Virginia National Guard

ChalleNGe cadets excel, set to graduate during COVID-adjusted class
February 23, 2021 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia -- Class 54 of the Virginia Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy is scheduled to graduate March 20, 2021, and for the staff and cadets of the program, it will be the culmination of a five-month class that was both virtual and in-person and required coordination with and support of the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education. ... MORE

New 34th CERFP Soldiers, Airmen attend CERFP University
December 8, 2020 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard’s Richmond-based 34th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package, or CERFP (pronounced “surf-p”) conducted an initial entry training event Nov. 30 through Dec. 4, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia to instruct their newest Soldiers and Airmen on the basics of incident management and emergency response... MORE

Funeral Honors Program continues to honor veterans during pandemic
November 3, 2020 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the VNG Military Funeral Honors Program are continuing to provide services for deceased veterans across the Commonwealth despite challenges from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ... MORE

Class 53 overcomes a virtual ChalleNGe, as Class 54 prepares for hybrid experience
October 21, 2020 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia- The COVID-19 pandemic led the Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy to introduce a virtual, on-line course for Class 53, which ran from May- August 2020. Now Class 54, which began Oct. 5, is preparing for a hybrid course, composed of both in-person and virtual attendance... MORE

203rd RED HORSE Airmen depart for federal deployment
September 21, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, 192nd Wing made final preparations and departed for an overseas federal active duty deployment Sept. 12, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, visited with Airmen Sept. 9, and recognized outstanding Airmen and offered words of encouragement... MORE

Suicide Intervention Officer course trains leaders to help fellow Soldiers in crisis
September 15, 2020 — More than 20 Soldiers from around the Virginia National Guard participated in a Suicide Intervention Officer Course Aug. 25-27, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The three-day course, which is offered bi-monthly by the Virginia National Guard Suicide Prevention Program, provides training and resources for unit SIOs to help Soldiers who are thinking of or acting on suicide... MORE

34th CST completes challenging two-day training exercise at SMR
September 3, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team completed a challenging two-day training exercise August 25 and 27, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The 34th CST supports first responders during potential hazardous materials incidents involving possible chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive threats and can identify unknown substances, assess current and projected consequences, advise an incident commander on response measures and assist with requests for additional state support. During this exercise, the team was presented with a unique scenario involving a mock planned CBRNE attack at a large music festival... MORE

VNG SARC hosts victim advocate refresher training
August 21, 2020 — The Virginia National Guard hosted more than two dozen Airmen, Soldiers and civilians from the Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware National Guard for a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate refresher training course Aug. 10-14, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The 32-hour training focused on victim advocacy, prevention and ethics and featured guest speakers from local, state and national agencies... MORE

Va. Dept. Military Affairs, other agencies partner to protect rare sea turtle nest
August 17, 2020 — The State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is playing host to some very special guests this summer – hundreds of loggerhead sea turtle eggs in a recently-discovered nest in the dunes on the installation’s beachfront... MORE

Despite COVID-19, Commonwealth challeNGe marches on with 'Virtual ChalleNGe' for Class 53
June 15, 2020 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The COVID-19 pandemic has led the Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy to introduce a “Virtual ChalleNGe,” using video teleconferencing technology for the cadets of Class 53, which began May 18, 2020, with 59 cadets in three platoons. “We would love to get them on campus, but we… ... MORE

Virginia Guard Funeral Honors Program "trains the trainer' during 2-week course
March 12, 2020 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia — Nearly a dozen National Guard Soldiers from six states participated in a National Military Funeral Honors Instructor Certification Course Feb. 24 to March 6, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Program hosted the two-week training course…... MORE

203rd RED HORSE Squadron conducts field training exercise
November 21, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers Squadron held a four-day field training exercise Nov. 14-17, 2019, at State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Airmen across more than 20 specialties in the RED HORSE Squadron trained for tasks they would be responsible for during deployments... MORE

Ribbon cutting held for new SMR facility
October 16, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia — Virginia National Guard senior leaders, as well as military and civilian employees who had a role in its construction, were on hand for the opening of a new multi-use training facility Oct. 11, 2019, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia... MORE

Virginia Guard hosts NGB GIS training courses
September 4, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia National Guard hosted geographic information system training for more than two dozen National Guard Airmen, Soldiers, civilians and contractors from 10 states and territories Aug. 26- 30, 2019, at State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia... MORE

STARBASE staff provide STEM instruction to VNG Youth Camp, ChalleNGe cadets
August 16, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia — Staff from the Winchester-based STARBASE Academy traveled to Virginia Beach to provide hands-on instruction to more than 60 sons and daughters of Virginia National Guard Airmen and Soldiers at the Virginia National Guard’s 14th Annual Youth Camp July 27 – Aug. 2, 2019, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach... MORE

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