Virginia National Guard

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

Virginia cyber warriors join New England exercise
June 28, 2018 — Fourteen Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fairfax-based 123rd and 124th Cyber Protection Battalions, 91st Cyber Brigade participated in the Cyber Yankee network defense exercise May 31-June 12, 2018, at Joint Base Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts National Guard hosts the annual exercise focused on developing stronger collaboration across all New England’s cyber network defenses, and more than 200 Soldiers and Airmen took part in the training... 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

Task Force Echo is an Army Cyber success story
April 5, 2018 — Task Force Echo, an Army National Guard formation comprised of more than 140 Soldiers from seven states — California, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia and Utah — held an award ceremony to honor and recognize the service of these cyber warriors March 27, 2018, at Fort Meade, Maryland... MORE

Volant takes command of 91st Cyber Brigade
December 2, 2017 — Col. Adam C. Volant took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade from Col. William L. Zana Dec. 2, 2017, at Fort Belvoir, 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 Zana to Volant... MORE

91st Cyber Brigade activated as Army National Guard’s first cyber brigade
September 17, 2017 — The Virginia National Guard activated the Bowling Green-based 91st Cyber Brigade as the Army National Guard’s first cyber brigade at a ceremony Sept. 17, 2017, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The new brigade provides training and readiness oversight for cyber units across 30 states and deploys personnel to meet the demands of growing cyber mission sets throughout the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and members of his cabinet joined Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, Director of the Army National Guard, Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, as well as numerous other senior military and civilian leaders, fellow Soldiers and family members for the ceremony activating the brigade, also known as the Shadow Brigade... MORE

Historic multi-state National Guard federal active duty cyber missions begins
August 16, 2017 — National Guard cyber warriors from seven states officially began the largest reserve component federal active duty cyber mobilization in Department of Defense history with a transfer of authority ceremony Aug. 15, 2017, at Fort Meade, Maryland. With a significant troop contribution and leadership from the Virginia National Guard, more than 130 Soldiers from California, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Utah came together to form Task Force Echo and assumed the mission from the 169th Cyber Protection Team. The task force will operate under the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade while on federal active duty to engineer, install, operate and maintain critical networks for U.S. Cyber Command... MORE

VDF serves as technical lead for ongoing cyber assessment mission
December 19, 2016 — Cyber security experts from the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Defense Force continued their weeklong vulnerability assessments Dec. 13-16, 2016, and for the first time a member of the VDF served as the technical lead for the mission. The first assessment was conducted in March 2016 after Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe authorized funds to put Virginia Guard personnel on state active duty to conduct a series of assessments aimed at improving network security in the state, and this was the seventh conducted since March... MORE

Va. Army Guard, VDF cyber specialists continue network assessments
August 15, 2016 — Virginia Army National Guard cyber experts assigned to the Fairfax-based Data Processing Unit completed their fourth weeklong vulnerability assessment Aug. 12, 2016, and members of the Virginia Defense Force joined the team for the first time to help a Virginia locality strengthen its network security. The first assessment was conducted in March 2016 after Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe authorized funds to put Virginia Guard personnel on state active duty to conduct a series of assessments aimed at improving network security in the state... 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

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