VNG senior enlisted leaders meet with Finnish counterparts
St. Lo Battalion squads compete for “Chubby Cup”
Antiterrorism Officer Course trains Soldiers, Airmen, civilians from around the country
116th IBCT provides OPFOR support for JRTC rotation
203rd RED HORSE enhances operational readiness through deployment for training at Lajes Field
Ceremony bids farewell to 1940th, 1945th Contracting Teams
Cooper's journey of grit, growth at ARNG's Best Warrior Competition
Rail tank cars added to petroleum training program at Fort Barfoot

FEATURED STORIES

Virginia National Guard senior enlisted leaders prepare to travel via Jurmo-class landing craft to engage with the Joint Senior Noncommissioned Officer at the Finnish Naval Academy during a senior NCO exchange Aug. 19- 23, 2024 in Finland. Command Chief Master Sgt. Kelly B. Reich, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Irving Reed Jr., the Virginia Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major, Chief Master Sgt. Ian Stegherr, Virginia Air National Guard State Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Sean Fretwell, 192nd Wing Command Chief and Senior Master Sgt. Justin Connor, 192nd Security Forces Senior Enlisted Leader, all participated in the exchange, where they met with a variety of senior enlisted leaders from the Finnish Defense Forces and collaborated on a plan for joint enlisted training and exercise and development for 2025 to 2027.
VNG senior enlisted leaders meet with Finnish counterparts
Sept. 11, 2024
Virginia National Guard senior enlisted leadership traveled to Finland Aug. 19- 23, 2024, to collaborate with members of the Finnish Defence Forces on a plan for joint enlisted training and exercise and development for 2025 to 2027.
Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Dinonno, commander of the 29th Infantry Division, lays a wreath along with a French dignitary at the National Guard Monument situated above Omaha Beach in Vierville-sur-Mer, France, June 2, 2024. This monument sits at the spot where National Guard Soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division broke through German defenses on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Commemorative events such as these serve to honor the sacrifices U.S. service members made 80 years ago in securing peace and security, and inspiring future generations to value a collective vision of global peace.
80th anniversary of D-Day observed abroad, at home
June 13, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers paid tribute to the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of the U.S. and Allied Forces who participated in the June 1944 invasion of Normandy and commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day at multiple events on and around June 6, 2024, in France, Virginia and Louisiana.

VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD NEWS

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, right, Air National Guard deputy director, poses for a group photo after touring the new Expandable Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen with members from the 192nd Wing, Virginia ANG and the 127th Wing, Michigan ANG during the cookies for delegates event Sept. 6, 2024, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The rapid-deployable E-SPEK enables services members to feed personnel in various field conditions from domestic operations to deployed environments, including remote and austere locations. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Eugene Silvers)
192nd demonstrates new mobile kitchen at ANG Congressional Day
Sept. 17, 2024
Airmen from the 192nd Support Squadron, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, demonstrated the capabilities of their new mobile kitchen, the Expandable Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen, during the cookies for congressional delegates event Sept. 6, 2024, at the Air National Guard Congressional Day.
Virginia National Guard senior enlisted leaders prepare to travel via Jurmo-class landing craft to engage with the Joint Senior Noncommissioned Officer at the Finnish Naval Academy during a senior NCO exchange Aug. 19- 23, 2024 in Finland. Command Chief Master Sgt. Kelly B. Reich, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Irving Reed Jr., the Virginia Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major, Chief Master Sgt. Ian Stegherr, Virginia Air National Guard State Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Sean Fretwell, 192nd Wing Command Chief and Senior Master Sgt. Justin Connor, 192nd Security Forces Senior Enlisted Leader, all participated in the exchange, where they met with a variety of senior enlisted leaders from the Finnish Defense Forces and collaborated on a plan for joint enlisted training and exercise and development for 2025 to 2027.
VNG senior enlisted leaders meet with Finnish counterparts
Sept. 11, 2024
Virginia National Guard senior enlisted leadership traveled to Finland Aug. 19- 23, 2024, to collaborate with members of the Finnish Defence Forces on a plan for joint enlisted training and exercise and development for 2025 to 2027.
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team compete in the battalion's Carl “Chubby” Proffitt Jr. Squad Competition, known as the “Chubby Cup,” Sept. 7, 2024, at Fort Walker, Virginia. Each team competed in a series of events including physical fitness, marksmanship, a ruck march, react to contact, casualty evacuation and a pugil stick battle. The competition honors both the unit’s lineage and the legacy of Proffitt, who served with 3-116th during World War II, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Read more about 3rd Battalion at https://bit.ly/3Mzedlk.
St. Lo Battalion squads compete for “Chubby Cup”
Sept. 9, 2024
Ten teams of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team competed in the battalion’s 3rd annual Carl “Chubby” Proffitt Jr. Squad Competition Sept. 7, 2024, at Fort Walker, Virginia. 
The Virginia Army National Guard Antiterrorism Program hosts an Antiterrorism Officer Basic Course Aug. 21, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. More than 30 Soldiers and Airmen from the Virginia National Guard, Maine National Guard and New Mexico National Guard, as well as active-duty Soldiers and an Army civilian, attended the weeklong course, which trains students in the roles and responsibilities of an antiterrorism officer down to battalion level. The course was taught by three instructors from the U.S. Army Military Police School from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. (U.S. National Guard photo by A.J. Coyne)
Antiterrorism Officer Course trains Soldiers, Airmen, civilians from around the country
Sept. 5, 2024
The Virginia Army National Guard Antiterrorism Program hosted an Antiterrorism Officer Basic Course Aug. 19- 23, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. More than 30 Soldiers and Airmen from the Virginia National Guard, Maine National Guard and New Mexico National Guard, as well as active-duty Soldiers and an Army civilian, attended the weeklong course, which trains students in the roles and responsibilities of an antiterrorism officer.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airman assigned to units across the Commonwealth make a strong showing at the Marksmanship Advisory Council Region II marksmanship sustainment exercise, with VNG teams taking second place overall at the competition Aug. 23 - 25, 2024, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. The Virginia National Guard Combat Marksmanship team placed in the top three of every match, having five members in the top ten in every individual event and placing in the top three of every team event. Sgt. Michael McClaskie and Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan finished in first and second respectively in the individual pistol aggregate, while Sgt. 1st Class Jefferey Ice and Ryan finished first and second in the individual rifle aggregate. McClaskie and Ryan also finished first and second in the combined pistol and rifle aggregate.
VNG team makes strong showing at regional marksmanship competition
Sept. 4, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airman assigned to units across the Commonwealth made a strong showing at the Marksmanship Advisory Council Region II marksmanship sustainment exercise, with VNG teams taking second place overall at the competition Aug. 23 - 25, 2024, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. 
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team serve as part of the opposing force of the Oregon National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team during Joint Readiness Training Center Rotation 24-09 July 24, 2024, at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. JRTC provides realistic training environments to help prepare units for complex operations. VNG Soldiers operated at the company level for tactical operations and were able to refine their standard operating procedures and battle drills. Lessons learned will also help prepare the 116th for their upcoming JRTC rotation in 2026.
116th IBCT provides OPFOR support for JRTC rotation
Aug. 30, 2024
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team provided opposing force support during Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 24-09 July 8 - Aug. 3, 2024, at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. 
Airmen with the 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, perform renovation operations during a deployment for training July 14-26, 2024, at Lajes Field, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal. The DFT provided the 203rd RED HORSE the opportunity to maintain readiness and training requirements while simultaneously repairing and renovating facilities across the world. (Courtesy photo)
203rd RED HORSE enhances operational readiness through deployment for training at Lajes Field
Aug. 28, 2024
Airmen with the 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard participated in a deployment for training July 14-26, 2024, at Lajes Field, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal.
The 1940th and 1945th Contracting Teams are inactivated during a small ceremony Aug. 10, 2024, at the 329th Regional Support Group headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Federally recognized on July 21, 2009, these small, five-Soldier units performed a number of domestic and overseas missions over the past 15 years. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. John Partin)
Ceremony bids farewell to 1940th, 1945th Contracting Teams
Aug. 28, 2024
The Virginia National Guard officially said goodbye to the 1940th and 1945th Contracting Teams Aug. 10, 2024, during a small ceremony at the 329th Regional Support Group headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers, along with three civilians, participate in the second annual Master Fitness Trainer/ Master Resilience Trainer workshop developed by the Virginia Army National Guard Holistic Health and Fitness and the Resilience, Risk Reduction, and Suicide Prevention teams Aug. 1, 2024, at Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story and the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The three-day workshop provided training to conduct collective networking and education opportunities to refresh on training, discuss the industry’s education and development updates, and develop an improved network, organizational structure, and esprit de corps amongst all the VAARNG MFT/MRT community. (U.S. National Guard photo by A.J. Coyne)
Workshop brings together MFTs, MRTs for networking, collaboration
Aug. 28, 2024
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers, along with three civilians, participated in the second annual Master Fitness Trainer/ Master Resilience Trainer workshop developed by the Virginia Army National Guard Holistic Health and Fitness and the Resilience, Risk Reduction, and Suicide Prevention teams July 31 to Aug. 2, 2024, at Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story and the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Sgt. Carter Cooper, an 11B infantryman assigned to the Virginia National Guard, completes the final 12-mile ruck march at the Army National Guard’s 2024 Best Warrior Competition, a 12-mille ruck march, Aug. 8, 2024, at the Ethan Allen Firing Range, near Jericho, Vermont. For five days, the top National Guard Soldiers and noncommissioned officers in the nation faced a series of rigorous challenges, including multiple ruck marches, weapons proficiency tests and a modified biathlon. The top competitors will go on to represent the Army National Guard in the Department of the Army Best Squad Competition. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
Cooper's journey of grit and growth at ARNG's Best Warrior Competition
Aug. 27, 2024
For five arduous days, Sgt. Carter Cooper, one of the top National Guard Soldiers in the nation, tackled challenge after challenge at the 2024 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition, held Aug. 4-8, 2024, at the Ethan Allen Firing Range near Jericho, Vermont. Cooper was one of 14 competitors culled from the nation’s seven regions.

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ABOUT THE VA NATIONAL GUARD

The Virginia National Guard is a unique dual-status force with a federal mission to provide a combat reserve for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to fight our nation’s wars and a state mission to provide a response force that answers the call of the Governor to defend the commonwealth. The VNG traces the history and tradition of Citizen-Soldier service to the founding of Jamestown in 1607, and there has been a military presence defending Virginia ever since. For more information on the Virginia National Guard click HERE.

SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION & RESPONSE

  • Virginia National Guard Reporting sexual assault line - 434-294-4669
  • DoD Safe Helpline - 877-995-5247/ 202-470-5546 (Oconus)

READY AND RESILIENT RESOURCES

Readiness and Resiliency Information Resource Page provides resources and education to all Soldiers, Airmen, Virginia Defense Force personnel, family members and civilian employees to promote readiness, well-being, resilience and suicide prevention. The end state is a healthy organization that is resilient, knowledgeable regarding high risk behaviors, educated on stress reduction measures and aware of available service member, family and employee support network resources.

QUICK LINKS

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