Virginia National Guard

FASTC officially opens doors at Fort Pickett
November 22, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Officials from the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and the General Services Administration formally opened the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 14, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Senior leaders from state government, the Virginia National Guard and Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett attended the event, including Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins and Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. VNG Soldiers from the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided ceremonial music for the ribbon-cutting. FASTC is now the nation’s largest training facility dedicated to overseas safety and security, and will train about 10,000 personnel from the U.S. foreign affairs community annually, including DSS special agents, security engineers, technicians and couriers, according to a release from the U.S. Department of State... MORE

Events around the commonwealth honor veterans
November 12, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force took part in Veterans Day observations across the commonwealth Nov. 11, 2019, to recognize the service of men and women past and present who served in the armed forces... MORE

AG delivers keynote address at Quantico National Cemetery Veterans Day Ceremony
November 11, 2019 — NOTE: The following are the prepared remarks of Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, for the Veterans Day observation at Quantico National Cemetery: Good morning ladies and gentlemen! Thank you so much for the introduction and for the opportunity to commemorate this important day. I have to specifically call out my good friend and fellow Hokie, Colonel Rich Anderson, the Chairman of the Potomac Region Veterans Council, for inviting me today... MORE

New 116th IBCT deputy commander and joint staff officers announced
October 17, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Col. Christopher J. Samulski will be assigned as the new deputy commander of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, according to an announcement made Oct. 17, 2019, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. Samulski replaces Col. Russell E. McGuire who is moving to be the J5 joint strategic plans officer on the Virginia National Guard Joint Staff, and Col. Charles B. Martin, Jr. will become the J3 joint operations officer. All the assignments are effective Nov. 1, 2019... 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

Cree to succeed Mahoney as U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer for Virginia
October 11, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Cree will succeed Col. Marie M. Mahoney as the United State Property and Fiscal Officer for Virginia, according to an announcement made Oct. 10, 2019, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia... MORE

Lord named to lead Virginia Air National Guard
October 5, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Brig. Gen. Toni M. Lord will succeed Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Ryan as the Virginia National Guard Air Component Commander, according to an announcement made Oct. 4, 2019, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Dukes, Jr., will succeed Lord as the Virignia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General for Air Strategic Initiatives... MORE

VNG among public safety organizations recognized on Virginia First Responders Day
September 8, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard is among the organizations recognized by Virginia House Resolution 646 designating September 11, 2019, as First Responders Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The resolution calls for the designation to continue each succeeding year... MORE

Virginia National Guard staged, ready for possible response to Hurricane Dorian
September 5, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has staged approximately 60 Soldiers and 20 vehicles for state emergency support duty Sept. 5, 2019, in the Eastern Shore and Hampton Roads areas, and they are ready to assist local and state emergency agencies respond to potential impacts from Hurricane Dorian. The Soldiers are staged with Humvees and light/medium tactical trucks for high water transportation and also have chain saws for debris reduction. The VNG also has two rotary wing aviation rescue hoist crews on standby... MORE

Commonwealth ChalleNGe Class 51 graduates 118 cadets
August 27, 2019 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy graduated 118 cadets from Class 51 August 24, 2019, at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Walt Mercer, Chief Operations Officer for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, joined Mark Chicoine, director of the Virginia Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy, in congratulating the cadets on finishing the five-and-a-half-month program... MORE

Norfolk armory named in honor of VNG D-Day combat medic
August 14, 2019 — NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Norfolk armory was officially named the Chief Warrant Officer 4 Arnold Lindblad Armory during a ceremony Aug. 14, 2019, in Norfolk, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, hosted the ceremony, which was attended by Lindblad’s son, retired VNG Master Sgt. Steve Lindblad, and other family members, as well as other senior Guard leaders... MORE

AG stresses importance of hurricane preparedness
July 9, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has established a resource web page with information about how to prepare for a hurricane or other hazardous weather... MORE

Veterans, retirees volunteer time, effort to help restore historic Duster
June 21, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Every Thursday at the Virginia National Guard’s Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia, a spirited group of veterans and retirees comes together with chisels, scrapers, sanders and other tools to tackle a unique restoration project with historical significance... MORE

Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony honors Virginia’s fallen
May 27, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Virginians from all branches of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to their country were remembered at the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial May 27, 2019, in Richmond. Virginia. Ten Virginia National Guard Soldiers have been killed by hostile enemy action since Sept. 11, 2001, and they... MORE

Adjutant General’s 2019 Memorial Day Message
May 26, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Each year on Memorial Day we remember the military men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the ideals of freedom we all cherish. I hope that each of you will pause at some point during the long weekend for a personal moment of silence to honor our fallen comrades... MORE

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