Virginia National Guard

Virginia OCS dedicates building to Capt. Harry Q. Rose
October 3, 2018 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — An intimate gathering of Soldiers and family members marked the dedication of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building in honor of Capt. Harry Q. Rose Sept. 22, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

(L-R) Helen Rose Creel, Lt. Col. Harry Gardner, Phyllis Rose Gardner and Albert Lee Creel stand next to the sign commemorating Capt. Harry Q. Rose, Sept. 22, 2018, at the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building at Fort Pickett, Virginia. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Matt Lyman)

Virginia OCS dedicates building to Capt. Harry Q. Rose
October 3, 2018 — An intimate gathering of Soldiers and family members marked the dedication of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School building in honor of Capt. Harry Q. Rose Sept. 22, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Rose graduated from OCS Class VI in 1966 and earned the honor graduate distinction after completing the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he first branched as an artillery officer... MORE

Transporters, aviators return from support missions in the Carolinas
October 2, 2018 — Virginia National Guard transportation Soldiers returned from supporting Hurricane Florence flood response operations in North Carolina Sept. 24, 2018, and a team of VNG aviators and Chesterfield County rescue technicians returned from South Carolina Sept. 27... MORE

Gillis takes command of 329th Regional Support Group
September 22, 2018 — Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., took command of the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. K. Weedon Gallagher in a change of command ceremony Sept. 9, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General- Army, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Gallagher to Gillis. The National Anthem was performed by Gillis’ daughter, Evan Renee Winter... MORE

Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team departs for South Carolina
September 22, 2018 — A Virginia National Guard aviation crew of four Soldiers and a team of three Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team members departed Sept. 22, 2018, from Chesterfield County, Virginia, to support the South Carolina National Guard with recovery operations after Hurricane Florence caused serious flooding across the state. The VNG aviators and Chesterfield rescue technicians form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team to provide rotary wing aviation rescue hoist capabilities that can conduct aerial rescue evacuation in situations where there is potential loss of life, limb or eyesight or significant property damage... MORE

VNG supports multi-state, multi-agency response to Hurricane Florence
September 20, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard staged more than 1,500 personnel Sept. 12, 2018, at key locations across the commonwealth to support local and state emergency management officials with possible response to Hurricane Florence, but most were not needed when the storm turned further south. When Governor Ralph Northam authorized Virginia’s resources could be redirected to North Carolina, the VNG sent sent approximately 40 Soldiers and 20 light medium tactical vehicles to support with recovery efforts where the hurricane caused widespread flooding... MORE

CERFP search & extraction team trains in West Virginia
September 19, 2018 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to a specialized response force traveled to Camp Dawson, West Virginia, for a 12-day, four-phase course on the basics of search and extraction during the latter half of August. The eleven Soldiers who attended the course are all assigned to the 180th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group... MORE

Virginia National Guard sending support to North Carolina
September 15, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard is sending approximately 40 Soldiers and 20 light medium tactical vehicles to support the North Carolina National Guard with recovery efforts after Hurricane Florence caused widespread flooding, and they departed Sept. 15, 2018. The VNG will keep a force of Soldiers on standby and postured for possible support to the Southwest Virginia region if needed, and personnel not on standby will return to routine operations... MORE

Virginia National Guard staged and ready for possible Hurricane Florence support
September 13, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard has more than 1,300 personnel staged and ready to support local and state emergency management officials with response to Hurricane Florence Sept. 12, 2018. VNG Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force are staged at key locations across the commonwealth in order to rapidly respond if needed... MORE

Air Assault & Pathfinder Schools held at Fort Pickett
September 5, 2018 — It was “Zero Day” of Air Assault School, Aug. 7, 2018, and for most of the 270 Soldiers gathered at Fort Pickett, their reason for being there was simple: They wanted to prove something... MORE

Va. flight crews build trust, train with W. Va. special operators
September 3, 2018 — A crowd of spectators started to form as two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters appeared over the tree line and landed along the shore of Lake Erie. It was almost lunchtime on Sept. 5, 2018, and already that morning a small group of Soldiers from the West Virginia National Guard’s 19th Special Forces Group were busy preparing their equipment and getting ready for the day’s training in Hamburg, New York, just south of Buffalo... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard welcomes 14 new lieutenants
August 28, 2018 — The Virginia Army National Guard welcomed 14 new lieutenants to its ranks with the commissioning of Officer Candidate School Class 60 and 61B Aug. 25, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Class 60 was the traditional OCS program that runs nearly two years and taught by a cadre from the Fort Pickett-based 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, and Class 61B was the eight-week Accelerated OCS program at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The ceremony marked the end of the journey for the candidates as they took their oaths of office, received their OCS diplomas and their second lieutenant bars and delivered their first salute as new officers... MORE

The Virginia Army National Guard welcomes 14 new lieutenants to its ranks with the commissioning of Officer Candidate School Class 60 and 61B Aug. 25, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Class 60 was the traditional OCS program that runs nearly two years and taught by a cadre from the Fort Pickett-based 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, and Class 61B was the eight-week Accelerated OCS program at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The ceremony marked the end of a journey for the candidates as they took their oaths of office, received their OCS diplomas and their second lieutenant bars and delivered their first salute as new officers. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Matt Lyman)

VNG Soldiers support security effort in Charlottesville
August 15, 2018 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assisted local and state law enforcement and provided aviation reconnaissance support to the Unified Command operating in Charlottesville during the anniversary of the Unite the Right rally August 10-12, 2018, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Unified Command consisted of law enforcement, fire and emergency services personnel from the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the University of Virginia as well as the Virginia State Police and multiple other localities with the primary goal of keeping citizens safe... MORE

AG visits 29th Infantry Division Band
August 14, 2018 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and his wife Cheryl visited the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band Aug. 12, 2018, to tour the facility and sit in on a rehearsal. Maj. Gen. Williams played tenor saxophone, and Mrs. Williams played trombone... MORE

1030th Soldiers sharpen their fieldcraft during annual training
August 9, 2018 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Gate City-based 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group conducted annual training from July 14-28, 2018 at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

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