Virginia National Guard

Cav Soldiers recognize Smithfield VFW for support
September 21, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Suffolk-based Bravo Troop, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team recognized and thanked members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8545 in Smithfield, Virginia, during a unit awards ceremony Sept. 11, 2020, in Suffolk, Virginia. Bravo Troop and Post 8545 came together under the VFW’s Adopt-a-Unit program. According to the VFW more than 121,000 military and family members are actively supported by VFW Posts and Auxiliaries through the VFW Adopt-a-Unit program... MORE

Suicide Intervention Officer course trains leaders to help fellow Soldiers in crisis
September 15, 2020 — More than 20 Soldiers from around the Virginia National Guard participated in a Suicide Intervention Officer Course Aug. 25-27, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The three-day course, which is offered bi-monthly by the Virginia National Guard Suicide Prevention Program, provides training and resources for unit SIOs to help Soldiers who are thinking of or acting on suicide... MORE

Suicide Intervention Officer course provides training, resources

National Guard Soldier discusses pride of service
September 14, 2020 — Every Virginia National Guard Soldier plays a part in ensuring mission success and for Spc. Silvia Cavalier, an 88M Motor Transport Operator, recognizing her impact and the impact of her unit was easy... MORE

203rd RED HORSE helps with AASF improvements
September 3, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers Squadron, 192nd Wing, completed several improvement projects July 27 – Aug. 7, 2020, at the Virginia National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. During the two-week project, the RED HORSE engineers removed a large earthen berm to make room Aviators to conduct Army Combat Fitness Tests, as well as made some improvements to the facility’s flight line... MORE

VNG Soldiers compete in pistol marksmanship match
August 27, 2020 — FORT PICKETT, Va. - Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group and the Fort Pickett-based VNG Marksmanship Training Unit combined efforts to host the Excellence in Competition Pistol match Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. A total of 80 service members participated in the event in the hopes of earning the Bronze Excellence in Competition Pistol badge, awarded to the top 10% of shooters... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group compete with the M4 pistol during a competition Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

Bennett VNG’s first female infantry enlistment, Infantry School graduate
August 27, 2020 — Pvt. Ana-Alicia Bennett, the Virginia Army National Guard’s first female infantry enlistment, made history July 17, 2020, when she graduated from the U.S. Army’s Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. With successful completion of training, Bennett becomes one of only a few female infantry Soldiers to serve in the Virginia National Guard and the first to initially enlist and successfully complete training as an 11B... MORE

Pvt. Ana-Alicia Bennett poses for a photograph with her parents July 27, 2020, outside their home in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

VNG Soldiers train on CROWS remote weapons system
August 27, 2020 — Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from across the Commonwealth conducted training on the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station during a one week training course Aug. 17-21, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The course was designed to familiarize Soldiers with the M153 CROWS system, an externally mounted weapons control system that allows the gunner to remain inside the vehicle, protected by armor while being able to remotely fire various crew served weapons... MORE

Pegg takes command of 329th RSG
August 22, 2020 — Lt. Col. Todd A. Pegg took command of the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. K. Weedon Gallagher, VNG Land Component Commander, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Gillis to Pegg... MORE

New laws benefit DMA, veterans with disabilities
August 21, 2020 — Virginia Governor Ralph Northam ceremonially signed into law two bills benefitting the Virginia Department of Military Affairs as well as veterans with disabilities during a virtual bill signing ceremony Aug. 4, 2020... MORE

Teamwork, attention to detail helps LT earn Ranger Tab
August 18, 2020 — When Virginia National Guardsman 1st Lt. Aidan O’Connor decided to go to Ranger School, it was partly because of leadership. So many of the best leaders he’d met had Ranger tabs on their shoulders and while O’Connor knew that wasn’t all it took to excel in the leadership arena, it seemed like a pretty good start. Plus, O’Connor says he was looking for a challenge, which he knew Ranger School would deliver. ... MORE

First Lt. Aidan O’Connor (front row, third from the right) poses alongside his fellow Ranger School Graduates after successfully completing the course. O’Connor, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, is currently assigned as the executive officer to Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Virginia Soldier, NCO compete in Region II Best Warrior
August 12, 2020 — Spc. Braxton Todd and Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones, both assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division, competed against representatives from Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania at the 2020 Region II Best Warrior Competition July 28-31 in Maryland. The physical and mentally grueling competition, which took place at several locations throughout the state, included the Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons qualification, stress shooting, a 12-mile ruck march, a water survival test, a board appearance and more... MORE

Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones and Spc. Braxton Todd, Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, compete in the 2020 Region II Best Warrior Competition, July 28, 2020, at H Steven Blum Military Reservation in Glen Arm, Maryland. Jones and Todd are competing against Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware during the four-day competition for the right to move on to the national-level competition. (U.S. National Guard photo by A.J. Coyne)

VNG Soldier is first direct commission ARNG cyber operations officer
August 7, 2020 — Maj. Waldon W. Jue became the first Army National Guard Soldier to direct commission as a cyber operations officer July 30, 2020, in Fairfax, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, presided over the direct commissioning ceremony and administered the oath of office to Jue who is assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fairfax-based 144th Cyber Warfare Company, 124th Cyber Protection Battalion, 91st Cyber Brigade... MORE

Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, administers the oath of office to newly-promoted Maj. Waldon W. Jue Aug. July 30, 2020, in Fairfax, Virginia. (U. S. National Guard photo by Cotton Puryear)

VNG Soldiers help clear roads after TS Isaias
August 6, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers used chain saws to help clear roads and assisted with keeping traffic moving Aug. 4, 2020, after Tropical Storm Isaias left a path of fallen trees and debris at multiple locations across Virginia... MORE

Samulski takes command of 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
August 4, 2020 — Col. Christopher J. Samulski took command of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Joseph A. DiNonno July 31, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Maj. Gen. John M. Epperly, commander of the 29th Infantry Division, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from DiNonno to Samulski... MORE

Col. Christopher J. Samulski takes command of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Joseph A. DiNonno July 31, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

34th CERFP provides critical testing support to Commonwealth's COVID-19 response
July 29, 2020 — RICHMOND, Virginia — Nearly 200 Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are concluding more than three months of continuous sample collection and other missions in support of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s COVID-19 response efforts. The Soldiers and Airman are assigned to the Richmond-based 34th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosives… ... MORE

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