2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Archive

  • WASHINGTON – During an official ceremony at Fort McNair April 25, the National War College dedicated one of its classrooms to an alumnus and former Virginia National Guardsman killed in Iraq in 2007. Col. Paul M. Kelly, a 2004 graduate of the National War College, died in a helicopter crash in Baghdad on Jan. 20, 2007. Commissioned in 1982 through the University of Dayton (Ohio) Army ROTC, he served as an engineer officer in the Ohio National Guard and later as an aviation officer in the South Carolina National Guard and National Guard Bureau before taking command of the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, Virginia National Guard, an assignment that included a tour in Bosnia-Herzegovina as the Aviation Task...

    National War College dedicates classroom to Virginia Guardsman

    Posted on April 29, 2013 | No Comments
    WASHINGTON – During an official ceremony at Fort McNair April 25, the National War College dedicated one of its classrooms to an alumnus and former Virginia National Guardsman killed in Iraq in 2007. Col. Paul M. Kelly, a 2004 graduate of the National War College, died in a helicopter crash in Baghdad on Jan. 20, 2007. Commissioned in 1982 through the University of Dayton (Ohio) Army ROTC, he served as an engineer officer in the Ohio National Guard and later as an aviation officer in the South Carolina National Guard and National Guard Bureau before taking command of the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, Virginia National Guard, an assignment that included a tour in Bosnia-Herzegovina as the Aviation Task...

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  • SANDSTON, Va. – After supporting the Texas National Guard by providing aerial reconnaissance support to deter illegal immigration along the Southwest Border, the final Virginia National Guard air crew, comprised of both pilots and maintainers, returned to Virginia Dec. 6, 2012. Seventeen Soldiers from the Sandston-based Detachment 1, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment served 30-60 day rotations along the Texas border in support of Customs and Border Patrol agents, beginning Aug. 27 when the first crew headed for Texas aboard one of the Virginia Guard’s UH-72 Lakota helicopters. During their time along the Southwest Border, Virginia Guard Soldiers were directly involved in the apprehension of more that 1,800 illegal immigrants, to include human traffickers and narcotics smugglers. They...

    Last Virginia Guard air crew returns from Southwest Border mission

    Posted on December 11, 2012 | No Comments
    SANDSTON, Va. – After supporting the Texas National Guard by providing aerial reconnaissance support to deter illegal immigration along the Southwest Border, the final Virginia National Guard air crew, comprised of both pilots and maintainers, returned to Virginia Dec. 6, 2012. Seventeen Soldiers from the Sandston-based Detachment 1, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment served 30-60 day rotations along the Texas border in support of Customs and Border Patrol agents, beginning Aug. 27 when the first crew headed for Texas aboard one of the Virginia Guard’s UH-72 Lakota helicopters. During their time along the Southwest Border, Virginia Guard Soldiers were directly involved in the apprehension of more that 1,800 illegal immigrants, to include human traffickers and narcotics smugglers. They...

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  • RICHMOND, Va. — Soldiers from Company E, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment supporting the Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Program helped Richmond Drug Enforcement Administration agents load approximately 14,000 pounds of unwanted and expired prescription drugs into Virginia Guard FMTVs Oct. 12 before hauling the drugs north for destruction at a Northern Virginia incinerator. “Our mission today is to support the DEA in their Drug Take Back mission and our support role here is to be transporters of the pharmaceuticals they collected and haul them to the incinerator,” explained Master Sgt. Brian Wright, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the Counterdrug Task Force. The drugs were collected from sites throughout Virginia by local law enforcement agencies, and then transported to the centrally located DEA...

    Virginia Guard assists DEA in drug destruction

    Posted on October 16, 2012 | No Comments
    RICHMOND, Va. — Soldiers from Company E, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment supporting the Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Program helped Richmond Drug Enforcement Administration agents load approximately 14,000 pounds of unwanted and expired prescription drugs into Virginia Guard FMTVs Oct. 12 before hauling the drugs north for destruction at a Northern Virginia incinerator. “Our mission today is to support the DEA in their Drug Take Back mission and our support role here is to be transporters of the pharmaceuticals they collected and haul them to the incinerator,” explained Master Sgt. Brian Wright, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the Counterdrug Task Force. The drugs were collected from sites throughout Virginia by local law enforcement agencies, and then transported to the centrally located DEA...

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  • FORT LEE, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter provided aviation support to students conducting sling load operations training Sept. 28 at Fort Lee, Va. The students are assigned to the U.S. Army Ordnance School training to be ammunition specialists. In addition to providing realistic training to the students, the sling load training also gave Virginia Guard aviators and crew members the opportunity to work on their own skills and gain valuable flight training time. “It’s a great way for new pilots like myself to be able to get all our tasks signed off,” explained 1st Lt. William Bush of the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment. “Today I’m going to get evaluated on sling load...

    Sling load operations provide valuable training to Virginia Guard aviators, Fort Lee students

    Posted on September 29, 2012 | No Comments
    FORT LEE, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter provided aviation support to students conducting sling load operations training Sept. 28 at Fort Lee, Va. The students are assigned to the U.S. Army Ordnance School training to be ammunition specialists. In addition to providing realistic training to the students, the sling load training also gave Virginia Guard aviators and crew members the opportunity to work on their own skills and gain valuable flight training time. “It’s a great way for new pilots like myself to be able to get all our tasks signed off,” explained 1st Lt. William Bush of the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment. “Today I’m going to get evaluated on sling load...

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  • SANDSTON, Va. — A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Virginia Army National Guard’s Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command made a precautionary landing in the early afternoon Aug. 30 in Hanover County because of an equipment issue. The helicopter landed safely under its own power, and crew of three Soldiers are all fine. A maintenance crew is on site to evaluate the helicopter and make the necessary repairs so it can return to Sandston. The crew was conducting a routine training flight. Helicopter crews receive extensive training on the procedures to take if an equipment issue occurs, and the crew took the appropriate actions for the situation. The helicopter was ground transported back to the Army Aviation Support...

    Virginia Army National Guard helicopter makes precautionary landing in Hanover County

    Posted on August 30, 2012 | No Comments
    SANDSTON, Va. — A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Virginia Army National Guard’s Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command made a precautionary landing in the early afternoon Aug. 30 in Hanover County because of an equipment issue. The helicopter landed safely under its own power, and crew of three Soldiers are all fine. A maintenance crew is on site to evaluate the helicopter and make the necessary repairs so it can return to Sandston. The crew was conducting a routine training flight. Helicopter crews receive extensive training on the procedures to take if an equipment issue occurs, and the crew took the appropriate actions for the situation. The helicopter was ground transported back to the Army Aviation Support...

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  • SANDSTON, Va. — Aviators and Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment welcomed new commander Lt. Col. Perry Jones and bid farewell to outgoing commander Lt. Col. Neal Edmonds in a change of command ceremony held June 10 at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Va. “From ancient times, armies throughout the world have conducted ceremonies to commemorate victory over the enemy, to honor comrades in arms, to celebrate special occasions and to honor their dead,” said Maj. Carl Engstrom, master of ceremony for the event, as he explained the significance and tradition of military ceremonies. “The presence of the battalion colors at the center of the formation represents their importance of being at the forefront of the unit during the heat of battle.” In a symbolic transfer of command authority, battalion...

    Sandston-based aviation battalion welcomes new commander

    Posted on June 12, 2012 | No Comments
    SANDSTON, Va. — Aviators and Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment welcomed new commander Lt. Col. Perry Jones and bid farewell to outgoing commander Lt. Col. Neal Edmonds in a change of command ceremony held June 10 at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Va. “From ancient times, armies throughout the world have conducted ceremonies to commemorate victory over the enemy, to honor comrades in arms, to celebrate special occasions and to honor their dead,” said Maj. Carl Engstrom, master of ceremony for the event, as he explained the significance and tradition of military ceremonies. “The presence of the battalion colors at the center of the formation represents their importance of being at the forefront of the unit during the heat of battle.” In a symbolic transfer of command authority, battalion...

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  • RICHMOND, Va. — Approximately 300 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command, also known as Task Force Punisher, along with family, friends and employers, gathered at the Richmond Convention Center May 20 to conduct a Freedom Salute in honor of their service in Iraq. Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Marla Graff Decker joined Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, in thanking the Soldiers for their service and also presented a certificate of recognition signed by Gov. Bob. McDonnell. “On behalf of Governor McDonnell and the entire McDonnell administration, thank you for your service,” Decker said. “Thank you for what you do, thank you for what you...

    Task Force Punisher Soldiers gather for Freedom Salute honoring service in Iraq

    Posted on May 24, 2012 | No Comments
    RICHMOND, Va. — Approximately 300 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command, also known as Task Force Punisher, along with family, friends and employers, gathered at the Richmond Convention Center May 20 to conduct a Freedom Salute in honor of their service in Iraq. Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Marla Graff Decker joined Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, in thanking the Soldiers for their service and also presented a certificate of recognition signed by Gov. Bob. McDonnell. “On behalf of Governor McDonnell and the entire McDonnell administration, thank you for your service,” Decker said. “Thank you for what you do, thank you for what you...

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  • SAVANNAH, Ga. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen provided weather forecasting and fixed wing and rotary aviation support for Global Guardian 2012, a joint Army and Air Force exercise held at the Georgia National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah. More than 1,300 personnel from 20 different states including flying units, medical units and support units as well as members of the Royal Netherland Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force participated in the exercise that began Feb. 13 and concludes Feb. 24. Units from the active and reserve Air Force and Army as well as Army and Air National Guard took part in the exercise designed to prepare units to deploy, conduct direct and indirect combat operations...

    Virginia Soldiers, Airmen participate in Global Guardian exercise

    Posted on February 24, 2012 | No Comments
    SAVANNAH, Ga. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen provided weather forecasting and fixed wing and rotary aviation support for Global Guardian 2012, a joint Army and Air Force exercise held at the Georgia National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah. More than 1,300 personnel from 20 different states including flying units, medical units and support units as well as members of the Royal Netherland Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force participated in the exercise that began Feb. 13 and concludes Feb. 24. Units from the active and reserve Air Force and Army as well as Army and Air National Guard took part in the exercise designed to prepare units to deploy, conduct direct and indirect combat operations...

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