Virginia National Guard

29th ID Soldiers from Maryland, Virginia recognized for overseas deployment
July 13, 2022 — Maryland and Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division Headquarters were recognized for their federal active-duty service June 26, 2022, in Baltimore. The Soldiers returned to the United States in late March 2022 after completing a nine-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as the headquarters of Task Force Spartan, which exercises command and control of Operation Spartan Shield... MORE

VNG maintenance, engineer units supporting XCTC rotation at Fort Drum
July 11, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Blackstone-based 3647th Maintenance Company and the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company are supporting a New Jersey National Guard brigade’s eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation June 9 - 30, 2022, at Fort Drum, New York. ... MORE

Military Funeral Honors Program hosts National Guard Soldiers from 4 states for funeral honors training
July 8, 2022 — The Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Program hosted Level 1 funeral honors training for nine National Guard Soldiers from four states June 27 to July 1, 2022, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Va. Soldiers from Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio joined Virginia Soldiers for the five-day course, which prepares Soldiers to conduct professional military funeral honors in accordance with service tradition... MORE

Slater receives Trail Blazer Award at 2022 Virginia Women Veterans Summit
July 8, 2022 — Retired Sgt. Maj. Jacqueline R. Slater, a current federal civilian employee working in the Virginia National Guard Human Resources Office, was recognized with the Trail Blazer Award at the 2022 Virginia Women Veterans Summit held June 15, 2022, in Richmond, Virginia. Hosted by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services in partnership with the Virginia Employment Commission, the Summit featured more than 200 women veterans, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and other participants taking part in a full day of inspiring speeches and panel discussions on topics of interest to Virginia’s more than 109,000 women veterans... MORE

R&R offering up pizza party for top lead-producing unit
July 6, 2022 — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion is offering up a pizza party for the top lead-producing unit in the state as part of their Summer Slam Challenge. The contest, open to all Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers now through July 31, 2022, challenges units to see which can gather the most qualified leads over the contest period. ... MORE

Additional staffers expand VaARNG behavioral health support
July 6, 2022 — The Virginia Army National Guard Behavioral Health Program, which works to ensure that psychological health for service members and their families throughout the VaARNG is effectively addressed, has expanded recently by adding three new psychological health coordinators throughout the state. “These contractors will provide additional behavioral health support and coordination to Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers and technicians,” explained Jonathan Goldwire, Virginia Army National Guard full-time director of psychological health... MORE

Alpha Company, 429th Soldiers train at Camp Dodge, Iowa
June 29, 2022 — More than 30 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the South Boston-based Alpha Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team traveled to Camp Dodge, Iowa, to conduct annual training June 5-18, 2022, at the Army National Guard Sustainment Training Center... MORE

429th BSB Soldiers train at Camp Dodge, Iowa

VNG's 91st Cyber Brigade makes history at Cyber Shield
June 29, 2022 — The Virginia Army National Guard’s 91st Cyber Brigade, the National Guard’s only cyber brigade, completed the congressional mandate of validating the mission capability of all 11 of its subordinate Cyber Protection Teams. This concludes a five-year training pipeline... MORE

VNG PA talks training, impromptu Pride celebrations
June 28, 2022 — When 1st Lt. Nicole Albertson found herself at annual training during her first LGBTQ+ Pride Month since coming out, she wanted a way to mark the occasion. She was at A.P Hill with the Virginia National Guard’s 229th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Since she couldn’t walk in Washington, D.C.’s Pride Parade, she grabbed long-time friend, Staff Sgt. Cassandra Lyons, and a Pride flag and posed for a picture... MORE

34th CERFP conducts CTE in Virginia Beach
June 27, 2022 — Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conducted a mass casualty response drill as part of a collective training exercise May 24 - 27, 2022, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ... MORE

34th CERFP conducts mass casualty exercise during CTE

329th Regional Support Group returns from federal active duty in Iraq, Kuwait
June 27, 2022 — The first groups of the Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group Headquarters returned to Virginia June 17, 2022, after supporting Operation Inherent Resolve at multiple locations from Oct. 7, 2021, to June 6, 2022... MORE

329th RSG Headquarters returns from federal active duty in Iraq, Kuwait

VNG couple talks LGBTQ+ Pride, inclusivity & community
June 21, 2022 — For Sgt. Phillicia Lewis and Spc. Dejia Joyner, both serving in the Virginia Army National Guard, LGBTQ+ Pride Month is all about their community. Each year, they said, that community grows and with it, acceptance and inclusion. ... MORE

Sgt. Phillicia Lewis (right) and Spc. Dejia Joyner (left)

VNG RRB officially welcomes Johnson to top NCO spot
June 21, 2022 — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion welcomed Sgt. Maj. Paul A. Johnson as the battalion’s senior enlisted leader in a Change of Responsibility ceremony held June 8, 2022, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Johnson was promoted to the rank of sergeant major just before the ceremony and has served in the RRB since 2008, when he came on as a recruiter. ... MORE

The Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion officially welcomes Sgt. Maj. Paul Johnson as the battalion’s top noncommissioned in a change of responsibility ceremony held June 8, 2022, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Johnson was promoted just before taking responsibility of the formation and has performed the duties of the senior enlisted leader for the battalion for several months. Following the change of responsibility, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Compton was promoted to master sergeant, and newly-promoted Master Sgt. Thomas Clarke was recognized for his recent promotion as well. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

Soldier’s musical improvisation helped maintain readiness for AIT
June 21, 2022 — The first musical instrument Spc. Jessica Tang learned to play was the piano. At four-years-old, she was encouraged to play by her grandmother, who taught elementary school in China before immigrating to the United States to help take care of Tang... MORE

Spc. Jessica Tang plays the flute with the 29th Division Band.

“Major of Saint Lô,” other Citadel cadets honored at D-Day Memorial
June 15, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and alumni from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, attended a memorial plaque dedication at the National D-Day Memorial June 4, 2022, in Bedford, Virginia. ... MORE

Archive by Year

News Archive by Category