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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...

Virginia National Guard staged, ready for possible response to Hurricane Dorian
September 5, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has staged approximately 60 Soldiers and 20 vehicles for state emergency support duty Sept. 5, 2019, in the Eastern Shore and Hampton Roads areas, and they are ready to assist local and state emergency agencies respond to potential impacts from Hurricane Dorian. The Soldiers are staged with Humvees and light/medium tactical trucks for high water transportation and also have chain saws for debris reduction. The VNG also has two rotary wing aviation rescue hoist crews on standby...

Virginia Guard hosts NGB GIS training courses
September 4, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia National Guard hosted geographic information system training for more than two dozen National Guard Airmen, Soldiers, civilians and contractors from 10 states and territories Aug. 26- 30, 2019, at State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia...

1032nd TC Soldiers haul cargo during annual training
August 23, 2019 — GATE CITY, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Gate City-based 1032nd Transportation Company, 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group embarked on a real-world line haul mission for their annual training Aug. 1-17, 2019, carrying ammunition from the Bluegrass Army Depot in Richmond, Kentucky to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma...

Boyd assumes command of Virginia State Medical Command
August 17, 2019 — Lt. Col. David G. Boyd took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Medical Command from Col. Thomas E. Koertge, Aug. 5, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Col. James A. Zollar, chief of staff for the Virginia National Guard, presided over the exchange of organizational colors representing the transfer of authority from Koertge to Boyd...

Paintball leads to enlistment to follow in father’s footsteps
August 16, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As soon as Pfc. Adrianna S. Apelt put on her father’s old Army uniform to play paintball, she knew. “I saw myself in the mirror and realized this was what I was supposed to do,” she exclaimed. “It just fit!” Two months later, during her senior year at Heritage High School in Newport News, Virginia, Apelt joined the Virginia Army National Guard...

Norfolk armory named in honor of VNG D-Day combat medic
August 14, 2019 — NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Norfolk armory was officially named the Chief Warrant Officer 4 Arnold Lindblad Armory during a ceremony Aug. 14, 2019, in Norfolk, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, hosted the ceremony, which was attended by Lindblad’s son, retired VNG Master Sgt. Steve Lindblad, and other family members, as well as other senior Guard leaders...

1945th Contracting Team Soldiers recognized by Norfolk Naval Shipyard
August 6, 2019 — PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Two Virginia National Guard Soldiers currently on federal active duty overseas providing contract support received months of required real-world experience with the Norfolk Naval Shipyard prior to their deployment, and they were recognized for their outstanding service in May 2019...

Recruit Sustainment Program produces greater success rate for newer recruits
August 6, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More than 70 newly-recruited Soldiers participated in a combined training event as part of the Virginia National Guard’s Recruit Sustainment Program July 20, 2019, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The recruits meet one weekend a month to focus on administrative tasks and participate in training events that help prepare them for Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training...

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...

Son follows father into Virginia Army National Guard
July 24, 2019 — FORT LEE, Va. — Pvt. Andrew Lee Ross followed in his father’s footsteps and enlisted into the Virginia Army National Guard July 2, 2019, at the Military Entrance Processing Station at Fort Lee, Virginia. He follows a long line of family members into the military, and his oath of enlistment was administered by his uncle, Lt. Col. Steven Gutierrez, in front of his mother, siblings and father, Sgt. 1st Class Brian Merritt, a recruiter for the Virginia Army National Guard...

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...

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...

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...

Command post exercise prepares 29ID staff for Warfighter
July 3, 2019 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – More than 600 National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 29th Infantry Division from Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, South Carolina and Tennessee came together to participate in a command post exercise June 18-30, 2019, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania...

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