Guard News - The National Guard

Virginia National Guard Team Trains for Disaster Response
May 9, 2025 — FORT BARFOOT, Va. – Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conducted a collective training exercise responding to a simulated mass casualty radiological event at Fort Barfoot April 28 - May... MORE

34th CERFP conducts collective training exercise

Virginia Guard Soldiers, Tajikistan Conduct Battle Exchange Training
May 5, 2025 — DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – Four Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers recently conducted a close-quarters battle exchange training with members of the Tajik military. The engagement was conducted April... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conduct mountain warfare exchange in Tajikistan

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball
April 30, 2025 — Virginia Beach, Va. — Lt. Gen. Jonathan "Jon" Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, joined Virginia National Guard leaders, Soldiers, Airmen and families at the 2025 annual Virginia National... MORE

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, speaks with Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen during the 2025 annual Virginia National Guard Military Ball on April 26 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Virginia Army Guard Soldiers, Tajikistan Conduct Battle Exchange Training
April 23, 2025 — DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – Four Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers recently conducted a close-quarters battle exchange training with members of the Tajik military. The engagement was conducted April... MORE

VNG Soldiers conduct close-quarters battle exchange in Tajikistan

Virginia National Guard Aviation Crews Train on Firefighting
March 28, 2025 — FORT BARFOOT, Va. - Virginia National Guard aviation crews assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, trained on aerial fire suppression with UH-60 Black Hawk... MORE

Virginia National Guard aviation crews assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, train on aerial fire suppression with UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters equipped with water buckets March 12, 2025, during a prescribed burn at Fort Barfoot, Virginia.

Virginia Guard, Finnish Counterparts Train at Arctic Forge 25
March 28, 2025 — KOUVOLA, Finland - A platoon of Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, participated in cold-weather... MORE

Virginia National Soldiers assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, stand together in front of the ‘Eleven Row’ anti-vehicle obstacle they constructed to demonstrate U.S. counter-mobility tactics for Finland’s Kymi Engineer Battalion.

Virginia National Guard Conducts Exchange in Tajikistan
February 28, 2025 — DUSHANBE, Tajikistan - Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conducted an exchange with the Republic of Tajikistan focusing on noncommissioned officer and junior officer development Feb... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conducted an exchange with the Republic of Tajikistan, focusing on noncommissioned officer and junior officer development Feb. 17-21, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The exchange supported the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been partners since 2003.

FEBEX 25 Prepares Air National Guard for Global Challenges
February 6, 2025 — CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Fla. - Approximately 250 Air National Guard and active-duty Airmen participated in a rigorous three-day exercise to test their readiness for global contingencies... MORE

Airmen from the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing don protective gear as part of a training inject during February Exercise 2025 at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Florida, Jan. 31, 2025. FEBEX 25 is a comprehensive, multi-faceted annual training event planned and executed by the 202nd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer (RED HORSE) Squadron.

National Guard Soldiers Prepare for Funeral Honors Duty
January 17, 2025 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Two Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers and two North Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers trained on the basics of military funeral honors during a course hosted by the... MORE

Virginia and North Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers train on the basics of military funeral honors during a course hosted by the Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Program Dec. 12, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Military Funeral Honors Level 1 training is a five-day course that prepares Soldiers to conduct professional military funeral honors in accordance with service tradition.

Red Dragons Hone Sling Load Skills During Drill Weekend
December 23, 2024 — BLACKSTONE, Va. – Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, conducted sling load training... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Lynchburg-based Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct sling load training Dec. 7, 2024, at Blackstone Army Airfield in Blackstone, Virginia.

Virginia National Guard Winds Down Poland Mission
November 22, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. - Approximately 40 Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, returned to the United States Nov. 19... MORE

The Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducts a transfer of authority ceremony with the Georgia National Guard’s 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Nov. 6, 2024, in Zagan Palace in Zagan, Poland.

Red Dragon Snipers Showcase Skill at Finnish Championship
November 8, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. – For the third consecutive year, snipers from the 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team traveled to Finland to compete against their international... MORE

Staff Sgt. Joshua Johnson, Sgt. James O’Connell, and Spc. Jonathan Farrar at the HÄYHÄ 2024 Sniper Shooting Championship Sept. 20-22, 2024, in Finland.

Virginia National Guard Launches STEM Program
October 29, 2024 — BLACKSTONE, Va. – The Virginia National Guard hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 20 for the Blackstone STARBASE Academy. STARBASE is a Department of Defense program that exposes young people to... MORE

Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, adjutant general of Virginia; retired Col. Everton Nevers, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs chief of staff; and Nikole Johnson, Blackstone STARBASE Academy director, break ground on the Blackstone STARBASE Academy Oct. 20, 2024, in Blackstone, Virginia. STARBASE is a Department of Defense program to expose youth to technological environments and positive civilian and military role models by providing 25 hours of hands-on instruction and activities in science, technology, engineering and math that meet or exceed national standards.

Virginia National Guard, Finnish Army Expand Relationship
October 25, 2024 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Virginia National Guard leaders hosted Lt. Gen. Pasi Välimäki, commander of the Finnish Army, Oct 12 in support of the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership... MORE

Virginia National Guard leadership hosts Lt. Gen. Pasi Välimäki, commander of the Finnish Army, during a bilateral engagement, Oct 12, 2024, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The visit supported the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

Virginia Guard Aids Hurricane Response in Florida, Virginia
October 10, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia National Guard is helping Florida respond to Hurricane Milton while it winds down its support for victims of Hurricane Helene in Virginia. The VNG sent a Black Hawk... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, assist with food and water distribution Oct. 5-6, 2024, in Damascus, Virginia. Approximately 20 1033rd Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high-mobility transportation are staged in Abingdon to support the response to Hurricane Helene.

National Guard Helps Hurricane Milton, Helene Victims
October 9, 2024 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Over 11,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were conducting Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene relief missions in the Southeast Sunday, helping first responders and victims by... MORE

U.S. Army Sgt. Isaac Bradshaw, a combat medic with C Company, 230th Brigade Support Battalion, North Carolina Army National Guard, wraps his arms around an older couple and uses his body to block them from debris and strong winds produced by the rotorwash of a landing CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Burnsville, North Carolina, Oct. 10, 2024. The Chinook crew brought generators, fuel and other supplies to the remote area after floodwaters washed away the main road after Hurricane Helene.

Virginia National Guard Continues Support After Hurricane Helene
October 4, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia National Guard continues to support response efforts after Hurricane Helene with troops staged Oct. 4 in Abingdon, Virginia. Approximately 20 Soldiers with tactical... MORE

National Guard Rescues Hundreds of People in Wake of Hurricane
October 3, 2024 — ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 6,300 National Guard members from a dozen states rescued hundreds of people and cleared roads across the Southeast in the wake of Hurricane Helene.As of Sunday, Guardsmen in... MORE

Soldiers with the Florida Army National Guard’s 1-111th General Support Aviation Regiment worked alongside members of the Texas A&M Task Force 1 Search and Rescue Team to conduct emergency response operations after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida.

Guard Airmen, Soldiers Train To Care for Fallen Comrades
October 2, 2024 — FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. – For two weeks in September, National Guard Airmen and Soldiers dedicated themselves to preparing for one of the most solemn duties in the military: handling and returning the... MORE

Fredrick Kennebrew, left, a mortuary affairs evaluator assigned to the Joint Test and Evaluation Program, observes fatality search and recovery team Airmen and mortuary affairs Soldiers as they practice temporary interment of simulated contaminated human remains during an exercise at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, Sept. 11, 2024. The exercise was part of a quick reaction test to refine the techniques, tactics and procedures for managing and caring for the remains of fallen service members.

Virginia National Guard Joins Exercise in South Korea
September 27, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1030th Transportation Battalion participated in the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in the Republic of... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Gate City-based 1030th Transportation Battalion traveled to the Republic of Korea to participate in the multinational exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield Aug. 16-29, 2024, at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, Republic of Korea.

Army Guard Soldiers Train for Kosovo Deployment

Alaska Air Guard’s 168th Wing Sharpens Readiness with CBRN Training

Air National Guard Drone Training Bridges Gap for First Responders

Massachusetts Air Guard’s 102nd Mission Support Group Conducts Readiness Training

New Hampshire Army National Guard Hosts 2025 Cyber Yankee Training Exercise