Virginia National Guard

VNG Officer Candidate School accepting applications for Winter Accelerated Program
July 26, 2022 — The Virginia National Guard Officer Candidate School is now accepting applications for the Winter Accelerated Program schedule for January through March 2023 at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The program is hosted by 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regional Training Institute... MORE

Virginia National Guard's newest Warrant Officers recognized
May 23, 2022 — The Virginia National Guard's Warrant Officer Candidate School welcomed five new graduates at a ceremony May 14, 2022, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Warrant Officer Candidate School Class 22-001, hosted by 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, also included four warrant officer candidates from the North Carolina Army National Guard. One Virginia Guard graduate was unable to participate in the ceremony... MORE

WOCs show community support with Rockbridge Area Relief Association
April 4, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Warrant Officer Candidates completed their community project at the Rockbridge Area Relief Association March 19, 2022, in Lexington, Virginia. More than 10 WOCs participated in the event, and all were part of Class 22-001, taught by cadre assigned to the Fort Pickett-based Warrant Officer Candidate School at the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. ... MORE

Virginia National Guard Warrant Officer Candidates volunteer at the Rockbridge Area Relief Association as part of their Warrant Officer Candidate School community project March 19, 2022, in Lexington, Virginia. WOCS requires each class to identify, plan and execute a community project. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Rhita Daniel)

Pre-OCS gives Soldiers insight into officer training experience
March 28, 2022 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers interested in furthering their careers as officers gained insight into the Officer Candidate School experience March 12-13, 2022, during a pre-OCS event held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. The training, conducted by cadre assigned to the Fort Pickett based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, aimed to prepare Soldiers for the unique challenges of OCS... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers participate in land navigation training March 12, 2022, at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. The training was part of a pre-Officer Candidate School drill weekend for Soldiers interested in attending OCS. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. Ben Melin)

Virginia National Guard welcomes 17 new OCS graduates
October 5, 2021 — The Virginia Army National Guard celebrated the graduation of 17 officer candidates from Officer Candidate School Class 63 and 64B Sept. 19, 2021, at a ceremony held at the Virginia National Guard Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. ... MORE

Seventeen Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates celebrate their graduation from Officer Candidate School Sept. 19, 2021, at a ceremony held at the Virginia National Guard Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. Of the 17 graduates, 13 accepted their commissions, took their oath of office, and pinned on their lieutenant bars. Alumi from previous OCS classes participated in a presentation of a historic guidon from OCS Class 11 and the Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided ceremonial music for the occasion. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa M. Sadler)

OCS Class 64 launches into Phase II
July 28, 2021 — Twelve Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates completed Phase I of Officer Candidate School and launched their training into Phase II during a recent drill weekend, held July 16-18, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Virginia’s OCS is taught by cadre assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute and the first drill of Phase II was held at SMR as a nod to the program’s historic past. ... MORE

Twelve Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates launch into Phase II of Officer Candidate School July 17, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The candidates are part of OCS Class 64, and spent the weekend training at SMR where Virginia’s OCS was founded. The course is taught by cadre assigned to Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa M. Sadler)

Virginia National Guard welcomes nine new officers
May 4, 2021 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia Army National Guard welcomed nine new lieutenants to their ranks in a ceremony held April 25, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The new lieutenants are part of the Virginia National Guard’s winter accelerated Officer Candidate School Class 64A. Col. Doyle Gillis, the Virginia National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel, served as the guest speaker for the event, while Lt. Col. James C. Shaver, commander of 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, administered the oath of office. ... MORE

Nine Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates celebrate their graduation from Officer Candidate School April 25, 2021, at a ceremony held at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The candidates, all part of the winter accelerated Class 64A, took the oath of office and were then pinned with second lieutenant rank by family and friends. Col. Doyle Gillis, the Virginia National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel, served as the guest speaker. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

VNG WOCs check off milestones on way toward course completion
April 1, 2021 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s warrant officer candidates hit a few milestones during their March drill weekend. On March 19th, 2021, candidates volunteered at the Chesterfield Food Bank where they helped sort, load and distribute thousands of pounds of food to hundreds of local residents. Then, on the following day, they presented their class song and sign to Col. Charles B. Martin, commander of the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute... MORE

Warrant officer candidates enrolled in the Virginia National Guard’s Warrant Officer Candidate School present their class song and sign to Col. Charles B. Martin, commander of the 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, March 20, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The class includes both U.S. National Guard Soldiers from Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers. The candidates will head south to Fort McClellan, Alabama, in at the end of April to begin Phase III and the final step toward becoming warrant officers. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt.1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

Virginia National Guard commissions 11 new officers
October 21, 2020 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard welcomed 11 new lieutenants to its ranks with the commissioning of Officer Candidate School Class 62 Oct. 18, 2020, in a ceremony held at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute... MORE

Virginia National Guard OCS graduates and commissions 11 new officers
September 7, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard welcomed 11 new second lieutenants from Officer Candidate School Class 61 and 62B in a combined commissioning ceremony held Aug. 17, 2019, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. Lt. Col. James C. Shaver Jr., 3rd Battalion, 183rd RTI commander, administered the oath of office to the graduates, and Col. Todd Hubbard, 183rd RTI commander, introduced and welcomed the guest speaker, retired Brig. Gen. Walter L. Mercer, the former assistant adjutant general of Virginia. Mercer asked the newly commissioned officers to reflect on what led them to become officers... MORE

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

WOCS welcomes new commander, recognizes new warrants
May 5, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s Warrant Officer Candidate School welcomed a new commander and recognized the latest graduates of the program in back-to-back ceremonies held May 4, 2019, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. In the first ceremony, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joshua Martin took command of the Virginia National Guard’s WOCS from Chief Warrant Officer 4 Wayne Sexton. Martin is the first commander to also be a graduate of Virginia’s WOCS program... MORE

NCO takes Boston Marathon experience to VNG running team
May 2, 2019 — RICHMOND, Va. — Just a few short weeks after completing his long-time goal of running the Boston Marathon, Master Sgt. Ramon Abreu-Perez will lace up his running shoes on Sunday to run the National Guard Marathon in Lincoln, Nebraska. He ran his first marathon back in 2004 and has been racing ever since... MORE

Virginia National Guard commissions three new officers
April 17, 2019 — FORT PICKETT, Va. – The Virginia National Guard welcomed three new second lieutenants from Officer Candidate School Class 62A at a commissioning ceremony held April 14, 2019, at Fort Pickett’s 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. The newly commissioned officers successfully completed the accelerated OCS program in eight weeks at Fort McClellan, Alabama... 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

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