VDF supports WWII commemoration event in Richmond

A members of the Virginia Defense Force assists a veteran at the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission Tribute to Veterans Dec. 8, 2016, in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

RICHMOND, Va. — Members of the Virginia Defense Force volunteered their time to support University of Richmond Police with traffic control and assisting veterans at the Virginia World War II 75th Anniversary Commemoration Tribute to Veterans Dec. 8, 2016, in Richmond, Virginia.

“We wouldn’t have been able to make this all happen the way that it has without the help of the VDF,” said Lt. Eric Beatty of the University of Richmond Police Department. “It has been extremely smooth, and they really helped us out today. Working with them has been a great experience, and everything was well coordinated.”

The VDF is Virginia’s all-volunteer reserve force authorized by the Code of Virginia and reporting to the Adjutant General of Virginia. Members of the VDF volunteer their time for training and community support and are only paid when called to state active duty by an authorization from the Governor of Virginia. They also volunteer their time to assist in their communities with traffic control, parking assistance and other support.

The VDF is organized into four regiments: 1st Regiment based in Richmond and covering the Petersburg and Hampton Roads area, 2nd Regiment based in Manassas and covering the Northern Virginia area, 3rd Regiment based in Winchester and running through the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia area and 4th Regiment based in Lynchburg and covering through Roanoke into Southwest Virginia.

VDF members bring a wide variety of public safety, military and civilian skills to mission sets including access control, interoperable communications support, operations center augmentation, resource management, operational planning, incident management assistance and public information.

In addition to their support to the Virginia National Guard, the VDF is actively engaged in supporting their local communities and have provided assistance to city and county law enforcement and emergency response organizations to help make sure large scale events run smoothly and safely.

In the last year, members of the VDF volunteered their time in their communities with activities like assisting with parking at the Virginia War Memorial during Veterans Day and Memorial Day, assisting law enforcement with access control at the Winchester Apple Blossom Festival and Lynchburg Air Show and providing a color guard for a festival in the Hampton Roads area.

Read more about the VDF at http://go.usa.gov/x8VYE.