Virginia National Guard

Va. National Guard personnel assist flood response operations in Alleghany, Botetourt counties
June 25, 2016 — The Virginia National Guard activated 20 Soldiers with Humvees and light/medium tactical trucks to assist with flood response operations in Alleghany and Botetourt counties June 24, 2016, after the Governor of Virginia declared a state of emergency the night before. Soldiers from the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team quickly responded and were on location and ready for duty within 12 hours of the start of alert notifications... MORE

Va. National Guard personnel assist flood response operations in Alleghany and Botetourt counties

116th IBCT Soldiers demonstrate training proficiency during AT
June 22, 2016 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team demonstrated a high level of proficiency that met and exceeded expectations for their “ready year” during annual training June 4-18, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. With two battalions on federal mobilization and multiple companies having conducted training center rotations earlier in the year, the brigade had a smaller footprint on the ground at Fort Pickett, but all of those Soldiers demonstrated they would have been ready to go if called... MORE

Annual training for 276th Engineers builds on the basics
June 22, 2016 — Soldiers assigned to the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion, 91st Troop Command built on the basics to improve on squad and team integration with hands on training with engineer equipment and demolitions in tactical environment during the annual training June 4-18, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Engineers replaced culverts and repaired roads at Fort Pickett with rock crushed at the installation’s quarry, constructed field defenses during a field training exercise, conducted demolition ranges to familiarize Soldiers with different kinds of explosives and competed in a regional food service competition... MORE

529th CSSB supports 116th IBCT during annual training
June 20, 2016 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion provide general support to the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during annual training June 4-18, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The mission provided the 529th CSSB an opportunity to execute its doctrinal mission of providing sustainment support to maneuver formations, and they worked in coordination with the 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to provide maintenance and transportation capabilities to augment the capabilities of the 429th... MORE

Flora promoted to brigadier general
June 6, 2016 — Col. Lapthe C. Flora was promoted to brigadier general at the National D-Day Memorial June 6, 2016, in Bedford, Virginia. Flora, a native of Saigon, is the first Vietnamese boat person to be promoted to general officer in the United State Army and the second of Vietnamese descent. He most recently served as the commander of the Virginia National GuardÕs Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command and will serve as the Assistant Adjutant General for Strategic Initiatives... MORE

Smith takes command of 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
June 6, 2016 — Col. E. Scott Smith takes command of the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. William J. Coffin June 5, 2016, in a traditional change of command ceremony at Fort Pickett, 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 Coffin to Smith... MORE

Departure ceremony sends off Sandston-based aviation units
May 28, 2016 — A departure ceremony for two Virginia National Guard Sandston-based aviation units held May 27, 2016, marked the start of their federal active duty mission. Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard joined family members, friends and fellow Soldiers in bidding farewell to the Soldiers. Approximately 40 Soldiers each assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, and Detachment 2, Company B, 777th Aviation Support Battalion, are scheduled to begin serving on federal active duty in early June 2016. The units will be based in Kuwait and provide rotary wing aviation and aviation maintenance support to the U. S. Central Command area of operations. ... MORE

Zana takes charge of 91st Troop Command
May 24, 2016 — Col. William L. Zana took command of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command from Col. Lapthe C. Flora May 21, 2016, in a traditional change of command ceremony at Fort Pickett, 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 Flora to Zana... MORE

Dept. of Military Affairs recognizes, thanks state employees
May 18, 2016 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, Brig. Gen. Paul F. Griffin, Virginia National Guard Director of the Joint Staff, and Walter L. Mercer, Director of Personnel and Administration for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, recognized and thanked Virginia Department of Military Affairs state employees at luncheons and awards ceremonies May 10, 2016, at Fort Pickett and May 12, 2016, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach... MORE

Family, friends, senior leaders bid farewell to the Red Dragons
May 18, 2016 — Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard, family, friends and fellow Soldiers bid farewell to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at multiple departure events May 14-16, 2016... MORE

Transfer of Authority Ceremony held for 116th MET
May 11, 2016 — Soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard’s 30th Military Engagement Team transferred authority to the Virginia National Guard’s 116th Military Engagement Team in a ceremony held May 8, 2016, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait... MORE

Va. Soldiers take first place at 37th BEB Sapper Stakes competition
May 10, 2016 — A squad of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fredericksburg-based 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th IBCT took first place in the Sapper Stakes competition conducted by the Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based 37th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division May 7, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The team navigated multiple stations including emplacement of a wire obstacle, leadership reaction course, obstacle course, rope bridge urban breach and M4 rifle qualification. A total of 18 teams took part in the competition, and the Virginia Guard engineers completed the course in seven hours and five minutes, 14 minutes ahead of the second place team. Soldiers from the 116th BSTB joined engineers from the 37th BEB for numerous training opportunities at Fort Pickett that was part of an ongoing partnership between the two units... MORE

Virginia Guard Soldiers train for Military Funeral Honors duty
May 5, 2016 — The Virginia National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program conducted Level 1 Funeral Honors training April 26-30 2016, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Eight Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from throughout the state participated in the 40-hour certification course which prepares Soldiers to conduct professional military funeral honors in accordance with service tradition... MORE

High-performing Va. Army, Air Guard units recognized
May 2, 2016 — High performing Virginia Army and Air National Guard units were recognized at the Virginia National Guard Officer and Enlisted Association Conferences April 30, 2016, in Hampton and Newport News, Virginia... MORE

High-performing Va. Army and Air Guard units recognized

Candidates, cadre, graduates celebrate OCS 58th birthday
April 26, 2016 — RICHMOND, Va. — Officer candidates, graduates and cadre of the Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidate School celebrated its 58th birthday with a ceremony April 19, 2016, at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s Downtown Campus in Richmond, Virginia. Officer candidates in Class 58, who are scheduled to graduate in August 2016, organized the ceremony, which included the family of Capt. Harry Q. Rose, a graduate of Class VIII who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and remains the only Virginia OCS graduate to have been killed in action... MORE

Officer candidates, graduates and cadre of the Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidate School celebrate its 58th birthday with a ceremony April 19, 2016, at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s Downtown Campus in Richmond, Virginia. Officer candidates in Class 58, who are scheduled to graduate in August 2016, organized the ceremony, which included the family of Capt. Harry Q. Rose, a graduate of Class VIII who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and remains the only Virginia OCS graduate to have been killed in action. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

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