Virginia National Guard

FASTC officially opens doors at Fort Pickett
November 22, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Officials from the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and the General Services Administration formally opened the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 14, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Senior leaders from state government, the Virginia National Guard and Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett attended the event, including Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins and Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. VNG Soldiers from the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided ceremonial music for the ribbon-cutting. FASTC is now the nation’s largest training facility dedicated to overseas safety and security, and will train about 10,000 personnel from the U.S. foreign affairs community annually, including DSS special agents, security engineers, technicians and couriers, according to a release from the U.S. Department of State... MORE

Ault Obstacle Course dedicated in name of VNG Soldier killed in Iraq
October 30, 2019 — Fort Pickett, Va. — Family, friends and current and former Virginia National Guard Soldiers joined the leadership of Fort Pickett for the ribbon cutting and dedication of the Staff Sgt. Jesse Ault Wheeled Vehicle Obstacle Course Sept. 20, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Ault was killed in action April 9, 2008, in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device while assigned to the 429th Brigade Support Battalion. ... MORE

429th BSB cooks win regional Connellys; Nationals next
October 16, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Danville-based Headquarters Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has won the regional Philip A. Connelly Food Service competition and will now compete in the national-level competition in 2020... MORE

429th BSB competes in regional food service competition during XCTC

183rd RTI certifies new rappel masters
September 18, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – After four demanding days, 14 active duty, U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers earned their rappel master certification after completing the U.S. Army’s Rappel Master Course, taught by Soldiers of the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Sept. 1-5, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

WTC brings Air Assault, Pathfinder School to Fort Pickett
September 10, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — As the sun rose on Fort Pickett’s Air Assault Obstacle Course Aug. 13, 2019, several hundred Soldiers were steaming in the morning’s muggy heat from their first physical challenge of the day, a two-mile run. That was just the beginning. From there, 238 Soldiers, plus a few Airmen and Sailors, tackled the obstacle course, challenging their strength, endurance and mental toughness as they climbed up, over, around and through nine obstacles. Those who were successful, earned a seat in Air Assault School; those who weren’t, went home... MORE

Virginia National Guard OCS graduates and commissions 11 new officers
September 7, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard welcomed 11 new second lieutenants from Officer Candidate School Class 61 and 62B in a combined commissioning ceremony held Aug. 17, 2019, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. Lt. Col. James C. Shaver Jr., 3rd Battalion, 183rd RTI commander, administered the oath of office to the graduates, and Col. Todd Hubbard, 183rd RTI commander, introduced and welcomed the guest speaker, retired Brig. Gen. Walter L. Mercer, the former assistant adjutant general of Virginia. Mercer asked the newly commissioned officers to reflect on what led them to become officers... MORE

Army Reserve engineers train for future mobilization at Fort Pickett
August 16, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — United States Army Reserve Soldiers assigned to the Indiana, Pennsylvania-based 420th Engineer Company, 458th Engineer Battalion, 411th Engineer Brigade, conducted counter-improvised explosive device and route clearance training July 13-31, 2019, as part of their annual training at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The 420th is scheduled for an upcoming federal mobilization next year... MORE

VDF chaplains provide support at Fort Pickett chapel during annual training season
August 2, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia Defense Force chaplains are volunteering their time to conduct Sunday services at the Fort Pickett Bulla Chapel through the summer to provide religious support to Soldiers conducting training on the installation. The partnership between the Virginia National Guard Chaplain Corps and the VDF Chaplain Corps opens the chapel every Sunday from June 2 through Aug. 25, 2019... MORE

429th BSB competes in regional food service competition during XCTC
July 23, 2019 — Fort Pickett, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Danville-based Headquarters Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team competed in the Philip A. Connelly Food Service Competition July 19, 2019, during eXportable Combat Training Capability Rotation 19-4 at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The 429th is competing for the regional award and the opportunity to further compete for the national prize... MORE

116th IBCT conducting eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation at Fort Pickett
July 14, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia and Kentucky National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are honing their combat skills during the eXportable Combat Training Capability Rotation 19-4 scheduled for July 13 through August 2, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

VNG hosts combined arms marksmanship match
July 10, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — For the first time, the Virginia National Guard’s annual Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match was a combined arms event, held June 21-23, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. More than 50 Soldiers and Airmen competed in the event, which tested their skills on both rifle and pistol, and was hosted by the Marksmanship Training Unit, part of 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute... MORE

Fort Pickett celebrates improvements on 77th birthday
July 3, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. —Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett leaders celebrated the installation’s 77th birthday July 3, 2019, with a cake cutting at their headquarters. The post has transformed from its origins in the 1940s and training personnel for service in World War II to now being one of the premier military and public safety training facilities on the East Coast. Fort Pickett was originally called Camp Pickett when construction began in early 1942 and formally dedicated July 3, 1942. The camp was originally built on 46,000 acres covering parts of four counties. The installation grew rapidly with the United States’ entry into World War II, and boasted about 1,000 barracks buildings, 70 officers’ quarters and other buildings by the end of 1942... MORE

276th Engineers tackle Fort Pickett improvements during AT
June 26, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group made significant progress in efforts to improve some of Fort Pickett’s training areas during their annual training June 1-15, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

Riggers reflect on D-Day heroics 75 years after harrowing operation
June 12, 2019 — BLACKSTONE ARMY AIRFIELD, Va. – The intensity and magnitude of the great sea, air and land invasion known as D-Day was not fully comprehended by Sgt. Trayon Augburn. The parachute rigger was wearing a World War II-era uniform while preparing for a parachute jump June 6 at Fort Pickett – the exact day his airborne brethren had landed on the beaches of Normandy, France 75 years ago. The Soldier admitted he knew little about the battle involving 156,000 Allied troops, including 73,000 Americans, 13,000 of them from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions who would have been wearing a uniform identical to his... MORE

Virginia DMA honors state employees
May 23, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins, Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Walter L. Mercer, Chief Operations Officer for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, recognized and thanked DMA employees at a State Employee Recognition luncheon May 22, 2019, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach. DMA previously conducted a State Employee Recognition luncheon May 9, 2019, at Fort Pickett... MORE

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