Virginia National Guard

Virginia National Guard commissions four new officers
May 2, 2018 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard welcomed four newly-commissioned second lieutenants to its ranks April 29, 2018, during a commissioning ceremony held at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The new lieutenants were all graduates of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 61A. ... MORE

Second Lt. Abando A. Nkwanyou receives his lieutenant bars during a commissioning ceremony held April 29, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

Virginia National Guard to host Vigilant Guard emergency response exercise
May 2, 2018 — More than 2,000 National Guard personnel from six states and Washington, D.C., will take part in the Vigilant Guard 18-3 emergency response exercise May 7-10, 2018, at multiple locations in Virginia to improve their ability to respond to a natural disaster and enhance relationships with local, state and federal emergency response partners. The event will simulate a Category 4 hurricane making landfall in Virginia and exercise how the Virginia National Guard would assist in the state’s response with a full mobilization of personnel and coordination to bring in additional National Guard capabilities to help the state’s response effort... MORE

Virginia National Guard commissions four new officers
May 2, 2018 — The Virginia National Guard welcomed four newly-commissioned second lieutenants to its ranks April 29, 2018, during a commissioning ceremony held at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The new lieutenants were all graduates of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 61A... MORE

Top Virginia National Guard units, individuals recognized at Virginia Military Ball
April 30, 2018 — Virginia National Guard senior leaders recognized the top company-level units in the Virginia Army National Guard for high levels of readiness at the second annual Virginia Military Ball April 28, 2018, in Norfolk, Virginia. Outstanding Soldiers and Airmen were also recognized at an awards reception before the ball, as were Army units earning the Excellence in Training award... MORE

Recruit Sustainment Program prepares new recruits for Basic, AIT
April 25, 2018 — Approximately 115 newly-recruited Virginia National Guard Soldiers came together for a regional training event held April 13-15, 2018, in Hanover, Virginia. The recruits were all part of the Recruit Sustainment Program, founded approximately 12 years ago. The RSP aims to increase troop readiness by bringing together new Soldiers before they ship to Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training and teaching them the basics of military service... MORE

116th IBCT staff conducts command post exercise to prepare for Warfighter
April 24, 2018 — More than 350 members of the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participated in a command post exercise April 12-15, 2018, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

Tank, fighter jet added to displays at new JFHQ-VA HQs site
April 10, 2018 — Contractors working for the Virginia National Guard placed an M41 Walker Bulldog tank and an F-84 Thunderstreak fighter on display pads outside the site of the new Joint Force Headquarters – Virginia building April 8, 2018, at Defense Supply Center Richmond in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The tank and fighter jet join a UH-1 Huey helicopter and 105mm M101A1 towed howitzer on display outside the news headquarters building... MORE

29th Soldiers participate in ceremony honoring WWI veteran
April 7, 2018 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers from the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division participated in a memorial tree planting ceremony to honor the memory of Pvt. Herman Davis, a decorated World War I veteran, March 4, 2018, in Manila, Arkansas. The ceremony commemorates the 100th anniversary of Davis’s enlistment into Company I, 113th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division... MORE

Epperly to succeed Ortner as commander of 29th Infantry Division
April 5, 2018 — Brig. Gen. John M. Epperly will succeed Maj. Gen. Blake C. Ortner as the commander of the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division, according to an announcement made April 5, 2018, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. The assignment was effective April 5... MORE

Task Force Echo is an Army Cyber success story
April 5, 2018 — Task Force Echo, an Army National Guard formation comprised of more than 140 Soldiers from seven states — California, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia and Utah — held an award ceremony to honor and recognize the service of these cyber warriors March 27, 2018, at Fort Meade, Maryland... MORE

National Guard infantrymen complete final challenge of ALC
March 25, 2018 — “Conducting a full raid on a village with a helicopter, that’s hard to beat,” said Sgt. Dexter Whitten, an Indiana National Guardsman enrolled in the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute’s Infantry Advanced Leaders Course. Together with more than 30 of his classmates, Whitten watched as four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters approached March 19, 2018, and landed in the Fort Pickett field in front of them. The aircraft, flown by Soldiers assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, were there in support of course’s culminating event, a raid on one of Fort Pickett’s villages... MORE

Virginia marksmen earn honors at national marksmanship match
March 24, 2018 — More than 200 shooters competed in the 2018 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia, March 11-18, 2018, including four Soldiers from the Virginia National Guard. The competition, commonly referred to as the “All-Army” match, including active duty, U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from across the country, divided into 37 teams... MORE

Ortner selected as the Military Executive for the Reserve Forces Policy Board
March 23, 2018 — Maj. Gen. Blake C. Ortner has been selected to serve as the Military Executive for the Reserve Forces Policy Board in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, according to an announcement made March 21, 2018, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. The position is effective April 1, 2018... MORE

DMA personnel train on new radio equipment with VSP
March 20, 2018 — After years of research, planning and approval processes, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs finally received more than $1.7 million in Statewide Agencies Radio System, or STARS, equipment. On March 15, 2018, representatives from the Virginia State Police, who manage the system, conducted a short training session on the equipment for Virginia Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force... MORE

Virginia Soldiers truck UH-1 from Pickett to new headquarters site
March 15, 2018 — A multi-unit effort resulted in the addition of a UH-1 Huey helicopter to the historical artifacts on display at the site of the new Virginia National Guard headquarters building March 10, 2018, at Defense Supply Center Richmond in Chesterfield County, Virginia... MORE

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