The Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) was federally recognized on October 19, 1973 in a ceremony officiated by Major General
La Vern E. Weber, Director of the
United States Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
. Major Leayle Galiber was appointed acting Adjutant General and took command of the first two units to be activated, a Headquarters Detachment and the 661st Military Police Company both on St. Croix.
The U.S.
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas Vírgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Cro ...
National Guard consists of the:
*Virgin Islands Army National Guard
**661st Military Police Company
*
Virgin Islands Air National Guard
**
285th Civil Engineering Squadron
History
The Virgin Islands National Guard was federally recognized on October 19, 1973 and has largely engaged in disaster response and relief. Its first foreign deployment was when it was deployed for
Operation Joint Endeavor
The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''.
Background
NAT ...
in 1995 and has since been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Haiti, and Cuba.
Decorations
The Virgin Islands National Guard has authorized several state decorations for wear by its personnel, including:
[http://www.vi.ngb.army.mil/html/state_awards.html]
*Virgin Islands Distinguished Service Medal (VIDSM)
*Virgin Islands Meritorious Service Medal (VIMSM)
*Virgin Islands Commendation Medal (VICOM)
*Virgin Islands Long and Faithful Service Medal (VILFSM)
*Virgin Islands Emergency Service Ribbon (VIESR)
References
National Guard (United States)
Military in the United States Virgin Islands
1973 establishments in the United States Virgin Islands
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