Virginia National Guard

Red Dragon shooters compete in Finnish sniper championship
September 5, 2023 — Three Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team competed in HÄYHÄ 2023, a Finnish Sniper Championship, held Aug. 25-27, near Taipalsaari, Finland. ... MORE

Endurance Soldiers earn German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge
September 1, 2023 — More than 70 Soldiers assigned to the Fredericksburg-based 229th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team earned the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge after three days of competition during their drill weekend Aug. 18-20, 2023, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. ... MORE

Expert Infantryman Badge awarded to 14 Soldiers
July 11, 2023 — What 121 Soldiers started, just 14 completed. After five days of testing - plus days, weeks and even years of preparation - 14 Soldiers, including four from the Virginia National Guard, earned their Expert Infantryman Badges June 15, 2023. During a ceremony held on the same Fort Barfoot field where their testing began, the U.S. Army’s newest EIB-holders were pinned with the infantry blue rectangular badge bearing a 1795 Springfield Arsenal Musket signifying that they had successfully completed a quest conquered by only around 15% of those who attempt it. ... MORE

Va. National Guard troops depart for Texas border support mission
July 8, 2023 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen departed for Texas July 8, 2023, where they will assist the Texas Military Department and Operation Lone Star border security operation... MORE

Engineers begin construction of new demo range at Fort Barfoot
June 22, 2023 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to engineer units from across the state had the unique opportunity to work together to begin construction on a new light demolition range during annual training June 3-17, 2023, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia... MORE

116th IBCT NCO Earns EIB with the Old Guard
June 11, 2023 — Staff Sgt. Alex Miller, assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team earned the coveted Expert Infantryman Badge in March during testing with the Fort Meyer-based 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. He was the only Soldier from the 116th IBCT to participate in the testing. ... MORE

Staff Sgt. Alex Miller, assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, receives his Expert Infantryman Badge. (Courtesy photo)

Saber Soldiers participate in Arctic Forge exercise in Finland
April 13, 2023 — More than 60 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Portsmouth-based 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, traveled to Finland to participate in Arctic Forge 23 Feb. 15 - March 7, 2023, on Sodankylä Garrison, Finland. ... MORE

229th BEB leaders share Guard experiences with high school students
April 6, 2023 — Leaders from the Virginia National Guard’s Fredericksburg-based 229th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team partnered with the Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion to highlight the benefits of National Guard membership during showcase events April 3 and 5, 2023, at Courtland High School and Colonial Forge High School. The event generated three leads for individuals interested in joining the VNG... MORE

VNG public affairs NCO named Army Military Photographer of the Year
April 5, 2023 — The Army Chief of Public Affairs announced Virginia National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements as the Military Photographer of the Year during the 2022 Department of the Army Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware award announcements April 14, 2023. ... MORE

VNG public affairs NCO named Military Photographer of the Year

Wynn steps into new role at R&R, stresses fairness, dignity, respect
March 21, 2023 — What first drew Maj. Kim Wynn to military service was the Army uniform of the 1980s and 90s. Catchy “Be All You Can Be” ads were filling the commercial breaks of her TV time, and she thought the Battle Dress Uniform, or BDU, looked pretty good. There was just something about it that she was attracted to and when she started attending Petersburg High School, she participated in Junior ROTC, and then, when she got to Virginia Tech, she decided to join the Virginia Army National Guard. ... MORE

Maj. Kim D. Wynn takes command of the Virginia Army National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based Recruiting and Retention Battalion from Lt. Col. Scott A. Nivens during a ceremony March 3, 2023, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. K. Weedon Gallagher, Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General - Army, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Nivens to Wynn. (U.S. National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

VNG conducts Tactical Combat Care exchange in Tajikistan
March 20, 2023 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers conducted a medical infantry tactics exchange with the Republic of Tajikistan March 5-10, 2023, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The exchange, which took place at a military installation in Dushanbe, was conducted in support of the Department of Defense's State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been partners since 2003... MORE

116th IBCT welcomes new command team
March 9, 2023 — Col. Jared D. Lake and Command Sgt. Maj. Duane D. Wolfe took charge as the new command team for the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Christopher J. Samulski and Command Sgt. Maj. Irving N. Reed Jr. March 5, 2023, in Staunton, Virginia. Maj. Gen. John M. Rhodes, 29th Infantry Division Commanding General, presided over the ceremony where Lake took command of the 116th from Samulski and Wolfe assumed responsibility from Reed as the brigade’s senior enlisted leader... MORE

116th IBCT Headquarters recognized for federal active duty in Kosovo
March 9, 2023 — Maj. Gen. John M. Rhodes, 29th Infantry Division commanding general, presented the Governor’s National Service Medal to Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters March 5, 2023, in Staunton, Virginia, to recognize their federal active duty in Kosovo. Delegates David Reid and Ellen Campbell were also on hand to thank Soldiers for their service... MORE

1-116th NCO named top enlisted graduate at Ranger School
March 7, 2023 — After months of grueling effort, Staff Sgt. Matthew Dawson, a sniper team leader in the Virginia Army National Guard, completed Ranger School, earned the coveted Ranger Tab and was named the enlisted honor graduate for his Ranger School course. Dawson started Ranger School with 328 other Soldiers, graduated as one of 71 to avoid a recycle and was one of only three National Guard Soldiers to graduate with his class of 125 total graduates. Dawson’s father, who earned his own tab in 1990, was there to congratulate his son and pin his tab Jan. 27, 2023, at Fort Benning, Georgia... MORE

Staff Sgt. Matthew Dawson graduates Ranger School as the enlisted honor graduate during a ceremony held jan. 27, 2023, at Fort Benning, Georgia. Dawson is assigned to the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as a sniper team leader and completed Ranger School immediately following his deployment to the Horn of Africa as a sniper team leader. (Courtesy photo)

Thunder Soldiers honored for federal service
March 2, 2023 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Norfolk-based 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, received the Governor’s National Service Medal Feb. 25, 2023, in Hanover, Hampton and Norfolk, Virginia, to recognize their recent federal service in Iraq... MORE

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