Retired Brig. Gen. Walt Mercer, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs Chief Operations Officer, welcomes new DMA workers during a New Employee Orientation course Sept. 8, 2022, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Eighteen new state employees attended the orientation in person, receiving an introduction of the DMA and Virginia National Guard organizations as well as administrative and procedural training. In a first for the organization, the course was also live streamed so an additional eight new state employees could participate virtually from the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia.