Virginia National Guard

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

Warfighter 20-1 tests 29th ID combat readiness
October 16, 2019 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – More than 450 National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division from Virginia and Maryland, as well as Soldiers from seven other states came together to participate in a Warfighter exercise Sept. 25-Oct. 11, 2019, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania... MORE

ESGR Boss Lift held for employers of 2-224th Aviation
October 2, 2019 — SANDSTON, Va. — More than 25 employers of Virginia National Guard Soldiers were able to experience the environments their employees work in first-hand during an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Boss Lift. The event was hosted by Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Sept. 7, 2019, near the Richmond International Airport and had employers flying through the skies of Richmond in UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and checking out the vehicles, equipment, meals and spaces where their Soldiers work... 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

Command post exercise prepares 29ID staff for Warfighter
July 3, 2019 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – More than 600 National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 29th Infantry Division from Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, South Carolina and Tennessee came together to participate in a command post exercise June 18-30, 2019, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania... MORE

29th ID remembers D-Day, 75 years later
June 13, 2019 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. – A group of 25 National Guard Soldiers from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Kentucky assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based, 29th Infantry Division joined more than 1,300 U.S. service members, partnered with 950 troops from across Europe and Canada, in northwestern France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, the WWII Allied invasion of Normandy, commonly known as D-Day... MORE

Bedford ceremonies mark 75th anniversary of D-Day
June 7, 2019 — BEDFORD, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen greeted World War II veterans and acted as military escorts during a roll call honoring their service at the observation of the 75th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 2019, at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band performed ceremonial music, and members of the Virginia Defense Force volunteered their time to assist local law enforcement with traffic flow, parking and pre-security checks before the event... MORE

Top Virginia National Guard units recognized at Virginia Military Ball
April 29, 2019 — NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Virginia National Guard senior leaders recognized the top company-level units in the Virginia Army National Guard and the 192nd Wing of the Virginia Air National Guard for high levels of readiness at the third annual Virginia Military Ball April 27, 2019, in Newport News, Virginia... 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

Roche takes command of 29th ID Headquarters Battalion
April 7, 2019 — FORT BELVOIR, Virginia – Lt. Col. John R. Roche assumed command of the Fort Belvoir-based Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division from Lt. Col. Edward W. Lewis during a change of command ceremony April 7, 2019, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Maj. Gen. John M. Epperly, commanding general of the 29th, presided over the traditional exchanging of the unit colors that represented the change of command from Lewis to Roche... MORE

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