Virginia National Guard

1710th receives 48 new flatbed trailers at Fort Pickett
August 28, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Emporia-based 1710th Transportation Company, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, helped unload and receive 48 brand new flatbed trailers August 18, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. With the help of a crane and a team of specialized civilian contractors from Tank Automotive Command in Warren, Michigan, the Soldiers assisted in the unstacking and movement of 48 new M872A4 40-foot, 34-ton flatbed semitrailers... MORE

VNG Soldiers compete in pistol marksmanship match
August 27, 2020 — FORT PICKETT, Va. - Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group and the Fort Pickett-based VNG Marksmanship Training Unit combined efforts to host the Excellence in Competition Pistol match Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. A total of 80 service members participated in the event in the hopes of earning the Bronze Excellence in Competition Pistol badge, awarded to the top 10% of shooters... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group compete with the M4 pistol during a competition Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

Bennett VNG’s first female infantry enlistment, Infantry School graduate
August 27, 2020 — Pvt. Ana-Alicia Bennett, the Virginia Army National Guard’s first female infantry enlistment, made history July 17, 2020, when she graduated from the U.S. Army’s Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. With successful completion of training, Bennett becomes one of only a few female infantry Soldiers to serve in the Virginia National Guard and the first to initially enlist and successfully complete training as an 11B... MORE

Pvt. Ana-Alicia Bennett poses for a photograph with her parents July 27, 2020, outside their home in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

VNG Soldiers train on CROWS remote weapons system
August 27, 2020 — Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from across the Commonwealth conducted training on the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station during a one week training course Aug. 17-21, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The course was designed to familiarize Soldiers with the M153 CROWS system, an externally mounted weapons control system that allows the gunner to remain inside the vehicle, protected by armor while being able to remotely fire various crew served weapons... MORE

Pegg takes command of 329th RSG
August 22, 2020 — Lt. Col. Todd A. Pegg took command of the Virginia Beach-based 329th Regional Support Group from Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., Aug. 19, 2020, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Brig. Gen. K. Weedon Gallagher, VNG Land Component Commander, presided over the change of command ceremony and the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Gillis to Pegg... MORE

New laws benefit DMA, veterans with disabilities
August 21, 2020 — Virginia Governor Ralph Northam ceremonially signed into law two bills benefitting the Virginia Department of Military Affairs as well as veterans with disabilities during a virtual bill signing ceremony Aug. 4, 2020... MORE

VNG SARC hosts victim advocate refresher training
August 21, 2020 — The Virginia National Guard hosted more than two dozen Airmen, Soldiers and civilians from the Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware National Guard for a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate refresher training course Aug. 10-14, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The 32-hour training focused on victim advocacy, prevention and ethics and featured guest speakers from local, state and national agencies... MORE

Hurricane exercise prepares VNG for rapid response
August 21, 2020 — The Virginia National Guard Joint Staff completed a virtual hurricane tabletop exercise Aug. 17, 2020, focused on improving the VNG’s ability to rapidly respond to hazardous weather events in a COVID-19 environment. More than 50 Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force took part in the exercise... MORE

VNG Soldiers clear debris in Onancock following storm

Teamwork, attention to detail helps LT earn Ranger Tab
August 18, 2020 — When Virginia National Guardsman 1st Lt. Aidan O’Connor decided to go to Ranger School, it was partly because of leadership. So many of the best leaders he’d met had Ranger tabs on their shoulders and while O’Connor knew that wasn’t all it took to excel in the leadership arena, it seemed like a pretty good start. Plus, O’Connor says he was looking for a challenge, which he knew Ranger School would deliver. ... MORE

First Lt. Aidan O’Connor (front row, third from the right) poses alongside his fellow Ranger School Graduates after successfully completing the course. O’Connor, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, is currently assigned as the executive officer to Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Va. Dept. Military Affairs, other agencies partner to protect rare sea turtle nest
August 17, 2020 — The State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is playing host to some very special guests this summer – hundreds of loggerhead sea turtle eggs in a recently-discovered nest in the dunes on the installation’s beachfront... MORE

A loggerhead sea turtle nest is protected on a dune at the beachfront July 30, 2020, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. SMR is working together with the natural resource managers from the Department of Military Affairs and from Naval Air Station Oceana, as well as with scientists from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and biologists from U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to help protect the rare nest until the hatchlings emerge. (U.S. National Guard photo by Mike Vrabel)

VNG Youth Program hosts first Virtual Summer Camp
August 17, 2020 — The Virginia National Guard Youth Program launched its first Virtual Camp July 27-31, 2020. Fifty-three campers and 11 National Guard teens participated in the week long, online experience. Prior to camp, campers and teens received Camp Boxes in the mail containing a t-shirt, water bottle, and a variety of camp packets for the various online sessions they were to engage in throughout the week... MORE

Campers sit and get ready to watch a live stream session during the Virginia National Guard Youth Program’s Virtual Summer Camp July 29, 2020. Fifty-three campers and 11 National Guard teens participated in the week-long, online experience.

Virginia Soldier, NCO compete in Region II Best Warrior
August 12, 2020 — Spc. Braxton Todd and Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones, both assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division, competed against representatives from Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania at the 2020 Region II Best Warrior Competition July 28-31 in Maryland. The physical and mentally grueling competition, which took place at several locations throughout the state, included the Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons qualification, stress shooting, a 12-mile ruck march, a water survival test, a board appearance and more... MORE

Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones and Spc. Braxton Todd, Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, compete in the 2020 Region II Best Warrior Competition, July 28, 2020, at H Steven Blum Military Reservation in Glen Arm, Maryland. Jones and Todd are competing against Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware during the four-day competition for the right to move on to the national-level competition. (U.S. National Guard photo by A.J. Coyne)

149th Fighter Squadron welcomes new commander
August 9, 2020 — The 149th Fighter Squadron, Virginia Air National Guard, welcomed Lt. Col. William J. Shnowske as the new squadron commander during a change of command ceremony August 8, 2020, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia... MORE

VNG Soldier is first direct commission ARNG cyber operations officer
August 7, 2020 — Maj. Waldon W. Jue became the first Army National Guard Soldier to direct commission as a cyber operations officer July 30, 2020, in Fairfax, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, presided over the direct commissioning ceremony and administered the oath of office to Jue who is assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fairfax-based 144th Cyber Warfare Company, 124th Cyber Protection Battalion, 91st Cyber Brigade... MORE

Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, administers the oath of office to newly-promoted Maj. Waldon W. Jue Aug. July 30, 2020, in Fairfax, Virginia. (U. S. National Guard photo by Cotton Puryear)

VNG Soldiers help clear roads after TS Isaias
August 6, 2020 — Virginia National Guard Soldiers used chain saws to help clear roads and assisted with keeping traffic moving Aug. 4, 2020, after Tropical Storm Isaias left a path of fallen trees and debris at multiple locations across Virginia... MORE

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