Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Virginia National Guard celebrates 408th birthday with Jamestown Settlement By Cotton Puryear
                Virginia National Guard
 JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT, Va. - The Virginia National Guard traces the heritage and traditions of Citizen-Soldier service to the founding of the Jamestown colony more than 400 years ago when Capt. John Smith organized a militia to defend the colony. Since the colony's founding May 14, 1607, there has not been a day since without a military presence in Virginia to defend freedom at home and overseas. "I can't think of a more appropriate place to recognize centuries of military service in Virginia than at Jamestown Settlement," said Brig. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the adjutant general of Virginia. "We appreciate the hospitality of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and helping us reflect on the roots of the Virginia National Guard and the importance of the spirit of selfless service that began near here at Jamestown and lives on in our currently serving Citizen Soldiers and Citizen Airmen. Just as Capt. John Smith organized a militia to defend the colony more than 400 years ago, today's Virginia National Guard continues that heritage by being prepared to answer the call of the Governor to defend our homeland as well as providing a combat reserve for conflicts all over the world. I'm extremely proud of what our National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, as well as the families, employers and state and federal civilian employees who support them, have done and continue to do to respond here in our Commonwealth and defend our nation." Williams, Command Sgt. Maj. Alan P. Ferris, Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor, and Phillip Emerson, executive director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, cut the cake and were joined by DelegateT. MontgomeryMason of Virginia's93rd district, Homer Lanier, Interpretive Program Manager, Peter Armstrong, Senior Director of Museum Operations and Education, and Historical Interpreters Brian Beckley and Jay Templin. "We are delighted to host the Virginia National Guard to mark this special occasion for its birthday celebration today, which also marks the 408th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in 1607," Armstrong said. "Throughout the years, we have enjoyed sharing the Jamestown connection and legacy of the Virginia National Guard with the public during educational events and programs, and we look forward to our future partnership." Jamestown Settlement is a living-history museum of 17th-century Virginia administered by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to 1652, formal military organizations were formed as needed and disbanded after the threat passed, and then the House of Burgesses passed a bill that each county would organize militia companies into a regiment. The oldest continuous service regiment in the Virginia National Guard is the 116th Infantry, dating from 1742. The 1st Virginia Regiment was raised July 17, 1775, in Williamsburg as a state militia unit and later for service with the Continental Army, and its lineage lives on today in the Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion. National Guard Bureau states on their web site that the official birth date of the Army National Guard as a reserve component of the Army is December 13, 1636. On this date, the Massachusetts colonial legislature directed that the colony's existing militia companies be organized into three regiments. This date is recognized based upon the Department of Defense's practice of adopting the dates of initial authorizing legislation for organized units as the birthdates of the active and reserve components of the armed services. According to its website. the Florida National Guard celebrates the first-known muster of Citizen-Soldiers in the continental U.S. during a celebration in St. Augustine, Florida. The "first muster" took place on Sept. 16, 1565, when Pedro Menendez de Aviles gathered around him the Soldiers of his small Spanish army, as well as the civilian settlers who had accompanied him to the newly established presidio town of St. Augustine. Because his plan called for the use of the majority of his regular Soldiers, Menendez drew upon Spanish laws governing the milicia, or militia, in an imperial province. As both the civil governor and the commander-in-chief of the military establishment, he had the authority to call all free male settlers in the presidio province to active service. Virginia National Guard service dates back to the American Revolution through the American Civil War to World War I and II. The 29th Infantry Division saw service in World War I, and Soldiers of the 116th Infantry spearheaded an attack in October 1918 during what was known as the Meuse Argonne Offensive. During this attack, Sgt. Earle Gregory of the 116th Infantry earned the Medal of Honor, the first Virginia Guard member to receive the award. During World War II, Soldiers from the 29th took part in the massive invasion of Normandy, France, that began the morning of June 6, 1944, to be known forever as "D-Day." More than 800 members of the 116th Infantry were killed, wounded or missing during the assault on Omaha Beach, but their courage and bravery helped create a foothold that allowed follow on forces to continue the assault. Two days after D-Day, Tech. Sgt. Frank Peregory of Company K, 116th Infantry from Charlottesville, became the second Virginia Guardsman to earn the Medal of Honor when he single-handedly killed or captured 30 enemy soldiers defending a trench line. More recently, Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen served during Operation Desert Storm, and since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, more than 15,000 Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen have served on federal active duty in support of Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Soldiers and Airmen helped maintain security in the United States and further the cause of freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as serving in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Kosovo. Ten Virginia Soldiers have lost their lives to hostile enemy contact during the Global War on Terror. In the last 14 years, more than 7,300 Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen have responded to numerous floods, hurricanes, snow storms and other natural disasters to support state and local authorities provide assistance to citizens of the Commonwealth as well as citizens in neighboring states in their time of need.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 New York National Guard Headquarters Staff Marks Memorial Day
 By Eric Durr,
  Tennessee Guard, Local Partners Practice Disaster Response
 By Capt. Kealy Moriarty,
  Oregon National Guard Honors Decorated Vietnam Veteran
 By John Hughel,
  More
 New York National Guard Headquarters Staff Marks Memorial Day Guard News • 7 hours ago
 Tennessee Guard, Local Partners Practice Disaster Response Guard News • 7 hours ago
 Air Guard Units Test Readiness at Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Tennessee National Guard Rescues Hiker in Smoky Mountains Guard News • yesterday
 10th Homeland Response Force Conducts Collective Training Guard News • 2 days ago
 2024 (158)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil