Virginia National Guard

34th CST hosts regional, national partners for joint training exercise
May 13, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team participated in a Joint Hazard Assessment Team training exercise with members of the Maine National Guard’s 11th CST, the FBI, the Virginia Beach Fire Department and the Virginia Beach Police Department April 25- 29, 2022, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ... MORE

34th CST, Counterdrug TF conduct joint training exercise
March 8, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team and the VNG Counterdrug Task Force conducted a training exercise Feb. 16, 2022, at the Virginia Public Safety Training Center in Hanover County, Virginia... MORE

34th CST trained, ready following formal evaluation
December 14, 2021 — The Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team was evaluated as trained and mission capable after a Training Proficiency Evaluation Nov. 16 and 18, 2021, in Henrico County, Virginia and at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia... MORE

VNG Soldier finds success through resilience
November 29, 2021 — Staff Sgt. Robert J. Gwilt’s connection to his Navajo heritage comes largely from the relationship he built with his grandfather while growing up in Gallup, New Mexico. “I grew up ranching cattle and riding horses,” he said. “Mostly with my grandfather until my dad moved us away from Gallup. We would drive all over the reservation and we raised livestock to sell to the local markets.”... MORE

34th CST trains at FIG on chemical, biological hazards
August 24, 2021 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team conducted training including two full-scale exercises in preparation for an upcoming Training Proficiency Evaluation Jul 26-30, 2021, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. ... MORE

34th CST conducts drug hazard training in Manassas
July 13, 2021 — Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team conducted unique drug identification training and a full-scale response exercise June 22 - 24, 2021, at the Manassas Readiness Center in Manassas, Virginia... MORE

34th CST conducts training with federal, state and local first responders
October 6, 2020 — GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team partnered with federal, state and local first responders to conduct a training exercise Sept. 18, 2020, in Glen Allen, Virginia. The exercise capped off a week-long interagency training designed to help grow the partnerships between the different agencies and help them more effectively work together in real-world scenarios... MORE

34th CST completes challenging two-day training exercise at SMR
September 3, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team completed a challenging two-day training exercise August 25 and 27, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The 34th CST supports first responders during potential hazardous materials incidents involving possible chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive threats and can identify unknown substances, assess current and projected consequences, advise an incident commander on response measures and assist with requests for additional state support. During this exercise, the team was presented with a unique scenario involving a mock planned CBRNE attack at a large music festival... MORE

34th CST sharpens response skills during exercise in Maryland
July 29, 2020 — GLEN ARM, Maryland — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team honed their chemical and biological recognition skills during a training exercise July 21-23, 2020, at H Steven Blum Military Reservation in Glen Arm, Maryland. 18 of the CST’s Soldiers and Airmen… ... MORE

VNG continues to support state COVID-19 response
May 21, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has more than 530 personnel actively working or ready to support the Commonwealth of Virginia’s COVID-19 response as of May 21, 2020. VNG Soldiers, Airmen, and members of the Virginia Defense Force are conducting numerous missions including sample collection for COVID-19 testing, N95 […] ... MORE

34th CST trained, ready following evaluation
December 11, 2019 — FORT LEE, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team was evaluated as trained and mission capable after a Training Proficiency Evaluation Nov. 19 and 21, 2019, at Fort Lee, Virginia. The evaluation was conducted by the U.S. Army North’s Civil Support Readiness Group – East, which supervised the exercise and validated the unit’s level of readiness... MORE

34th CST conducts training to prepare for external evaluation
October 1, 2019 — RICHMOND, Virginia—Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team conducted hazardous materials identification and response training Sept. 24, 2019, at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia, and Sept. 26, at the Prince George Wellness Center in Disputanta, 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

34th CST trains with VSP, supports Bush funeral
December 6, 2018 — Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team continue to balance multi-agency training and real-world support missions after an exercise with the Virginia State Police in early November at Fort Pickett, Virginia, and supporting the state funeral of President George H.W. Bush Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C... MORE

34th CST conducts multi-state, multi-day exercise
August 24, 2018 — Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team took part in a joint training exercise Aug. 19-24, 2018, near Edgewood, Maryland. CSTs from Deleware, Maryland, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. also took part in the multi-day exercise designed to enhance their response capabilities by simulating 24-hour operations where teams conducted mission handovers from one team to the next as well as operating in limited visibility conditions. ... MORE

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