Virginia National Guard

Final group of Va. Soldiers return from U.S. Virgin Islands
October 19, 2017 — Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard welcomed home the final group of Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they returned from hurricane recovery duty in the U.S. Virgin Islands Oct. 17, 2017, in Richmond, Virginia. The Soldiers provided mission command for the joint task force that consisted of just over 1,300 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 25 states and Washington, D.C. supporting the U.S. Virgin Islands government and Virgin Islands National Guard... MORE

Fort Pickett firefighters work to earn aircraft rescue certification
October 17, 2017 — Members of the Fort Pickett Fire & Rescue Department along with firefighters from neighboring localities conducted aircraft rescue training Oct. 13, 2017, at the Blackstone Army Airfield near Fort Pickett, Virginia. Adjunct instructors from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs using fire training simulators administered the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Course that meets the job performance requirements of the National Fire Protection Association Standard for Airport Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications... MORE

New urban training facility open at Fort Pickett
October 15, 2017 — The first Virginia National Guard unit to utilize Fort Pickett’s new urban operations training site took advantage of the facility’s instrumentation to create more realistic training scenarios and provide leaders with the ability to watch multiple locations in real time and capture video for after action reviews. Soldiers assigned to the Bedford-based Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted civil disturbance training Oct. 14, 2017, at the newly-opened Combined Arms Collective Training Facility, or CACTF... MORE

Lynchburg-based infantry battalion receives second national training readiness award
October 9, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard’s Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was recognized as the most combat-ready Army National Guard battalion in the country with the Walter T. Kerwin, Jr., Readiness Award Oct. 9, 2017, at the Association of the United States Army Guard and Reserve Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Gen... MORE

Kentucky Guard infantry battalion conducts patching ceremony with 116th Infantry
October 9, 2017 — Kentucky National Guard Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry based out of London, Kentucky, conducted a patching ceremony to mark their new affiliation with the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at the Command Sgt. Maj. Harold L. Disney Training Center Oct. 15, 2017, in Artemus, Kentucky... MORE

Soldiers recognized for contributions to state-level logistics inspection
October 5, 2017 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers who made significant contributions to a successful state-level logistics inspections received Army Commendation Medals Oct. 4, 2017, in Sandston, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, presented the awards along with the Col. Michael H. Swanson, Virginia Army National Guard Director of Logistics, to recognize the role the Soldiers played in the Virginia National Guard receiving a 90 percent compliance rating during the Command Logistics Review Team inspection March 8-12, 2017... MORE

First group of Virginia National Guard Soldiers departs for U.S. Virgin Islands
September 25, 2017 — The first group of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team departed for the U.S Virgin Islands Sept. 24, 2017, from Blackstone Army Airfield in Blackstone, Virginia, to join a multi-state, multi-agency response effort to recent hurricanes. The Soldiers will serve as a mission command headquarters and synchronize all National Guard operations assisting with recovery effort, and additional Soldiers from multiple units from across the commonwealth will continue to deploy in the coming days to provide additional assistance... MORE

Virginia Guard indirect fire infantrymen train on new mobile kit for 120mm mortars
September 20, 2017 — Virginia National Guard indirect fire infantrymen trained on the newly-fielded M326 120mm Mortar Stowage Kit, or MSK, and executed fire missions Sept. 16, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The M326 MSK is a trailer-mounted system allowing Soldiers to quickly emplace, fire and stow the fully-assembled, 300-pound 120mm mortar... MORE

Virginia hosts first Crew-Served Weapons Course at Fort Pickett
September 19, 2017 — Instructors assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute taught Virginia’s first-ever Crew-Served Weapons Course Sept. 11-15, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Twenty-eight Soldiers from units across the state attended the course, which focused on the M249 light machine gun and the M240B machine gun while aiming to improve machine gun proficiency across the force. ... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade activated as Army National Guard’s first cyber brigade
September 17, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard activated the Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade as the Army National Guard’s first cyber brigade at a ceremony Sept. 17, 2017, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The new brigade provides training and readiness oversight for cyber units across 30 states and deploys personnel to meet the demands of growing cyber mission sets throughout the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and members of his cabinet joined Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, Director of the Army National Guard, Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, as well as numerous other senior military and civilian leaders, fellow Soldiers and family members for the ceremony activating the brigade, also known as the Shadow Brigade... MORE

Lynchburg-based infantry battalion receives national training, marksmanship awards
September 13, 2017 — Lt. Col. Christopher Samulski and Command Sgt. Maj. Irving Reed accepted the Reckord Trophy for training excellence on behalf of the Soldiers of the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Sept. 10, 2017, at the National Guard Association of the United States General Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. NGAUS presents the Reckord Trophy each year to the Army National Guard battalion that achieves the highest state of readiness in the country. The command team for the Bedford-based Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment also accepted the Pershing Plaque for marksmanship excellence... MORE

Va. National Guard helicopters support Hurricane Harvey recovery
September 7, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard sent approximately 40 Soldiers and six helicopters to Texas to assist with Hurricane Harvey recovery operations Aug. 31, 2017, and after transporting medical personnel and supplies, they safely returned to Virginia Sept. 6. With the Texas National Guard shifting operations from search and rescue to critical life support and logistics support, the helicopters and crews were able to return to Virginia to be ready for possible impacts from Hurricane Irma. Three rescue technicians from the Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Service Scuba Rescue Team also deployed with the Guard... MORE

Virginia Guard Soldiers, Airmen shoot at regional match
September 6, 2017 — A group of 14 Soldiers and Airmen participated in a regional marksmanship match Aug. 25-27, 2017, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. The match included shooters from two regions – Marksmanship Advisory Council Region I and II – and included approximately 120 shooters. ... MORE

Camp Pendleton receives Army Environmental Award from Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
September 3, 2017 — Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Eugene Collins presented the 2016 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award for Cultural Resource Management in the small installation category to Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and the staffs of the Virginia National Guard Environmental Office and Camp Pendleton Collective Training Center Aug. 31, 2017, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The award is the highest honor in the field of environmental science and sustainability conferred by the Army... MORE

1-111th completes transformation with howitzer live fire
August 30, 2017 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Norfolk-based 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team live fired new M777A2 howitzers and upgraded M119A3 howitzers during their two weeks of annual training Aug. 17-31, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, to complete their transformation into a composite field artillery battalion. As part of the battalion’s transformation, two firing batteries upgraded their howitzers to a newer model, and a third firing battery was activated to field a larger caliber howitzer... MORE

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