Virginia National Guard

Va. Guard officer candidates hold on to history
April 22, 2015 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Expecting a lecture filled with monotonous slides and a never-ending list of historic dates and names, the officer candidates of the Virginia Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School of the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, walked into Col. Thomas L. Morgan’s military history class April 19, 2015, and quickly discovered that this wasn’t going to be like any other class. The candidates of Class 57 found tables with dozens of museum quality rifles, knives and glass boxes filled with various buttons and uniform insignias. ... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidates hold history in their hands during a military history course April 19, 2015, at the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. Taught by Col. Thomas L. Morgan III, commander of the 183rd Regional Training Institute, the class included demonstrations on the loading and operating procedures for dozens of Civil-War era rifles and pistols, and displays of Civil War artifacts from the personal collections of Morgan and his father, Thomas L. Morgan Jr. After the classroom portion of the course, the candidates were able to pick and examine the pieces for a closer look. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Miko M. Skerrett, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team plants trees in honor Civil War Soldiers
April 22, 2015 — The blue and gray patch worn by all Soldiers in the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team signifies the unity between military units of the North and South combined under one name for World War I – the 29th Infantry Division. The patch served as a reminder to Soldiers that they were once adversaries on the battlefield but are now bonded together to fight as one. The goal for the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership’s Living Legacy Tree Planting Project is to honor every Civil War Soldier from the North and South who were killed in battle by planting a tree in their name... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers from the Charlottesville-based Company A, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team assist with planting 200 Rising Sun Redbud trees to honor fallen Civil War soldiers in support of the Living Legacy Tree Planting Project April 12, 2015, in Locust Dale, Va.

183rd RTI trains military police officers
April 7, 2015 — U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers from across the country completed the 31B Basic Military Police Officer course April 4, 2015, after more than 254 hours of training at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The MP course included two, two-week phases and allowed 11 Soldiers to earn the 31B Military Police Officer military occupational specialty... MORE

116th IBCT Soldier, NCO earn top honors at Va. Guard Best Warrior competition
March 30, 2015 — Spc. Adam Sotelo was named the 2014 Virginia National Guard Soldier of the Year, and Sgt. John Fracker was named Noncommissioned Officer of the Year March 29, 2015, at Fort Pickett, Va. Sotelo, an Arlington resident assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Fracker, who resides in Boones Mill and is assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th IBCT, earned the honors after competing in the two-day Best Warrior Competition at Fort Pickett... MORE

116th IBCT artillery Soldiers represent modern military at Jamestown history event
March 23, 2015 — Virginia National Guard field artillery Soldiers explained the capabilities of the M119A2 howitzer, answered questions about the Guard and took part in a demonstration of 400 years of Virginia artillery during the Military Through the Ages event March 21, 2015, at Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Va. Hundreds of re-enactors portrayed military organizations from Roman times, the medieval period, Hundred Years’ War, War of the Roses, French and Indian War, American Revolution, War of 1812 and American Civil War as well as World Wars I and II, the Vietnam War and the Falklands War with Soldiers from the Hampton-based Battery B, 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team representing the modern military... MORE

Virginia National Guard field artillery Soldiers explain the capabilities of the M119A2 howitzer, answer questions about the Guard and take part in a demonstration of 400 years of Virginia artillery during the Military Through the Ages event March 21, 2015, at Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Va.

34th CST shares information, experience during active duty mortuary affairs exercise
March 13, 2015 — Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team supportrd more than 39 Soldiers from the Fort Lee-based 111th Quartermaster Company, 82nd Special Troops Battalion by training mortuary affairs personnel on the use of chemical detection equipment during the Joint Mortuary Affairs Centers’ Quick Reaction Test field training exercise of March 12, 2015, at Fort Lee, Va... MORE

Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team support the Fort Lee-based 111th Quartermaster Company, 530th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion by training mortuary affairs Soldiers on the use of chemical detection equipment during the Joint Mortuary Affairs Centers’ Quick Reaction Test field training exercise of March 12, 2015, at Fort Lee, Va.

529th CSSB unfurls colors, begins mission in Kuwait
October 16, 2014 — The 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, a Virginia Army National Guard unit from Virginia Beach, Va., took the reins from the 751st CSSB, a South Carolina Army National Guard unit from Columbia, S. C., in a transfer of authority ceremony Aug. 11, 2014, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait... MORE

Virginia Guard OCS graduates 7 new officers
October 2, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — In a ceremony held Sept. 27, 2014, seven officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 57B earned their commissions at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute in front of family, friends and Virginia National Guard leaders and Soldiers. The candidates started the 56-day summer accelerated program in July and completed the course in early September... MORE

Seven officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia Guard’s Officer Candidate School receive their commissions and grade from OCS Sept. 27, 2014, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute in front of family, friends and Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers and leaders. The Soldiers were part of Class 57B, and successfully completed the summer accelerated OCS program which began in July. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Governor welcomes eight new Virginia Guard officers
July 29, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Governor Terry McAuliffe welcomed eight new Virginia National Guard officers during their graduation and commissioning ceremony as the guest speaker July 26, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Va. The officers of OCS Class 56 completed a two-year Officer Candidate School Course at Fort Pickett to earn their commissions. ... MORE

Second Lt. Daniel K. Frantzen presents Governor Terry McAuliffe with a certificate of appreciate for serving as the guest speaker for Officer Candidate School Class 56 July 26, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Va.

529th CSSB Soldiers depart for federal duty in Kuwait
June 26, 2014 — Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and senior state government and military leaders bid farewell to the Virginia National Guard’s Camp Pendleton-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group June 22, 2014, in Virginia Beach. Approximately 70 Soldiers of the 529th are scheduled to report to Fort Hood, Texas, for 30 to 45 days of mobilization training before deploying to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom... MORE

Va. Guard officer candidates complete community service project
June 17, 2014 — BLACKSTONE, Va – Virginia Officer Candidate School Class 56 visited residents at Clay’s Assisted Living on Saturday, May 24, 2014, as part of their Phase II community service requirement. Officer candidates coordinated with Barbara Mosley, a manager at Clay’s Assisted Living, to orchestrate a presence patrol at the center. ... MORE

Officer Candidates from the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 56 visit residents at Clay’s Assisted Living in Blackstone, Va., May 24, 2014, as part of their Phase II community service requirement. (Courtesy Photo)

Four officer candidates earn commissions
April 16, 2014 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Four Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates pinned on second lieutenant rank at a graduation and commissioning ceremony held April 12, 2014, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett. The officers of OCS Class 57A completed the eight-week Accelerated Officer Candidate School Course at Fort McClellan, Ala., to earn their commissions. ... MORE

Four Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates pin on second lieutenant rank at a graduation and commissioning ceremony held April 12, 2013, at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett. The officers of OCS Class 57A completed the eight-week Accelerated OCS Course at Ft. McClellan, Ala., to earn their commissions. Col. Doug Messner, commander of 183rd RTI, gave the remarks at the ceremony, and Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, presented each candidate with a framed diploma. Each candidate selected who would administer their oath of office, pin on their rank shoulder boards and the NCO to receive their first salute and sliver dollar. The silver dollar salute is an Army tradition that newly commissioned second lieutenants present a silver dollar to the first enlisted Soldier who salutes them. The coin symbolically acknowledges the receipt of respect due the new rank and position. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

529th CSSB Soldiers prepare for federal mobilization
March 25, 2014 — Soldiers from the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducted their final field training exercises from March 2-23, 2014, at Fort Pickett to prepare for their upcoming federal mobilization to Kuwait. The three-week annual training period focused on Army Warrior Tasks, battle drills, mandatory briefings and online training. Approximately 70 Soldiers will begin serving on federal active duty June 19, 2014, and a departure ceremony is scheduled for June 22... MORE

Virginia Guard Soldier to serve as bobsled coach in 2014 Olympics
January 29, 2014 — First Lt. Michael Kohn, a Virginia National Guard Soldier assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, is among nine Soldiers in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program named as members of the U.S. Olympic Team who will compete at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, scheduled for Feb. 7 through 24 in Sochi, Russia... MORE

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