Virginia National Guard

29th Infantry Division prepare Afghan National Security Forces for the future
May 18, 2011 — Members of the 29th Infantry Division are assigned to duty as military advisors to key senior operational leaders within the Afghan National Security Forces... MORE

Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters departs for federal active duty
May 17, 2011 — Family, friends and members of the Staunton community gathered May 15 for a farewell ceremony for the Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters at the Shelburne Middle School gymnasium to officially mark the start of federal active duty for approximately 175 Soldiers. The unit will serve as a command and control headquarters for counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan. Before deploying to Afghanistan, the unit will report to Camp Shelby, Miss., to conduct training for approximately 45 to 60 days... MORE

Soldiers from Staunton-based BCT HQs load out to begin federal active duty

Virginia Guard Provincial Reconstruction Team Security Force holds departure ceremony for federal duty in Afghanistan
March 30, 2011 — A specially trained platoon of 42 Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers officially began their tour on federal active duty with a departure ceremony held March 28 in Sandston. The platoon will deploy to Afghanistan to serve as a Provincial Reconstruction Team Security Force... MORE

529th CSSB returns to United States from Afghanistan duty
March 24, 2011 — Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from the Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion returned to Virginia over the course of several days from March 21-24, 2011, after having served on federal active duty in Afghanistan since May 2010... MORE

Virginia Guard sustainment battalion Soldiers return to Virginia after Afghanistan duty

Staunton-based 116th BCT headquarters ordered to mobilize for active duty in Afghanistan
March 24, 2011 — The Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters has received a mobilization order to enter federal active duty in Afghanistan, according to an announcement made March 24, 2011 by Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia. Long said approximately 175 Soldiers will begin serving on federal active duty May 15 and will serve as a command and control headquarters for counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan... MORE

Aviation battalion conducts send-off before deployment to Iraq
March 4, 2011 — The “Punishers” of the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment conducted a departure ceremony Feb. 25 at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston to bid farewell to the mobilizing Soldiers and to mark the official start of the unit's federal active duty service in Iraq... MORE

Departure ceremony held for Sandston-based Virginia Guard aviati

Virginia Guard battalion helps establish Afghan Transportation Network
January 27, 2011 — The Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion has been instrumental in reaching an important milestone for sustainment operations in Afghanistan with the successful establishment of the Afghan Transportation Network. The first five trucks of the ATN departed Shindand Air Base Jan. 15, 2011, loaded with cargo for support of units of the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division located in Herat, Afghanistan... MORE

Lynchburg-based infantry battalion returns to Virginia from Iraqi duty
August 25, 2010 — Approximately 300 Soldiers from the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Brigade Combat Team returned to the United States Aug. 25, 2010, after serving in Iraq since March 2010. The Soldiers flew into the Roanoke Regional Airport where they were greeted by senior leaders of the Virginia Guard as well as World War II veterans from the 29th Infantry Division Association and then travelled by bus to be reunited with their family and friends in their home armories in Bedford, Christiansburg, Lexington and Lynchburg... MORE

Virginia’s Task Force Overlord prepares for Iraq departure
August 10, 2010 — A sandy windswept parking lot makes an unlikely backdrop for military pageantry, but the Soldiers and leadership of 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment from Lynchburg, Va., did their best to uphold the finest traditions of the Army at their End of Mission and Colors Casing ceremony Aug. 8, 2010, at Contingency Operating Base Adder. The ceremony marked the end of Task Force Overlord’s formal mission in Iraq... MORE

529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducts departure ceremony
March 25, 2010 — The Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group conducted a departure ceremony March 23 at the Sands Armory in Virginia Beach to mark the official start of the unit's federal active duty service. Approximately 80 Soldiers will operate as a command and control headquarters with the mission of planning and executing combat sustainment support for U.S. and coalition forces. The U. S. Army uses the term “sustainment” to describe a wide range of logistics support such as maintenance, food service, fueling, personnel and cargo transportation and medical support... MORE

Freedom Salutes honor Soldiers of 3rd Bn., 116th BCT
August 27, 2008 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers from Charlottesville, Woodstock, Leesburg, Fredericksburg, and Winchester gathered in multiple locations Aug. 16 and 17, 2008, to conduct Freedom Salute ceremonies to honor the service of 3rd Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team during its successful mission in Iraq and Kuwait from September 2007 to April and May 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom... MORE

More than 1,300 Virginia Guard Soldiers return to Virginia after serving for months in Iraq
May 8, 2008 — With the scheduled return of E Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion to Roanoke May 13, 2008, more than 1,300 Virginia National Guard Soldiers have returned home in a 20-day period starting April 24. Approximately 400 Soldiers from the Tidewater area returned home on May 8 and 10 after having served in Iraq and Kuwait since September 2007. The Soldiers are assigned to the Portsmouth-based Headquarters Troop, the Norfolk-based A Troop, the Suffolk-based Troop B and the Virginia Beach-based C Troop... MORE

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Mourn One of Their Own
April 22, 2008 — Several hundred service members filled the chapel here, April 15 to pay their last respects to Staff Sgt. Jesse A. Ault, who died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle April 9, 2008... MORE

Staunton area Va. Guard Soldiers return from Iraq
February 27, 2008 — Approximately 150 Soldiers assigned to the Headquarters of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in Staunton, Va., returned home to Virginia Feb. 21 after serving in Iraq since June 2007. The returning Soldiers were greeted by hundreds of family members, friends and members of the Staunton community... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers end mission in Kosovo
November 5, 2007 — The nearly year-long peacekeeping mission in Kosovo for more than 400 Virginia National Guard Soldiers came to an official end Nov. 2 with the transfer of authority ceremony held at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. The traditional exchange of guidons between Brig. Gen. Douglas Earhart of the 29th Infantry Division and Brig. Gen. John Davoren of the 35th Infantry Division marked the end of the KFOR 8 rotation that began Dec. 6, 2006... MORE

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