Virginia National Guard

29th Infantry Division to deploy to Middle East in Spring 2021
February 4, 2021 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division has received a mobilization order for federal active duty in the Middle East, according to an announcement made Feb. 4, 2021, by Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. In Spring 2021, more than 500 Soldiers of the 29th will begin a 10-month long deployment in the Central Command Area of Operations as Task Force Spartan to provide leadership, command, control and in-depth staff analysis for Operation Spartan Shield. While based at Fort Belvoir, Soldiers assigned to the 29th Infantry Division live all throughout Virginia and Maryland... MORE

29th Infantry Division supports 59th Presidential Inauguration
January 27, 2021 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Virginia National Guard’s Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division assisted federal agencies in securing the nation’s capital during the 59th Presidential Inauguration. The 29th ID Soldiers were among more than 26,000 National Guard members from 50 states and three territories who were activated to support the inauguration by augmenting the Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police and D.C. Metro Police Department. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard supporting 59th Presidential Inauguration
January 15, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has approximately 2,400 personnel on the ground in Washington D.C. as of Jan. 14, 2021, assisting civilian law enforcement in protecting property and providing a safe environment for citizens to exercise their right to peacefully assemble and protest leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration Jan. 20... MORE

Dep. Sec. Jabs visits VNG aviation facility
January 14, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Kathleen Jabs toured the Virginia National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility Dec. 11, 2020. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, joined Jabs on her tour of the facility, which is located adjacent to the Richmond International Airport in Sandston, Va. The tour served as opportunity for the deputy secretary to learn more about the VNG’s aviation footprint, the mission of the facility and state’s aviation battalion, as well as the plan for a new facility in the coming years... MORE

HART partnership cited as career highlight for participants
December 1, 2020 — CHESTERFIELD, Va. — For nearly a decade, Virginia National Guard flight crews have worked alongside technicians from the Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Scuba Rescue Team. Over those many years, the two organizations created, built and grew Virginia’s Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, or HART. Since the program’s inception in 2011, the HART has deployed for hurricane response, flown countless hours over the waterways and landscapes of Virginia and now boasts approximately 20 trained technicians. ... MORE

Dual military couple says finding each other is best military perk
November 17, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — The challenges of being a dual-military couple are balanced by the benefits. On one hand, couples share the experience of military service, which can be a foundation for strength for many. On the other hand, these couples face the challenge of juggling two military careers with the demands of family life... MORE

Rhodes succeeds Epperly as 29th Infantry Division commander
October 5, 2020 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. — Maj. Gen. John M. Rhodes took command of the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division from Maj. Gen. John M. Epperly Oct. 3, 2020, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, Director of the Army National Guard, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Epperly to Rhodes... MORE

Military service stretches across country borders for Nemec family
September 30, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — For many, the stories that are handed down through generations have a strong influence on those who listen. Staff Sgt. Erick Nemec, assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division, grew up hearing stories about his family’s military service in the Peru Armed Forces and their stories helped lead him to his own military career... MORE

Virginia Soldier, NCO compete in Region II Best Warrior
August 12, 2020 — Spc. Braxton Todd and Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones, both assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division, competed against representatives from Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania at the 2020 Region II Best Warrior Competition July 28-31 in Maryland. The physical and mentally grueling competition, which took place at several locations throughout the state, included the Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons qualification, stress shooting, a 12-mile ruck march, a water survival test, a board appearance and more... MORE

Samulski takes command of 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
August 4, 2020 — Col. Christopher J. Samulski took command of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Joseph A. DiNonno July 31, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Maj. Gen. John M. Epperly, commander of the 29th Infantry Division, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from DiNonno to Samulski... MORE

VNG Fixed-wing aviators return to Virginia after successful deployment
June 30, 2020 — CHESTERFIELD, Va. — Virginia National Guard aviators assigned to the Chesterfield-based Detachment 1, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment are home after an 11-month deployment to Kuwait. The six-Soldier fixed-wing detachment returned stateside in early June 2020 after providing mission-critical, time-sensitive transport of passengers and cargo throughout the U.S… ... MORE

VNG AASF reaches top aviation maintenance readiness level
June 18, 2020 — SANDSTON, Va. — After a thoughtful investment in their people and processes, the Virginia National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility reached the pinnacle of maintenance readiness with 100 percent of their fleet fully mission capable, or FMC. Virginia’s AASF, located in Sandston, Virginia, reached this peak during late spring. Leaders… ... MORE

Donations bring important World War II-era artifacts to VNG collection
June 17, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s historical collection has a wealth of new World War II-era artifacts thanks to generous recent donations from a couple different sources. The donations include the personal effects of Maj. Gen. Edward M. Hudgins, who originally enlisted in the the Virginia National Guard’s Company… ... MORE

VNG pilot pops surprise proposal at JMU game
November 13, 2019 — HARRISONBURG, Va. – By the time he started walking toward the James Madison University football field, 2015 alum 1st Lt. Blake Place was already having a pretty great day. He and his fellow Soldiers, all assigned to Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, helped kick off the Nov. 9, 2019, football game with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flyover. Now, it was almost time to propose to Andrea Dargie, his girlfriend of two years. Place wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but his fellow pilots helped him out as they wound their way through the stadium toward the field. They were tailed by a cluster of family members and friends, including Dargie, who had no idea what was coming... MORE

29th ID Band’s efforts rewarded with ASUA
November 12, 2019 — ROANOKE, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band received the Army Superior Unit Award streamer from Brig. Gen. Lapthe Flora, VNG Assistant Adjutant General-Army, during a ceremony Nov. 9, 2019, before the Virginia Veterans Parade in Roanoke, Virginia... MORE

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