VDF supports TS Debby response

10/August/24 Lt. Col. (Va.) A. A. Puryear

RICHMOND, Va. — Members of the Virginia Defense Force provided logistics distribution, administrative, operations center augmentation and communications support to Virginia National Guard Soldiers preparing for possible severe weather response operations related to Tropical Storm Debby Aug. 7-10, 2024, in Richmond, Lynchburg and Danville, Virginia.

The VNG staged Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high water transportation at VNG facilities in Lynchburg, Danville and Petersburg, and the personnel were ready to conduct missions Thursday morning. With no requests from localities for assistance, VNG and VDF troops transitioned to routine operations late in the day Aug. 9, and select VDF personnel remained on duty through Aug. 10 to collect all distributed supplies and equipment.

“I am incredibly proud of the work the VDF accomplished,” said Brig. Gen. (Va.) Rich Diddams, commander of the VDF. “Our troops stood shoulder to shoulder with the Virginia National Guard team ensuring Virginians had the resources needed for any event. The work by our men and women in uniform is a testimony to the ‘Virginians serving Virginia’ motto of the VDF.”

Diddams was on duty at the VNG Joint Operations Center in Richmond to help monitor VDF operations as well as provide additional tactical insight for the overall mission.

VDF personnel were organized in logistics distribution teams and delivered food, water, radios, chain saws and protective equipment to VNG Soldiers at their staging locations. VDF teams ran a total of 14 missions and safely travelled nearly 1,900 miles.

“The shifting track of the storm required shifting staging locations quickly, and without the fast and hard work of the VDF, we would not have been able to meet the requested needs,” said Mr. Jason Burrow, the VNG deputy J3 joint operations officer and emergency manager. “On time, on target, and the positive attitudes were appreciated. I know the overall logistics effort would never have been successful without them.”

In addition to logistics support, VDF personnel in-processed dozens of Soldiers in the VNG’s Emergency Response Management System used for pay and expense reimbursement. VDF personnel also monitored the Statewide Agencies Radio System console at the Virginia National Guard Joint Operations Center in Richmond and assisted Virginia Department of Military Affairs personnel with operational tracking in the VNG’s Emergency Support Function 16 cell at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center in Richmond. The VDF also provided public information support capturing photos, responding to media queries and monitoring and updating social media.