An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 15, 2017

Virgin Islands National Guard Soldiers preparing for Vigilant Guard

By 1st Lt. Kirk Rojas Virgin Islands National Guard

ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands — The Virgin Islands National Guard began the warm-start portion of Vigilant Guard 17-03 here on May 10 with an influx of personnel and equipment moving from St. Croix to prepare for the exercise.

Soldiers and Airmen from St. Croix flew to St. Thomas to establish a joint operations center (JOC) for the impending hurricane expected to impact the territory in the scenario-based exercise. As they arrived to the Leonard B. Francis Readiness Center, the physical construction was still underway.

The Soldiers from 786th Combat Service Support Battalion started construction of the JOC a day prior on the drill hall floor and were finalizing the layout.

"Our Soldiers began construction on May 9th and have done a great job at meeting the layout specifications for the JOC," said Master Sgt. Sheryll Luciana, operations noncommissioned officer, 786th CSSB. "Here on St. Thomas we continue to do the ground work to ensure the exercise will be successful and the 786th [CSSB] as well as the VING will be as accommodating as possible."

The development of the JOC required a joint effort between 786th CSSB HHD and 631st Engineer Company to ensure the layout and space requirements met operational security and safety standards.

"We erected the walls and entrance control point as required, and left certain parts of the interior mobile in case we need to reorient the room," Luciana said.

The 786th CSSB Soldiers completed the JOC construction and continue to build the logistic staging area to house incoming forces as the exercise progresses.

Vigilant Guard 17-03 is a national disaster response exercise being conducted in the U.S. Virgin Islands, May 15-19, hosted by the Virgin Islands National Guard and U.S. Northern Command.

 

 

Related Articles
Dan Baldwin (left), University of Texas flight nurse, Master Sgt. Lyndsey Glotfelty, 187th Wyoming Air National Guard aeromedical evacuation technician, provide in-flight care for a heart attack victim aboard a LC-130 in route to Christchurch, New Zealand, Feb. 13, 2025. The Antarctic is as remote as it gets, with great distance to the nearest help and limited resources, the mission contained a standardized response plan for medical incidents and select personnel trained to handle them. Maj. Nate Krueger and Master Sgt. Lyndsey Glotfelty of the 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron delivered critical care during a life-saving patient transport mission in Antarctica. Their actions and expert care helped make history with the first successful cardiac arrest evacuation from the continent in over 35 years.
Wyoming Guard Airmen Make First Antarctic Cardiac Evacuation in 35 Years
By Staff Sgt. Lee Murphy, | April 16, 2025
MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica – Using teamwork, precision and lifesaving expertise, Airmen of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron played a critical role in the first successful evacuation of a...

Airmen assigned to the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, construct a small shelter system at the 145th Regional Training Site in Badin, North Carolina, April 4, 2025. Airmen from the 175th Wing deployed to Badin to participate in Exercise Wolverine Strike, a wing-wide readiness exercise built to test the wing's ability to adapt and respond to scenarios resulting from a simulated near-peer conflict, focusing on mission critical tasks in a contested environment.
Maryland Airmen Enhance Combat Readiness with Training Exercise
By Staff Sgt. Laura Virtue, | April 16, 2025
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. –  Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Wing participated in a combat readiness exercise earlier this month.Operation Wolverine Strike was held April 1-11 at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State...

U.S. Army Soldiers from Detachment 1, 172nd Cyber Protection Team, completed a first-ever specialized cyber certification test as part of Job Qualification Requirement (JQR) training. The Soldiers earned certifications in Army Basic Host Analysis and Army Basic Network Analyst, key qualifications for their roles in cyber defense at Fort Custer Training Center, Mich., on March 18, 2025.
Michigan Guard Cyber Protection Team Completes First Cyber Certification Test
By Sgt. Catherine Brooks, | April 16, 2025
FORT CUSTER, Mich. – Michigan Army National Guard Soldiers in the 172nd Cyber Protection Team have completed a specialized cyber certification test as part of the Job Qualification Readiness (JQR) training.The certification,...