Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger joins Virginia National Guard senior leaders, Soldiers and Airmen to celebrate the Virginia National Guard’s 419th birthday May 14, 2026, near the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia National Guard traces its origins to 1607, when Capt. John Smith organized the first militia at Jamestown to defend the Virginia Colony. The ceremony included a cake cutting conducted by the oldest and youngest members of the formation, Spc. Hope Marie Lindquist, a newly assigned Soldier, and Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia. Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Timothy P. Williams also attended the ceremony.