Soldiers and Airmen to serve along side multiple agencies providing assistance. I am incredibly proud of how quickly VNG personnel deployed to Southwest Virginia in support of localities in need. They left their loved ones and jobs to help their fellow citizens, and we owe a special thanks to their families and employers for their continued support.”

Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are also on station in the Southwest Virginia area and available for missions as needed through the weekend. The VNG Black Hawk crews and Chesterfield Fire & Emergency Medical Services rescue technicians form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team to provide rotary wing aviation hoist capabilities and aerial rescue evacuation. Four VNG Soldiers and three Chesterfield techs make up each HART crew.

View photos of the Va. Hart departing for Southwest Virginia on Flickr at https://vngpao.info/2p8nyx7n.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin recognized Va. HART for their efforts participating in rescue missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s effects on Southwest Virginia during his State of the Commonwealth address Jan. 13 in Richmond. Read more about the recognition at https://vngpao.info/2c744r6p and read more about the first real-world rescues the team performed at https://vngpao.info/mr2x45tv.

About 20 additional Soldiers and members of the Virginia Defense Force are on duty to provide logistics, maintenance and administrative support for the response teams at their staging locations. Soldiers and Airmen also are providing mission command support at the VNG’s Joint Force Headquarters in Richmond.

During domestic operations, the VNG responds as part of a multi-agency team with other state and local agencies to provide support capability requests submitted through the Virginia Emergency Support Team by Virginia localities.

Localities looking for VNG support should make their requests to the VEST, and they determine which organization can best provide the requested assistance as they coordinate the regional and statewide response.

VNG troops moving resources to Pulaski, Carroll and Grayson Counties

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