Virginia National Guard

Field artillery officer talks mentorship, unity for Pride Month
June 9, 2023 — Over the course of nearly a decade and a half serving in the Virginia Army National Guard, 2nd Lt. Elizabeth Martin gained four military occupational specialties as an enlisted Soldier before commissioning as a field artillery officer. As an African American woman and a member of the LGBTQ community, she is unique among her peers, which is exactly why she chose to branch field artillery in the first place... MORE

VNG PA talks training, impromptu Pride celebrations
June 28, 2022 — When 1st Lt. Nicole Albertson found herself at annual training during her first LGBTQ+ Pride Month since coming out, she wanted a way to mark the occasion. She was at A.P Hill with the Virginia National Guard’s 229th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Since she couldn’t walk in Washington, D.C.’s Pride Parade, she grabbed long-time friend, Staff Sgt. Cassandra Lyons, and a Pride flag and posed for a picture... MORE

VNG couple talks LGBTQ+ Pride, inclusivity & community
June 21, 2022 — For Sgt. Phillicia Lewis and Spc. Dejia Joyner, both serving in the Virginia Army National Guard, LGBTQ+ Pride Month is all about their community. Each year, they said, that community grows and with it, acceptance and inclusion. ... MORE

Sgt. Phillicia Lewis (right) and Spc. Dejia Joyner (left)

Field Artillery officer highlights trust, teamwork in unit cohesion
June 10, 2022 — Being a field artillery officer is what 1st Lt. Justin Riordan considers the best part of his service in the Virginia Army National Guard. What makes it so great, he said, is the teamwork... MORE

1st Lt. Justin Riordan, at left, poses with his husband in Richmond, Virginia.

Logistics officer balances family with military career
June 30, 2021 — Lt. Col. Alyssa Astphan grew up in a military family. Her father served, her uncle served, and before them, her Lebanese grandfather served in World War II with a local militia and both the French and British Armies. Continuing her family's legacy of military service always seemed like a given. From the time she knew about the concept of careers, she knew hers would be spent in the military... MORE

Signal officer shares journey of transition, acceptance
June 16, 2021 — When Maj. Keilyn DiStefano started her military career in 1998, it was in a different state, under a different name, with a different gender assignment. Back then, she wasn’t herself... MORE

Once open transgender service was authorized in the military, Maj. Keilyn DiStefano said she was among the first transgender Soldiers to receive a memo authorizing her to comport to the standards of her affirmed gender.

Dual-military couple provides mutual support through unique challenges
June 15, 2021 — U.S. Air Force Maj. Jonathan Patterson and U.S. Army Sgt. Mark Patterson knew within the early stages of their respective careers that military service was the right fit for them. The couple joined their respective branches about a decade apart, Maj. Patterson first, in early 2001, and Sgt. Patterson later, in 2011. The decade between their entry into the military saw a drastic change in policy toward members of the LGBTQ+ community. ... MORE

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