RICHMOND, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard celebrated its 419th birthday May 14, 2026, during a ceremony in Richmond, Virginia. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger provided remarks, while retired Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, read aloud the birthday proclamation.
Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, also gave remarks, and ceremonially cut the birthday cake with Spc. Hope Lindquist, the youngest Virginia National Guard Soldier in attendance.
Read the Governor’s proclamation at https://vngpao.info/zt64z3f5.
“Thank you for your commitment to our Commonwealth,” said Spanberger during the ceremony. “Thank you for your commitment to service and thank you for joining what is a storied, historic and vitally important element, not just in Virginia's history, but of our nation's history. Thank you for preserving the ideals that we are celebrating with our 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding and quest for independence.”
“For 419 years, here within Virginia, we have had citizens who have always been ready to stand for the peace, the security and the prosperity of their communities,” said Ring. “Today, citizens are choosing to serve, not for themselves, but on behalf of their communities, and most importantly, on behalf of the our nation, as we have for 419 years.”
A contingent of new VNG Soldiers participating in the VaARNG’s First Formation were also in attendance. First Formation is a program which has welcomed hundreds of Soldiers into the force, providing a structured introduction for those newly assigned or recently transferred into the organization.
Dr. Sarah Burgos, the director and chief curator of the Museum of the Virginia National Guard, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of honoring the organization’s history and importance to the nation.
“As we are in the season of America's 250th anniversary, part of the museum's mission is to educate Virginians about the story of American independence, which would be incomplete without acknowledging Virginia's militia, who are the predecessors of today's Virginia National Guard,” said Burgos. “This June, the museum will launch its first online interactive exhibition called ‘The Army Before Army,’ to tell the story of how the Virginia militia served along before, and then alongside, the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War.”
Read more about the history of the Virginia National Guard at https://vngpao.info/bdf38m9b.
Learn more about the Museum of the Virginia National Guard at https://mvang.org/.