Virginia National Guard

Challenge, camaraderie fuel 11B transition for newest infantry Soldiers
August 8, 2023 — A few times each year, the Virginia National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, conducts an 11B Infantry Transition Course. The Soldiers who attend this course, all junior Soldiers and noncommissioned officers, each arrive with their own reason for being there. Some want to test themselves, to see if they can survive and thrive in the infantry. Others are fulfilling childhood dreams, or chasing promotion opportunities. Whatever their reason, their goal is singular: to earn the 11B military occupational specialty and leave Fort Barfoot with a blue infantry shoulder cord... MORE

183rd RTI trains 20 new infantrymen
August 5, 2022 — U.S. Army National Soldiers from across the nation spent three weeks training as infantryman during an 11B Infantry Transition Course, taught by cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The course, held July 9-23, 2022, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, started with 29 students and graduated with 20. ... MORE

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers conquer the culminating training event on the way to earning the 11B Infantryman military occupational speciality July 27, 2022, at Fort Picket, Virginia. The Soldiers repeatedly worked their way through an urban training site using dry fire before donning protective gear and utilizing simulation rounds against opposing forces as they secured the site. The exercise was part of the three-week 11B Infantry Transition Course, taught by cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The course brought together more than 20 Soldiers from across the nation to learn basic infantry skills at the junior Soldier and noncommissioned officer level. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

183rd RTI adapts in changing environment
January 24, 2022 — The Virginia National Guard’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute practiced their adaptability skills when Operation Allies Welcome came to Fort Pickett, where the RTI is based, late last summer. With an influx of thousands of Afghan evacuees and support personnel, cadre and staff of the 183rd quickly developed and executed contingency plans to move their courses and training events to other Virginia facilities, making use of sites like Fort A.P. Hill and the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ... MORE

U.S. National Guard Soldiers conduct a mortar live fire as part of the 11C Indirect Fire Infantryman Course taught by cadre assigned to 1st Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute Nov. 18, 2021, at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. The live fire was the culminating event for the six students in the course, who will earn the 11C military occupational speciality after successful completion of the course. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

183rd RTI teaches infantry skills at 11B course
August 19, 2021 — For three grueling weeks, 25 U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers from across the nation trained together at Fort Pickett. At the ranges and across the training areas, they all shared a common goal: earning the iconic blue cord that comes along with the 11B Infantryman military occupational specialty. The Soldiers were there for the 11B Infantry Transition Course, held July 10-31, 2021, by cadre assigned to 1st Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. ... MORE

U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers practice room clearing July 23, 2021, during an 11B Infantry Transition Course, taught by cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Over three weeks, the students will learn the skills needed to serve as infantrymen and, if they meet course requirements, will be awarded the 11B Infantry military occupational speciality at the conclusion of the course. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

VNG hosts combined arms marksmanship match
July 10, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — For the first time, the Virginia National Guard’s annual Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match was a combined arms event, held June 21-23, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. More than 50 Soldiers and Airmen competed in the event, which tested their skills on both rifle and pistol, and was hosted by the Marksmanship Training Unit, part of 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute... MORE

183rd RTI graduates 1st female infantry Soldiers
May 21, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — For the first time in the history of the Virginia National Guard’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, women were among the graduates of the 11B Infantry Transition Course. Five female Soldiers were among 34 U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers who earned their blue cord May 18, 2019, after two grueling weeks of training at Fort Pickett, 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

SMP cadets hone leadership, Soldier skills with help from 183rd RTI
February 20, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Simultaneous Membership Program allows ROTC cadets participating in their university’s ROTC program to also serve in the Virginia National Guard. During the past several months, those cadets enrolled in the SMP have been training with cadre assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The training is part of a pilot program designed to increase their leadership skills and prepare them for significant training events later this year... MORE

National Guard infantrymen complete final challenge of ALC
March 25, 2018 — “Conducting a full raid on a village with a helicopter, that’s hard to beat,” said Sgt. Dexter Whitten, an Indiana National Guardsman enrolled in the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute’s Infantry Advanced Leaders Course. Together with more than 30 of his classmates, Whitten watched as four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters approached March 19, 2018, and landed in the Fort Pickett field in front of them. The aircraft, flown by Soldiers assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, were there in support of course’s culminating event, a raid on one of Fort Pickett’s villages... MORE

Virginia hosts first Crew-Served Weapons Course at Fort Pickett
September 19, 2017 — Instructors assigned to the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute taught Virginia’s first-ever Crew-Served Weapons Course Sept. 11-15, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Twenty-eight Soldiers from units across the state attended the course, which focused on the M249 light machine gun and the M240B machine gun while aiming to improve machine gun proficiency across the force. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard certifies 26 new rappel masters
June 15, 2017 — After five grueling days, 26 active duty, U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers earned their rappel master certification after completing the U.S. Army’s Rappel Master Course, taught by Soldiers of the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute June 5-9, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. ... MORE

Rappel masters help ChalleNGe cadets overcome fears
April 11, 2017 — Rappel masters of the Fort Pickett-based 1st Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute helped candidates from the Commonwealth ChalleNGe rappel down a 40-foot tower April 8, 2017, at Fort Story, Virginia... MORE

183rd RTI hosts open house, demonstrates capabilities
September 24, 2016 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute demonstrated their capabilities during an open house Sept. 24, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. RTI’s mission is to provide transition training in the infantry, transportation and military police career management fields as directed by the One Army School System, as well as operate the state’s officer and warrant officer commissioning schools... MORE

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