FORT PICKETT, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard’s Danville-based 429th Light Support Battalion formally conducted a casing of the colors ceremony for Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies Nov. 14, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, marking the conclusion of their storied service under the BSB structure.
The company designations are part of the ongoing U.S. Army transformation initiative. The 429th Brigade Support Battalion was officially designated as the 429th Light Support Battalion Oct. 16, 2025. The battalion’s Headquarters and Alpha Company merged into the Headquarters and Distribution Company, Bravo Company became the new Alpha Company and Charlie Company was designated as Bravo Company.
“The Soldiers of the 429th BSB performed with distinction at the eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation in June,” said Lt. Col. James W. Wells, the commander of the 429th. “Our new light support battalion force structure is designed to support the newly transformed 116th MBCT will be tested next summer in the crucible of Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The Soldiers of the newly-reorganized 429th LSB are up to the task.”
Leaders of the 429th said the ceremony honored the legacy, achievements and contributions of these companies, and each them played a critical role in sustaining the brigade and enabling mission success.
“For years, Alpha Company, Bravo Company, and Charlie Company provided the backbone of distribution, maintenance, medical support and logistics operations throughout the Commonwealth,” explained Capt. Grady McClean IV, the 429th’s operations officers. “Their Soldiers deployed, trained and responded to emergencies with professionalism, technical expertise and a deep commitment to service. The casing of their colors symbolizes not an end, but a transition and recognizing their history while preparing for the future force.”
The new Headquarters and Distribution Company brings together key command, control and sustainment functions, and it integrates distribution platoons, battalion staff enablers and logistical management capabilities under a unified headquarters, McClean said. The company will serve as the central hub for planning, resourcing and synchronizing sustainment operations across the formation.
The newly designated Alpha Company is a maintenance support company and assumes a critical role in providing multi-class distribution, field feeding water production and general logistics support to maneuver elements, McClean said.
“With updated structure, equipment and personnel alignment, Alpha Company is built to support dispersed and mobile operations in accordance with multi-domain operations and large-scale combat operations doctrine,” he said.
Bravo Company enhances the battalion’s medical capability with Role I and Role II functions, strengthened evacuation platforms and improved medical treatment capacity, McClean said
“Bravo Med significantly increases the battalion’s ability to preserve combat power, conduct prolonged field care and support a modern brigade in both training and combat missions,” he said.
“This transformation represents more than a name change,” Wells said. “It aligns the 429th with the future sustainment requirements of the Army and the Virginia Army National Guard.”
Wells said the restructuring allows the battalion improve support to the maneuver brigade, increase distribution and medical capacity and better integrate command and control across the sustainment enterprise. It enhances readiness for JRTC and potential mobilization requirements with modernized equipment sets and logistics systems.
“The Soldiers formerly assigned to Alpha, Bravo and Charlies Companies are now integrated into these new formations, carrying their experience and lineage into the next phase of the battalion’s history,” Wells said.