SANDSTON (WSLS 10) - The Virginia National Guard is staging another 50 Soldiers from the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at readiness centers in Staunton, Sandston, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Danville in anticipation of another round of winter weather Wednesday night.Â
The Soldiers will join almost 35 Soldiers on duty in Wise and Lee counties, as well as Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on duty in Sandston, Richmond and Fort Pickett providing mission command and logistical support for the Guard's operations.
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Expected missions for the Guard in these locations include using Humvees and light/medium tactical vehicles to provide transportation to reach areas where heavy snow has blocked roads. The 4×4 light medium tactical vehicle, or LMTV, has a 2.5-ton capacity and the 6×6 medium tactical vehicle, or MTV, has a 5-ton capacity.
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assisted the Wise County Sheriff's Office with five medical and safety evacuations since coming on state active duty Feb. 22, with three of those evacuations saving the patients' lives. Soldiers from the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion also continue to assist with delivering food, water and medicine to locations throughout the county.
Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Feb. 16 and authorized up to 300 Virginia National Guard personnel could be brought on state active duty for possible response operations, and more than 125 personnel were staged and ready at locations across the commonwealth by that evening.
McAuliffe also authorized aviators from the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment to deliver food, mail and medical supplies Feb. 16 to residents of Tangier Island. The 1.2 square mile island, located in the Chesapeake Bay, had been unable to receive routine seaport deliveries due to icy conditions.