Virginia National Guard

Governor, First Lady host receptions at Virginia’s Executive Mansion
December 5, 2017 — Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and First Lady of Virginia Dorothy McAuliffe hosted receptions for the Virginia National Guard Dec. 2 and 3, 2017, at Virginia’s Executive Mansion in Richmond, Virginia, to recognize the Soldiers and Airmen who returned from federal active duty deployments this year and their families as well as families of those personnel who are currently deployed... MORE

Volant takes command of 91st Cyber Brigade
December 2, 2017 — Col. Adam C. Volant took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade from Col. William L. Zana Dec. 2, 2017, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Walter L. Mercer, the Virginia National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General – Army, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Zana to Volant... MORE

Virginia National Guard appoints full-time support chaplain
November 28, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard recently appointed Army Chaplain (Maj.) Brett Johnson as the state’s full-time support chaplain to provide religious support services to help ensure the spiritual well-being of Soldiers, Airmen, families and civilians. While he is stationed at Fort Pickett, Johnson is able to coordinate religious support for individuals all over the state... MORE

116th Infantry Regiment holds 50th annual Muster
November 16, 2017 — Veterans of the 116th Infantry Regiment and Soldiers currently assigned to 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team gathered for the 50th annual 116th Regimental Muster Nov. 11, 2017, in Staunton, Virginia... MORE

29th ID Headquarters Battalion changes command at Fort Belvoir
November 7, 2017 — Lt. Col. Edward Lewis assumed command of Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division from Lt. Col. H. Cary Payne during a traditional change of command ceremony Nov. 4, 2017, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Blake C. Ortner, commanding general of the 29th Infantry Division, presided over the passing of colors that symbolizes the transfer of command from Payne to Lewis... MORE

Virginia National Guard hosts ribbon cutting ceremony for new building in Virginia Beach
November 2, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 2, 2017, to officially open a new multi-purpose building at Camp Pendleton State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, constructed by the Virginia Air National Guard’s 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer, or RED HORSE. Construction on the new 9,000 square foot metal building served as a training opportunity for the Airmen to hone a core capability in expeditionary facility construction that they perform during federal active duty deployments overseas... MORE

Gate City-based transportation battalion welcomes new commander
October 31, 2017 — Lt. Col. Todd Pegg took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Gate City-based 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group from Lt. Col. Steve Williams in a change of command ceremony held Oct. 14, 2017, at the Gate City Armory. Col. Weedon Gallagher, the 329th Regional Support Group commander, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command from Williams to Pegg... MORE

UAS Soldiers support recruiters at Aviation Education and Career Expo
October 30, 2017 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Unmanned Aerial System Platoon helped recruiters educate high school students about potential opportunities in aviation and technology Oct. 27, 2017, at the ProJet Aviation’s 12th Annual Aviation Education and Career Expo at the Leesburg Executive Airport in Leesburg, Virginia... MORE

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

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