Senior leaders from state government and the Virginia National Guard join family members, friends and fellow Soldiers in bidding farewell to the members of two Sandston-based aviation units May 27, 2016, in Sandston, Virginia, at a ceremony to mark the upcoming start of federal active duty. Approximately 40 Soldiers each assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, and Detachment 2, Company B, 777th Aviation Support Battalion, are scheduled to begin serving on federal active duty in early June 2016. The units will be based in Kuwait and provide rotary wing aviation and aviation maintenance support to the U. S. Central Command area of operations. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)