Virginia National Guard

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

Va. Beach-based 529th CSSB receives national training award
September 30, 2013 — Maj. Geoffrey R. O’Neill and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy D. White accepted the Reckord Trophy for training excellence on behalf of the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Sept. 23, 2013, during the 135th National Guard Association of the United States General Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. NGAUS presents the Reckord Trophy each year to the Army National Guard battalion that achieves the highest state of readiness in the country. O’Neil recently relinquished command of the 529th to Maj. Michael Waterman and White currently serves as the battalion’s command sergeant major... MORE

Virginia Guard officer candidates get close encounter with history
May 19, 2013 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – In 21 years, Col. Thom Morgan has only missed teaching Virginia Guard officer candidates military history one time, and that was when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He and his father, Lonnie Morgan, work together each year to give the officer candidates a unique first-hand look into Virginia’s military history, and have been doing so since 1992... MORE

Students of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School Class 55 participate in a military history class April 21, 2013 at the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The course was taught by Col. Thom Morgan, Virginia Guard director of manpower and personnel, and included more than 75 pieces of primarily Civil War-era military weaponry from the personal collection of Morgan’s father. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Virginia Guard officer candidates clean up for local charity
May 9, 2013 — RICHMOND, Va. -- Officer candidates from the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School worked together May 4, 2013, clearing debris, mowing grass, trimming hedges and blowing leaves at two homes operated by a local charity called SupportOne, as part of their class community project. Twelve OCs participated in the event, dubbed “Extreme Yard Makeover Day,” and made use of tools and equipment lent by a local landscaping firm co-owned by one of the candidates. ... MORE

Officer candidates from Class 55 of the Virginia National Guard’s Officer Candidate School clear debris and work on landscape improvements May 4, 2013, as part of their class community project in Richmond, Va. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

29th ID Soldiers in Afghanistan serve at National Military Command Center
February 13, 2012 — Five officers from the Virginia and Maryland National Guard, part of the storied 29th Infantry Division's 65-person deployment to Afghanistan in the fall, are assigned to Afghanistan's National Military Command Center where they advise and assist on national military issues... MORE

Soldiers from Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters return to Virginia after duty in Afghanistan
January 9, 2012 — Approximately 110 Soldiers from the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters returned to Virginia Jan. 7 after serving on federal active duty in Afghanistan since early August 2011. The unit served as headquarters for Combined Team Zabul where it conducted full-spectrum counterinsurgency operations in Zabul Province in southeast Afghanistan, a region nearly the size of the State of New Jersey. They officially began federal active duty May 15, 2011 and mobilized with just 60 days notice... MORE

116th BCT HQs Soldiers return to Virginia after duty in Afghanis

Last group of Va. Guard Soldiers from Task Force 183 return to United States after duty in Iraq
December 15, 2011 — With the return of approximately 320 Soldiers to Camp Atterbury, Ind., Dec. 11 and 12, 2011, all the personnel from the Virginia National Guard's Task Force 183 have returned to the United States after serving in Iraq since August 2011. The Soldiers officially began federal active duty June 1... MORE

Soldiers return to Christiansburg after tour of duty in Iraq

Task Force Punisher Soldiers return to Virginia from Iraq
December 15, 2011 — Approximately 210 Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from the Sandston-based 2nd Assault Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command returned to Virginia Dec. 10, 2011, after serving in Iraq since April 2011. The Soldiers arrived in two separate flights on Saturday, and were welcomed home by senior leaders of the Virginia National Guard and reunited with their families and friends at the Virginia National Guard Aviation Support Facility in Sandston... MORE

Warm welcome home as "Task Force Punisher" returns to Virginia

First group of Sandston-based National Guard aviation battalion returns to USA from duty in Iraq
December 5, 2011 — Approximately 275 Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from the Sandston-based 2nd Assault Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command returned to the United States Dec. 3 and 4, 2011 after serving in Iraq since April 2011. The Soldiers are the main body of about 325 total Soldiers from the unit returning to Virginia, and they will spend about seven to 10 days conducting a number of different administrative and reintegration demobilization activities at Fort Hood, Texas to transition from active duty back to traditional National Guard status prior to returning to Virginia... MORE

First group of Soldiers from Task Force 183 returns to USA from duty in Iraq
December 2, 2011 — Approximately 120 Soldiers from the Suffolk-based Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Brigade Combat Team returned to the United States Dec. 1, 2011 after serving in Iraq since August 2011. The Soldiers will spend about seven to 10 days conducting a number of different administrative and reintegration training activities at their demobilization station at Camp Atterbury, Ind. to transition from active duty back to traditional National Guard status prior to returning to Virginia... MORE

Soldiers from 29th Infantry Division return from duty in Afghanistan
October 27, 2011 — Approximately 72 Virginia and Maryland National Guard Soldiers from the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division returned home to family and friends Oct. 27 after serving in Afghanistan since early December 2010. The Soldiers returned to their demobilization station at Camp Atterbury, Ind., Oct. 20 and completed health screenings and other administrative tasks to transition from active duty back to National Guard status. The Soldiers returned to airports close to their home of record throughout the day on Thursday... MORE

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