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- Support missions for 57th Presidential Inauguration help Va @USNationalGuard prepare for future operations http://t.co/vnWZGtgh #inaug2013 02:42:07 AM February 02, 2013 from Tweet Button
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- Va. Guard Soldiers provide communications capability to inauguration mission http://t.co/7gfVhiod #inaug2013 11:11:44 PM February 01, 2013 from Tweet Button
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116th IBCT Archive
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Loudon County VFW conducts job training for Va. Guard Soldiers
Posted on February 12, 2013 | No CommentsLEESBURG, Va. — Soldiers of the Leesburg-based Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team received a resume building and career development workshop courtesy of the Loudon County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1177, and the Military Alliance Group of Science Applications International Corporation Feb. 9, 2013, at their armory in Leesburg, Va. Raymond Houck, a member of VFW Post 1177 and MAG, gave a two-hour course to more than 40 infantry Soldiers on goal setting, resume writing, employer research and networking. “It’s good that they’re doing this,” says Spc. Nikita Vasilyev, an infantryman of Company C attending the workshop. “A lot of these guys are taking notes and learning valu-able information, like how to format their skills and... -
Va. Guard chaplains provide service to Guardsmen during Presidential Inauguration
Posted on January 24, 2013 | No CommentsWASHINGTON, D. C. — As Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assisted with security operations for the 57th Presidential Inauguration, Virginia Guard chaplains augmented the District of Columbia National Guard’s chaplain corps by supporting personnel from D.C., Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and West Virginia from Jan. 20-21, 2013. The chaplain support teams, consisting of two chaplains and two chaplain assistants, provided religious support, counseling and a network of liaisons to Soldiers and Airmen. “My primary focus is providing religious and counseling support to the service members supporting the inauguration,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Ben Sprouse, of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “I also enjoy visiting with Soldiers and Airmen at their duty locations.” The... -
Infantry Soldiers assist Arlington Police during 57th Presidential Inauguration
Posted on January 24, 2013 | No CommentsARLINGTON, Va. — Approximately 90 Soldiers from the Leesburg-based Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team assisted Arlington County Police with pedestrian traffic flow near the Roosevelt and 14th Street Bridges Jan. 21, 2013, for the 57th Presidential Inauguration. In addition to helping maintain safety and security for one of largest tourist events to take place in the Washington, D. C. area, the mission also provided the unit with valuable training for missions both here in Virginia and overseas. Soldiers from Company C helped make sure that pedestrians leaving Washington, D. C. were able to successfully and safely make their way to public transit locations in Arlington on Inauguration Day, but the work started weeks... -
Change of command ceremony held for Winchester-based Virginia Guard infantry battalion
Posted on December 1, 2012 | No CommentsWINCHESTER, Va. – Lt. Col. Erik Gordon took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Brigade Combat Team from Lt. Col. Paul Gilman in a change of command ceremony held Dec. 1, 2012, at the Cherry-Beasley Readiness Center. Gilman assumed command of 3rd Battalion in May 2010 after serving as commander of the Fort Pickett-based 1st Battalion, 183d Regional Training Institute beginning in August 2009. He earned his commission through ROTC at the University of Virginia, where he graduated in 1991. He began his military career as an engineer officer and served in the 229th Engineer Battalion as a platoon leader, executive officer, company commander and battalion operations officer. He transitioned to infantry... -
Virginia National Guard works with Tajikistan’s Peacekeeping Operations Battalion on infantry and medical tactics
Posted on November 30, 2012 | No CommentsSANDSTON, Va. — Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard participated in missions to Tajikistan from Nov. 3-16, 2012, where they conducted an exchange in infantry tactics and medical support procedures with the Tajikistan Peacekeeping Operations Battalion in preparation for future United Nations missions. Lt. Col. Michael Renforth of the 192nd Medical Group led the Medical Exchange, while 1st Lt. David Worley of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team led the Infantry Tactical Exchange. The teams consisted of Soldiers and Airmen from Joint Force Headquarters; 192nd Medical Group; Virginia Army National Guard Medical Command; Intel and Sustainment Company, 29th Infantry Division; Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion,... -
Annual muster honors heritage of 116th Infantry Regiment
Posted on November 9, 2012 | No CommentsSTAUNTON, Va.—Friends, family and Soldiers of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will commemorate the service of the historical 116th Infantry Regiment Nov. 9-10 during the 45th Annual 116th Regimental Muster. The celebration will kick-off with a golf tournament Nov. 9, followed by a 5k fun run Nov. 10. The culminating event of the weekend will be a formal dinner and muster ceremony. “Historically, a muster was the day designated each year when all of the able-bodied residents in every community, in a developing America, assembled at the court house for roll call,” said retired Brig. Gen. Theodore G. Shuey, Jr., the honorary colonel of the 116th Regiment. “In this way leaders determined who could be counted on in the... -
Virginia unmanned aerial system platoon resets after Afghanistan deployment
Posted on November 5, 2012 | No CommentsNAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Fourteen Virginia Guard Soldiers traveled north to Maryland in October to requalify on their RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aerial systems as part of their post-deployment reset training. The Soldiers, from the Bowling Green-based Detachment 1, Company B, 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, trained at Webster Field, part of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Oct. 14 – Nov. 4, reacquainting themselves with their Shadows as weather permitted, and riding out Hurricane Sandy when it didn’t. “The hurricane kind of delayed us,” said Sgt. Eric Mehaffey, a standardization instructor operator in the unit. “We weren’t able to fly because of it, but the first week was great.” The training conducted... -
Virginia Guard communication professionals work with Tajikistan Peacekeeping Operations Battalion
Posted on September 30, 2012 | No CommentsSANDSTON, Va. — Soldiers of the Virginia Army National Guard completed a three-week mission to Tajikistan Sept. 12, 2012, where they helped prepare the Peacekeeping Operations Battalion for a future United Nations mission. Led by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Edgar Marquis of Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the team consisted of communications professionals from Company C, 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, and the Signal Company, 29th Infantry Division. The Virginia Guard team also worked with the Tajik platoon that participated in the STEPPE EAGLE 2012 in Kazakhstan, a military exercise aimed at the interoperability of international forces. While Tajikistan has sent observers in the past, this is the first time that Tajikistan has sent an actual unit to participate... -
1-111th FA gives friends, family members chance to fire howitzers
Posted on August 14, 2012 | No CommentsFORT PICKETT, Va. – Family members and friends of Virginia Guard Soldiers from the Hampton-based 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team observed live fire operations and participated in the firing of the unit’s howitzers Aug. 11 at Fort Pickett as part of Family Day. Family Day is an event hosted by the unit biennially and aims to give family members a first-hand glace into the military lives of their Soldiers. “This gives us an opportunity during one of our regularly scheduled live fire events to have families come down and it gives them a chance to see what their loved ones do on a drill weekend,” explained Capt. Brooks Rembert, Battery B commander. Many of... -
Lynchburg-based 1-116th, Richmond City Police partner to conduct less-than-lethal training
Posted on July 30, 2012 | No CommentsFORT PICKETT, Va. — Soldiers from the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted less-than-lethal training with members of the Richmond City Police July 28 at Fort Pickett to increase their proficiency in providing support while pairing with civil authorities in a time of crisis. The battalion is designated as the Virginia Guard’s Incident Response Force Package and will be among the first units called to state active duty. “The concept of the operation was that there was a riot incited due to an explosion and (the Virginia Guard and Richmond Police) were called in to restore order and ensure the safety of the people throughout the town,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gustavo Sequeira, a... -
Virginia National Guard personnel assist in the wake of severe thunderstorms
Posted on July 11, 2012 | No CommentsSANDSTON, Va. — The Virginia National Guard brought more than 200 personnel on state active duty from June 30 to July 4 to support recovery operations in the wake of severe thunderstorms that struck across Virginia and caused wide-spread power outages. Soldiers distributed water and ice in Bedford, conducted reconnaissance patrols in the Fredericksburg and Lexington areas and Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force provided mission command and sustainment support in Sandston and Fort Pickett. “I was extremely pleased with the entire operation from how we alerted and staged our personnel to how we actually executed the missions,” said Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia. “I think the Virginia Guard continues to be a rapidly... -
Virginia Guard personnel preparing for possible post-storm recovery operations
Posted on June 30, 2012 | No CommentsSANDSTON, Va. — The Virginia National Guard is staging personnel in Fredericksburg and Lexington June 30 to be prepared for possible post-storm recovery operations after a series of severe storms struck Virginia June 29. The Virginia Guard has been authorized to bring up to 300 personnel on state active duty and began staging approximately 110 personnel at the readiness center in Fredericksburg and 30 personnel at the readiness center in Lexington to be prepared for possible missions starting the morning of July 1. Additional personnel have been alerted for possible duty and will be held in reserve for possible future missions. Governor Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon in response to severe weather that affected the Commonwealth Friday night. The declaration authorizes...