SANDSTON, Va. - Approximately 230 personnel from the Virginia Department of Military Affairs will be on duty Saturday supporting the inauguration of Terry McAuliffe as the 72nd governor of Virginia in Richmond, the state capital.
Soldiers from the Virginia Army National Guard, Airmen from the Virginia Air National Guard and members of the Virginia Defense Force will support a variety of missions including ceremonial music, firing a 19-gun salute with artillery howitzers and command and control of the inaugural parade elements. A formation of Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen will also lead the inaugural parade.
"The governor is the commander in chief of the Virginia National Guard, and it is an honor for us to support his inauguration," said Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the adjutant general of Virginia. "This is also a great training opportunity for our forces. Working with our state partner agencies to plan the support for the inauguration will help us hone our capabilities."
Long is scheduled to present one of the shell casings from the ceremonial 19-gun salute at the completion on the inaugural parade.
The Virginia Department of Military Affairs is the state agency that provides leadership and administrative support to the Virginia Army National Guard, Virginia Air National Guard and Virginia Defense Force. DMA plans, coordinates, maintains situational awareness and employs forces for homeland security and homeland defense in order to respond to any incidents within the Commonwealth.
Personnel from the Virginia Department of Military Affairs are scheduled to conduct the following missions:
- Soldiers from the Covington-based 29th Division Band will provide ceremonial music for all the inaugural activities.
- Soldiers from the Sandston-based Battery A, 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will fire a ceremonial 19-gun salute with four M119A2 105mm howitzers.
- Brig. Gen. Blake C. Ortner, Virginia National Guard land component commander, will command the lead marching formation of the inaugural parade consisting of a color guard and personnel from the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Air National Guard.
- Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force will provide mission tracking and coordination support at the Virginia National Guard Joint Operations Center in Sandston and Virginia Defense Force Headquarters in Richmond.
- Soldiers from the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command will provide mission command for all Virginia National Guard and Virginia Defense Force personnel taking part in the inauguration.
- Personnel from the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Defense Force will provide command and control for the inaugural parade and assist with staging and marshaling the parade marching elements.