Virginia National Guard

Signal officer shares journey of transition, acceptance
June 16, 2021 — When Maj. Keilyn DiStefano started her military career in 1998, it was in a different state, under a different name, with a different gender assignment. Back then, she wasn’t herself... MORE

124th CPB first VNG battalion with all-female staff
March 29, 2021 — FORT MEADE, Md. – For Lt. Col. Christina Perronie, Maj. Michele Spangler, Capt. Anabel Montano-Vargas, Capt. Katie Kerr and Capt. Vanessa Rodriguez, 2020 proved exceptionally memorable. These women, all assigned to the Fairfax-based 124th Cyber Protection Battalion, 91st Cyber Brigade, not only mobilized, but also comprised the first known all-female staff within the Virginia Army National Guard, as well as Task Force Echo... MORE

Army National Guard transitions cyber task force mission
February 8, 2021 — The transition of authority between two Army National Guard battalions was a quiet and seamless affair, taking place without the traditional ‘pomp and circumstance’ normally associated with significant Army events. The transition marked the end of a 15-month deployment for the Soldiers of the 124th Cyber Protection Battalion (CPB), who hail from Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Virginia and Utah, and the beginning for the Army National Guardsmen of the 123rd CPB, who call Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, and Wisconsin their home states... MORE

VNG Soldiers join multi-state Cyber Shield virtual exercise
October 27, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia National Guard cyber warriors assigned to the Fairfax-based 91st Cyber Brigade joined more than 600 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 39 states and territories to conduct Cyber Shield 2020 to test their skills in response to cyber incidents Sept. 12 - 26, 2020. The exercise was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ... MORE

VNG Soldier is first direct commission ARNG cyber operations officer
August 7, 2020 — Maj. Waldon W. Jue became the first Army National Guard Soldier to direct commission as a cyber operations officer July 30, 2020, in Fairfax, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, presided over the direct commissioning ceremony and administered the oath of office to Jue who is assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fairfax-based 144th Cyber Warfare Company, 124th Cyber Protection Battalion, 91st Cyber Brigade... MORE

VNG's 124th Cyber Protection Battalion takes charge of Task Force Echo
February 24, 2020 — FORT MEADE, Md. — Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fairfax-based 124th Cyber Protection Battalion, 91st Cyber Brigade took charge of the Task Force Echo cyberspace mission during a transition of authority ceremony hosted by the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) Feb. 21, 2020, at Fort… ... MORE

Williams to succeed Volant as 91st Cyber Brigade commander
November 5, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Col. Teri D. Williams will succeed Col. Adam Volant as the commander of the Virginia National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade, according to an announcement made Nov. 5, 2019, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade’s fifth battalion to be stationed in Indiana
October 23, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. – The fifth battalion of the 91st Cyber Brigade will be stationed in Indianapolis, Indiana, according to an announcement made Oct. 22, 2019, by Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the director of the Army National Guard. The newly formed 127th Cyber Battalion will join the 123rd and 124th Cyber Battalions in Fairfax, Virginia, the 125th Cyber Battalion in Columbia, South Carolina, and 126th Cyber Battalion at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade hosts Cyber Yankee ’19 using ShadowNet enterprise solution
September 15, 2019 — PEMBROKE, N.H. — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade completed the process of hosting Cyber Yankee ’19 via its ShadowNet enterprise solution, a custom-built private cloud that uses VPN connectivity to provide aligned units with tailored cyber training at the individual and collective levels. The brigade hosted the five-day exercise on the ShadowNet platform remotely at its Data Center in Fairfax, Virginia, as it was being physically conducted Aug. 5-9, 2019, at the Edward Cross Training Complex in Pembroke, New Hampshire. This marks the first time a U.S. cyber unit has hosted a large-scale, multi-state cyber exercise using an organic training platform... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade completes rollout of ShadowNet enterprise solution
July 19, 2019 — FAIRFAX, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade completed the nationwide rollout of its ShadowNet enterprise solution July 19, 2019, with the integration of the 125th Cyber Protection Battalion into the solution’s virtual private network. ShadowNet is a custom-built private cloud based out of the brigade’s data center in Fairfax, Virginia, that uses VPN connectivity to provide its aligned units with 24-hour, seven-days-a-week remote access to critical cyber training at both the collective and individual levels. The brigade successfully integrated its three other cyber protection battalions – the 123rd, 124th, and 126th Cyber Protection Battalions – into the ShadowNet platform last January... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers join multi-state Cyber Shield exercise
April 18, 2019 — CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. — Virginia National Guard cyber warriors joined more than 800 National Guard personnel from 40 states and territories for Cyber Shield 2019 to test their skills in response to cyber incidents along with civilians from state government agencies, federal agencies, industry partners and academia April 5-20, 2019, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana... MORE

VNG leaders tackle ACFT challenge
April 17, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — More than 20 leaders from the Virginia Army National Guard accepted the challenge offered by Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Smith, the Virginia Army National Guard’s state command sergeant major, to take the new Army Combat Fitness Test April 6, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The ACFT will become the U.S. Army’s official physical fitness test of record in less than two years and the event gave leaders a chance to experience it first-hand... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade conducts groundbreaking for new headquarters
November 26, 2018 — Senior leadership of the Virginia National Guard, 91st Cyber Brigade and Fort Belvoir broke ground on a new headquarters for the 91st Cyber Brigade Nov. 16, 2018, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade hosts ESGR Boss Lift at Fort A.P. Hill
October 31, 2018 — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade hosted more than a dozen civilian employers and provided not only a first-hand look at what their employees do in their military careers but also an opportunity to learn about the mission of the Army National Guard’s first cyber brigade during an Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve Boss Lift Oct. 19, 2018, at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia... MORE

Enlisted IT expert takes lead at Cyber Shield 18
May 24, 2018 — A shadow warrior’s face, lit by Liquid Crystal Displays with Light Emitting Diode backlighting, remains inscrutable to the public eye. Unknown, unsung, he targets enemy and hostile adversaries via integrated and synchronized cyberspace operations, the fifth dimension of warfare. He works on a handful of computers simultaneously, conducting cyber opposing force support, network warfare activities and cyberspace intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. He provides mission command to network warfare teams, cyber analysis teams and cyber support teams, offering operational direction and guidance in the conduct of cyberspace operations... MORE

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