Virginia National Guard > News - Category Recruiting & Retention Battalion

Nordhaus visits VNG, leads enlistment, reenlistment oaths
August 19, 2026 — Gen. Steven Nordhaus, the 30th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, visited Virginia National Guard facilities and administered the oath of enlistment to new and current VNG Soldiers and Airmen during a visit Aug. 15, 2026, to the Richmond, Virginia, area. ...

VNG supports command post exercise in Finland
June 24, 2026 — Five Virginia National Guard Soldiers participated in a command post training exercise at the Finnish Army Academy June 7-12, 2026, in Lappeenranta, Finland...

Virginia Soldiers endure miles, mud, minimal sleep at Region II Best Warrior Competition
May 19, 2026 — Rain, mud, exhaustion and unrelenting Appalachian terrain challenged Soldiers as they vied for the titles of Best Soldier and Best Noncommissioned Officer during the Region II Best Warrior Competition May 4-7, 2026, at Camp Dawson near Kingwood, West Virginia. Representing the Virginia Army National Guard were Spc. Javan Cooper, an infantryman assigned to the 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team, and Staff Sgt. Frederic Newton, a recruiter assigned to the Recruiting and Retention Battalion. ...

Newest VNG Soldiers recognized during Military Signing Day
May 18, 2026 — Thirty-nine of the Virginia Army National Guard’s newest recruits participated in the Virginia Department of Veteran Services’ Military Signing Day, held May 8, 2026, at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. ...

First Formation continues building faster, stronger entry point for Virginia Guard Soldiers
April 27, 2026 — After nearly seven months of implementation, the Virginia Army National Guard’s First Formation program has welcomed hundreds of Soldiers into the force, providing a structured introduction for those newly assigned or recently transferred into the organization. Held monthly at Defense Supply Center Richmond, First Formation provides in-processing support, connects Soldiers with unit representatives, and ensures their administrative and equipment needs are in place from day one. Since the first iteration, ongoing refinements to the process have improved efficiency and overall execution. ...

Newton, Cooper tops at VaARNG Best Warrior Competition
March 17, 2026 — Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion and the Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team took top honors at the 2026 VaARNG Best Warrior Competition, held March 11 - 15, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. ...

Va. Army Guard recruiters named best in region
February 19, 2026 — The Virginia Army National Guard recruiting team snagged three top honors at the Region II Strength Readiness Advisory Group end-of-year boards Jan. 7, 2026, following a conference of neighboring states in Maryland. Staff Sgt. Joshua Fino was named the regional recruiter of the year, Master Sgt. Jason Haynes was named the regional section chief of the year, and Sgt. 1st Class Morgan Maddox was selected as the region’s marketing noncommissioned officer of the year. ...

VNG recruiters, aviation battalion honor area 9-year-old with ceremonial promotion
November 26, 2025 — Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers honored John Paul Macri, 9, with a ceremonial promotion to the rank of staff sergeant during a visit to the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. Earlier this year, Macri began to experience balance issues and double vision. In March, doctors discovered a rapidly growing brain tumor and diagnosed him with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma...

VNG participates in counter-mobility operations exchange in Finland
October 3, 2025 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participated in the Finnish Engineer Platoon Counter-Mobility Operations 25 course Aug. 25 - 29, 2025, at the Kainuu Brigade in Kajaani, Finland...

VaARNG recruiting battalion tops annual mission
September 9, 2025 — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion marked a milestone Aug. 20, 2025, when it surpassed its National Guard Bureau mission of 851 enlistments in what has been an exceptional recruiting year. With weeks still remaining before the Sept. 30 end of the recruiting year, the battalion’s recruiters have continued to build on that success, adding dozens more enlistments. ...

Hart family celebrates VNG enlistment with brother-led oath
July 15, 2025 — When Will Hart raised his right hand to enlist into the Virginia Army National Guard, it was his older brother, 2nd Lt. Luke Hart, who stood across from him and administered the oath of enlistment. For the Hart brothers, service in the Virginia Army National Guard is now a shared commitment...

Civic Leader Appreciation Day showcases VAARNG to Virginia educators
June 17, 2025 — The Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion hosted its second annual Civic Leader Appreciation Day June 6, 2025, at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. Approximately 100 teachers, school administrators, and support staff attended the event, where they met senior leaders of the Virginia National Guard, learned information about the organization and opportunities available to their students, and had the opportunity to experience a flight in a Black Hawk helicopter, courtesy of the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Battalion...

VNG Soldiers conduct mountain warfare exchange in Tajikistan
May 5, 2025 — Three Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conducted a mountain warfare exchange with members of the Tajik military April 21 - 25, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The engagement was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been formal partners since 2003...

Enlistment marks return of 29th DIVARTY
January 24, 2025 — After nearly two decades, the Virginia Army National Guard celebrated the return of the 29th Division Artillery with the enlistment of Pvt. Tariq Rahaman in a ceremony held Jan. 14, 2025, at the Virginia National Guard Sgt. Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. Col. Shawn Talmadge, commander of the new unit, administered Rahaman’s oath and spoke about the significance of the event...

Johnson succeeds Wynn as Recruiting and Retention Battalion commander
December 9, 2024 — Lt. Col. Eric M. Johnson took command of the Fort Barfoot-based Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion from Lt. Col. Kim D. Wynn during a ceremony Dec. 4, 2024, at Fort Barfoot, Virginia...

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