Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to Norfolk-based 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team mark the official start of their federal active duty mission at a deployment ceremony Dec. 13, 2021, in Norfolk, Virginia, joined by family, friends, fellow Soldiers, state and federal elected leaders and senior VNG leaders. Approximately 300 Soldiers will deploy on federal active duty to the Central Command area of operations in the Middle East to provide personnel and site protection using the Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar System, or C-RAM. The battalion also has units based in Hampton and Hanover. The Troutville-based 29th Division Band provided music for the ceremony, and members of the Virginia Defense Force volunteered their time to assist with traffic and parking. Read more: https://go.usa.gov/xesA5. (U.S. National Guard photo by Cotton Puryear)