The first group of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to Task Force Red Dragon returns to Virginia and reunites with loved ones and fellow Soldiers Sept. 22, 2022, in Sandston, Virginia, after serving on federal active duty since November 2021. More than 1,000 Virginia and Kentucky National Guard troops under the command of the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted security operations throughout the Horn of Africa and provided the East Africa Response Force in support of the government for crisis response throughout Eas

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The first group of Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to Task Force Red Dragon returns to Virginia and reunites with loved ones and fellow Soldiers Sept. 22, 2022, in Sandston, Virginia, after serving on federal active duty since November 2021. More than 1,000 Virginia and Kentucky National Guard troops under the command of the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted security operations throughout the Horn of Africa and provided the East Africa Response Force in support of the government for crisis response throughout East Africa. A transfer of authority ceremony with the New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment was conducted Sept. 19. More Soldiers will return to Virginia in the coming weeks after completing administrative tasks transitioning them back to a traditional National Guard status, but an exact date for their return has not been finalized.

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Keywords: army, guard, military, national, soldier, virginia