Virginia National Guard

DMA employees recognized for outstanding job performance
May 26, 2021 — Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Walt Mercer, the Chief Operations Officer for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, presented agency-wide awards May 18, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia, to recognize outstanding state employees for their accomplishments... MORE

29th Infantry Division welcomes new Command Sergeant Major
May 24, 2021 — BOWLING GREEN, Va. — Command Sgt. Maj. Daryl Plude took responsibility as the command sergeant major of the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division from Command Sgt. Maj. Alan Ferris May 8, 2021, in Bowling Green, Virginia. Maj. Gen. John Rhodes, commanding general of the 29th Infantry Division, presided over the ceremony that included an exchange of the noncommissioned officer sword that represents the change of responsibility as the division’s senior noncommissioned officer from Ferris to Plude... MORE

VNG “American Korean” talks career diversity & open-mindedness
May 19, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — Capt. John Choi Hemby calls himself an “American Korean,” because, he says, he’s an American first. Hemby’s mother is Korean and his father, who served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, is white. Growing up in Virginia and Mississippi, he said it wasn’t always easy to fit in. ... MORE

VNG Youth Program hosts summer activities
May 19, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard Youth Program is offering several opportunities for Virginia National Guard youth to participate in activities this summer... MORE

Ceremony celebrates Virginia National Guard’s 414th birthday
May 19, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard celebrated its 414th birthday May 14, 2021, at the Sergeant Bob Slaughter Headquarters at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. Command Chief Master Sgt. Kelly Reich, Virginia Air National Guard Command Chief, and Sgt. Korion Hunt, a Virginia Army National recruiter assigned to Newport News, cut the cake flanked by Acting Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Kathleen Jabs and Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia... MORE

29th ID cases colors, begins federal active duty
May 19, 2021 — BOWLING GREEN, Va. — Virginia and Maryland National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division officially begin federal active duty with a casing of the colors ceremony May 15, 2021, in Bowling Green, Virginia, and they will uncase the colors when they arrive in the Middle East. More than 500 Soldiers of the 29th will conduct a 10-month deployment in the Central Command Area of Operations as Task Force Spartan to provide leadership, command, control and in-depth staff analysis for Operation Spartan Shield. ... MORE

VNG adapts to changing COVID-19 support missions
May 18, 2021 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard continues to support COVID-19 response missions across Virginia with task forces conducting administrative and logistical support to vaccine clinics, and providing mobile vaccine teams to help administer shots in support of local, state and federal agencies... MORE

A Virginia National Guard Soldier administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a citizen during a mobile vaccination clinic in Norfolk, Virginia.

NCO induction ceremony held for 12 new aviation battalion NCOs
May 17, 2021 — SANDSTON, Va. — The Virginia National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division welcomed 12 Soldiers to the noncommissioned officer corps during an NCO Induction Ceremony held April 18, 2021, at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. The ceremony honored those Soldiers promoted to the rank of sergeant over the last two years... MORE

The Virginia National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment welcomes newly-promoted noncommissioned officers to the NCO Corps during a ceremony held April 18, 2021, at the VNG’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. A total of 16 NCOs, all promoted to sergeant since 2019, were recognized during the ceremony in front of state and unit enlisted leaders and members of their battalion. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

Zana succeeds Flora as Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa commander
May 17, 2021 — CAMP LEMONNIER, DJIBOUTI – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the outgoing Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commanding general, transferred responsibility to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William L. Zana during a change of command ceremony. U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), presided over the ceremony... MORE

Virginia Air National Guard engineers return from Southwest Asia
May 7, 2021 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More than 100 Virginia Air National Guard engineers reunited with family, friends and fellow Airmen May 5, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, after serving on federal active duty in Southwest Asia since October 2020. Virginia National Guard senior leaders were also on hand to thank them for their service and welcome them home. Airmen assigned to the Virginia Beach-based 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE, were responsible for 15 engineer projects in six countries in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel... MORE

Funeral Honors Program hosts training for active-duty Soldiers
May 4, 2021 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program hosted basic funeral honors training for 30 U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the Fort Eustis-based 7th Transportation Brigade April 19-23, 2021, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia... MORE

Recruiters team up with Habitat for Humanity to "Raise the Roof"
May 4, 2021 — NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — For Sgt. Austin Sturtz, a recruiter assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion, the opportunity to support the local Habitat for Humanity’s “Raise the Roof” event in Newport News, Virginia, sounded like a great one... MORE

Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Recruiting & Retention Battalion volunteer their time with the Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg Organization April 21, 2021, in Newport News, Virginia. The Soldiers helped Habitat build and repair a home in the Newport News area while reinforcing and reflecting community pride and teamwork. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa M. Sadler)

Virginia National Guard welcomes nine new officers
May 4, 2021 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — The Virginia Army National Guard welcomed nine new lieutenants to their ranks in a ceremony held April 25, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The new lieutenants are part of the Virginia National Guard’s winter accelerated Officer Candidate School Class 64A. Col. Doyle Gillis, the Virginia National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel, served as the guest speaker for the event, while Lt. Col. James C. Shaver, commander of 3rd Battalion, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, administered the oath of office. ... MORE

Nine Virginia Army National Guard officer candidates celebrate their graduation from Officer Candidate School April 25, 2021, at a ceremony held at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The candidates, all part of the winter accelerated Class 64A, took the oath of office and were then pinned with second lieutenant rank by family and friends. Col. Doyle Gillis, the Virginia National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel, served as the guest speaker. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

MTC marks Earth Day with tree planting
May 3, 2021 — FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and civilian employees of Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett planted two trees at the MTC garrison headquarters in honor of Earth Day April 22, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers and civilian employees of Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett plant two trees at the MTC garrison headquarters in honor of Earth Day April 22, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

VaANG maintainers rebuild F-22 Raptor after collapse on JBLE flight line
May 1, 2021 — JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- For the first time in his more than 20 year career, Master Sgt. Christopher Plath held his breath and felt the intense pressure during the take off and landing of F-22 tail #85 on April 9, 2021. As a flight chief in the 192nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Plath stayed quietly in command of his exclusive team of Virginia Air National Guard maintainers, advising them to stay focused even while a crowd of onlookers started to gather on the Langley flight line in hopes of witnessing the end result of what Plath said were long, tireless hours. ... MORE

An F-22 crew chief watches on as the pilot prepares to take flight in the aircraft.

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