about national guard historical foundation
We are much more than just a Historical Foundation and a Museum; We are the story of America from before the landing at Jamestown to the current day. We are an honest, sharing broker of knowledge, service, and patriotism for all Virginians and all Americans.
116th Infantry flag. The original World War One colors of the 116th Infantry Regiment; preserving and protecting this and other similar historic artifacts of Virginia’s service in the Great War is one of the Foundation’s goals.
The stained glass window in a chapel at Fort Pickett; dedicated to the memory of Chaplain Thomas M. Bulla of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry. Bulla was killed in action in the Meuse-Argonne while rescuing wounded soldiers of his unit.
VISION
- The VANG HF’s historical and educational vision is to preserve and promote Virginia’s military history through the development of meaningful education programs, museum exhibits, and participation in appropriate events that further the understanding of the past, clarify the present, and provide vision for the future.
MISSION
- Build the Museum of the Virginia National Guard (MVANG). Operate and sustain the Museum. (Hot link jump to Museum page)
- Endow our Soldier and Airman Foundation. Helping our troops…helping our families!
- Reinvigorate our Associations to provide Professional Development & Alumni services. Provide premier Alumni services…for life!
- Recover, restore, and preserve historical artifacts of the VANG and Virginia’s military history.
- Provide a world-class research capability.
- Develop a Research and Archives Center. This will include the Museum’s library and the VNG historical records file.
- Produce finished historical products such as scholarly publications, lineage and honors certificates, and information papers.
- Serve as a repository for historical correspondence, information papers, authority publications, and circulars that not only document the evolution of the Army, but the evolution of policy, doctrine, force structure, and military education as well.
- Serve as the repository for and coordinator of educational and historical programs. This will support Virginia National Guard’s professional development initiatives.
BENEFITS
- Free newsletter
- Museum update
- Notification of upcoming events
Foundation Board
Timothy Williams, Chairman
Major General Tim Williams was sworn in as the 28th Adjutant General of Virginia on June 1, 2014. As Adjutant General he was responsible for the combat readiness of units, and the administration and training of more than 9,000 Virginia Army and Air National Guard personnel.
General Williams earned his commission as a Field Artillery Officer from Virginia Tech in 1985 and served on active duty for five years prior to joining the Virginia Army National Guard. He commanded at the field artillery battery and battalion level before transferring to the logistics corps and commanding the 329th Regional Support Group in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
General Williams retired from the Army in July 2023 after more than 38 years of service that included 9 years as the Adjutant General. In August 2023 General Williams was asked to serve as the primary advisor to the Chief of NGB for Intergovernmental Affairs and continues in that role.
Most importantly, General Williams is married to his college sweetheart, Cheryl, for 38 years. They have three wonderful children as well as two daughters-in-law and son-in-law, and three grandchildren!
Alexander F. Barnes, Vice Chairman
Education
State University of New York, Binghamton, NY 1983
Master of Arts – Anthropology (Archeology)
Master’s Thesis: University of Binghamton Press: Research Methodology and Analysis Model for Civil War Camp Sites. 1982
State University of New York, Cortland, NY 1980
Bachelor of Arts – Anthropology, Magna Cum Laude
Minors – History, Art History
Professional Experience
- Enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1974. Served in a variety of assignments including duty with the Marine Support Battalion in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and with 2nd Radio Battalion in the Fleet Marine Force.
- Served in the New York and Virginia Army National Guard. Retired as CW4 in 2004 with thirty years of active duty and reserve component military service. MOS’s, 11B60, 11H60, 76P60, and 92A (Warrant Officer)
- Served as professional archeologist with the Public Archeology Facility, Binghamton NY, 1980 – 1982.
- From 1985 to 2015 employed as a Department of the Army civilian in a variety of positions while serving in Germany, the Netherlands, England, Korea, Japan, and Okinawa. Deployed to Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kuwait in support of Army operations.
- Since January 2016 serving as the Command Historian for the Virginia National Guard.
He has authored or co-authored nine U.S. military history books including “In a Strange land: The American Occupation of Germany 1918-1923”, the 2018 Foreword INDIES Gold Award Winner “Forgotten Soldiers of WWI: America’s Immigrant Doughboys”, “To Hell with the Kaiser: America Prepares for War 1916-1918”, and “Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces.”
His military history articles have been published in Infantry Magazine, Army History Magazine, Marine Corps History, National Defense Transportation Journal, Army Logistician Magazine, Army Sustainment Magazine, Military Images, and Military Trader Magazine.
He is married to Michele A. Barnes who retired from teaching in 2020. Together they have three children and eight grandchildren. He is currently serving as the Command Historian for the Virginia National Guard.
COL(Ret) Todd Combee, Secretary
Todd is the Director/Endorser for Baptist Chaplaincy Relations, Baptist General Convention of Texas. He has served in this position since May 2023; having previously served as Associate Endorser, Director of Pastoral Care for BCR. I served as Pastor of New Bethesda Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia for 18 years, retiring after 36 years in local church ministry in October 2020. His military career included service in all three components of the United States Army, primarily serving in as an Army National Guard and Army Reserve Chaplain, retiring as a Colonel in 2014, after 34 years.
Todd, and his wife, Susan, have been married since 1982 and reside in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Susan is the Executive Director of the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center in Richmond, VA. She retired as a school administrator from the Hanover County School System in 2018. They have two grown sons and three grandchildren, with two more on the way!
MSG (Ret) Richey “Craig" Jewell, Board Member
Married: 25 August 1973
Spouse: Pamela Q. Jewell
Daughter: Allison R. Jewell
Virginia Air National Guard 1970-1976 / Virginia Army National Guard 1976-2012
Virginia National Guard Tech 1977-2012
Hometown: Ashland, Virginia
Civilian & Military Jobs:
Southern States Cooperative: Offset Press Operator
Legislative Services: Mail Room – Offset Press Operator
Department of Military Affairs – USPFO for Virginia, Mail Room – Offset Press Operator
USPFO Stock Records Clerk
Supply Sergeant HHD VAARNG
PBO NCO HQ STARC VAARNG
CMD Logistics Equipment Loans
HQ TRP Command VAARNG S3 Section
USPFO for Virginia CIF Manager
Education: Civilian & Military
Patrick Henry High School Class of 1970
John Tyler Community College Computer Class 101
USA FT LEE COOK SCHOOL
USASSC SP POSTAL PERS
VA NCO ACAD SNCOC-RC
USAQMS OSMS FACIL TNG
USAQMS UNIT SUP SPEC
USATC BATTLE SKILLS CRS
USATC NCOA PLDC-RC
AIPD UNIT SUPPLY 92Y
197TH WEST VA ANTI-TRM/FRCPII
FEDERAL AWARDS:
CHIEF OF STAFF ARMY SUPPLY EXCELLENCE AWARD
ARMY-SVC-RBN / NTL-DEF-SVC-MDL
AAM-(1) / MSM (2) / NCO-PROF-DEV-RBN (3)
HUM-SVC-MDL (1) / VA FLD RLF (NOC 85)
ARMED-FCS-RES-MDL (1SR AWD 860430) (2ND AWD 960430)
AR-COMP-ACHVMT (7) / ARCM (2)
STATE MILITARY AWARDS:
VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD COMMENDATION MEDAL (2)
VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD BRONZE STAR MEDAL (1)
Jeffery Ryan, Board Member
General Ryan was commissioned as a Distinguished Air Force Graduate in 1995 from the Virginia Military Institute. He served 4 years on active duty as an Aircraft and Munitions Maintenance Officer stationed at Moody AFB, Georgia. He subsequently transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 2000 and joined the Virginia Air National Guard in 2002. His career culminated with serving as the Air Component Commander and Chief of Staff for the Virginia Air National Guard where he was responsible for leading more than 1,300 airmen to train and execute defense and support for F-22 air dominance, worldwide intelligence operations, aviation weather support, cyber protection, global supply chain management, RED HORSE operations, medical readiness, CERFP and base operating services missions. General Ryan’s service includes deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Southern Watch, and the Global War on Terrorism.
General Ryan is a career public servant and has held various positions at the local, state, and federal level. He started his career in state government at the Department of Planning and Budget where he was responsible for supporting the Governor’s budget for several Health and Human Resources agencies. He subsequently served in the City Manager’s Office in the City of Suffolk where he managed criminal justice grants and served on various boards and commissions to include Hampton Roads Transit and the Community Policy and Management Team before returning to state government where he was ultimately promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Finance at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles before moving to the Virginia Employment Commission where he currently serves as Chief Deputy Commissioner.
General Ryan received his B.A. in International Studies and Modern Languages from the Virginia Military Institute, and his M.P.A. from Valdosta State University. He is a graduate of the Weldon Cooper Center’s LEAD program for local government leaders, and the Virginia Executive Institute for state leaders. He is married to Patricia Ryan, M.D. and they reside in Richmond with their son.
Lt Col Daniel “Bud” Oakey, Board Member
Lt Col Daniel “Bud” Oakey is the Commander of VA999, the Virginia Legislative Squadron. Lt Col Oakey holds numerous responsibilities including government relations advisor to the Wing Commander. Lt Col Oakey is an instrument rated pilot and flies numerous sorties for CAP including cadet and AFJROTC Orientation rides introducing young Virginians to flight.
As Commander for VA999 Lt Col Oakey is responsible for the coordination of Virginia Wing relationships with 140 Members of the Virginia General Assembly, The Office of the Governor, and the Virginia National Guard and other agencies of state and local government. Lt Col Oakey serves as the liaison to the Virginia Legislative Veteran and Military Affairs Caucus, and the Virginia Aviation and Aerospace Caucus.
Lt Col Oakey, a Master Aerospace Education Officer, is actively engaged in introducing CAP Aerospace Education programs to K-12 institutions throughout Virginia. In this capacity Lt Col Oakey works to promote CAP STEM Education programs directed toward the aviation community within Virginia public school systems.
Lt Col Oakey is engaged in numerous civic and non-profit activities including active involvement in his alma-mater Riverside Military Academy, Gainesville Georgia, the development of the National Museum of the United States Army, Ft Belvoir, Virginia, and more recently the Virginia National Guard Museum. Professionally, Lt Col Oakey is the founder and Chair of Advantus Strategies, a twenty-six-year-old Virginia based government affairs firm serving many business, government and public education institutions before the Virginia General Assembly and the Office of the Governor. Lt Col Oakey serves as the President of the Virginia Aviation Business Association. During his career Lt Col Oakey has served under numerous Governors of Virginia in numerous capacities including as a member of the Boards for Roanoke Valley Higher Education Center, Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Virginia Aviation Board. Lt Col Oakey has represented business interests before the Virginia General Assembly since 1989 and is an appointed member of numerous Advisory Committees of the Joint Commission on Science and Technology, provides staff support to the Virginia General Assembly Aviation and Aerospace Caucus.
Lt Col Oakey is a 2018 and 2024 recipient of the USAF Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol Meritorious Service Award; 2019 and 2024 Wing recipient, and 2024 Mid-Atlantic Region recipient of the George Texido Legislative Officer of the Year Award; and a 2020 recipient of the Region Commander’s Commendation Award, and 2020 recipient of the Crisis Service Award.
Growing up in an Army family, Lt Col Oakey is a native of Roanoke, and attended Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, and Purdue University Calumet. He has two grown daughters and two grandchildren.
Major General Michelle M. Rose, Board Member
Major General Michelle M. Rose assumed duties as Assistant Deputy Commanding General for National Guard Affairs, U.S. Army Materiel Command, on 1 August 2022.
In her last assignment, Major General Rose served 3 years as the Director of Logistics and Engineering, J4, Headquarters, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. She was responsible for integrating, collaborating, and executing strategic logistics capabilities to provide viable solutions to homeland defense, arctic operations, theater security cooperation, and providing rapid/flexible response to civil authorities.
Previous strategic assignments include Director of Logistics (J-4), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia; Chief, National Guard Bureau General Officer Management (GOMO), Washington, DC; J5, Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, JFHQ-VA, Sandston, Virginia; Senior Strategic Planner, HQDA/G8, National Commission on Future of The Army (NCFA), Washington, DC; and J8, Resource Director, JFHQ-VA, Sandston, Virginia.
Major General Rose has held various command and logistics leadership roles such as Commander, 329th Regional Support Group, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Commander, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Virginia Beach, Virginia, including a deployment in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Shindand, Afghanistan; Senior Transportation Officer, Joint Task Force – Civil Support (JTF-CS); Division Transportation Officer, 29th Infantry Division, Ft. Belvior; and deployed in support of both OPERATIONS RESTORE HOPE and DESERT SHIELD/STORM. On the civilian side, MG Rose works as a DA Civilian for TRADOC as a System Safety Engineer. Major General Rose is a 1989 distinguished military graduate from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. She earned Master’s Degrees in Business Administration from Hampton University and in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. Her military education includes: United States Army War College, Army Strategic Education Program – Basic (ASEP-B) and Advanced (ASEP-A), Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS), AWC Senior Leader Seminar (SLS), General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar (Harvard University), National Security Studies Management Course (Syracuse University), Defense Acquisition University Senior Acquisition Management Course (ACQ-404).
Major General Roses’ awards include: The Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and Commanders Award for Civilian Service.
Major General James W. Ring, Board Member
Adjutant General Virginia National Guard Major General James W. Ring serves as the Commanding General of the Virginia Army and Air National Guard, heads the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, and serves as the senior military advisor to the Governor of Virginia. He is responsible for providing the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America with a ready force of more than 8,000 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen, equipped and trained to deploy globally as the combat reserve of the United States Army and the United States Air Force, and ready to perform emergency response operations under state and federal authorities.
Major General Ring is a native of Virginia and was commissioned a Distinguished Military Graduate from Virginia Military Institute in 1988. Major General Ring’s military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight School, Aviation Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Service Staff School, Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. His aircraft qualifications include the C-12, UH-1, OH-58, UH-60, and the UH-72. Major General Ring is qualified as a Master Army Aviator, Aviation Safety Officer, Instrument Flight Examiner and UH-60 Instructor Pilot. He possesses over 2,900 fixed and rotary wing flight hours; to include over 400 rated hours in combat and imminent danger. Major General Ring holds a Master’s degree from the Command and General Staff College in Military Arts and Science, and a Master’s degree from the U.S. Army War College in Strategic Studies. He holds a certificate in executive education from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government in Homeland Security and is a Syracuse University National Security Fellow.
His command experience includes: Commander, B Company, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; Commander, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; Commander, Army Aviation Support Facility, Sandston, VA; Commander, Operational Support Airlift Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA; Commander, Joint Task Force – Virginia, to include Dual Status Commander service during COVID-19 Response.
Additional assignments include: Platoon Leader, C Company, 1st Battalion 183rd Infantry Regiment; Platoon Leader, A Company, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; Platoon Leader, B Company, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; S-1, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; Assistant S-3, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment; Task Force S-3, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment where he deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation JOINT FORGE; Aviation Safety Officer, JFHQ – VA;
Battalion Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion (ASSAULT), 224th Aviation Regiment where he deployed to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM; J7, Director of Joint Training and Exercises, JFHQ-VA; State Army Aviation Officer, Virginia National Guard; J3, Director of Operations, JFHQ-VA; Chief of Staff, Virginia Army National Guard; Director of the Joint Staff, JFHQ-VA, Virginia National Guard: Assistant Adjutant General, JFHQ-VA
Major General Ring’s Awards and Decorations include the Legion of Merit (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with three bronze oak leaf clusters), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 3 bronze oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Navy Unit Commendation, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with silver oak leaf cluster), National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (with two bronze stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with silver hour glass device and mobilization device with numeral two), NATO Medal, Maryland Commendation Medal, Master Aviator Badge, Air Assault Badge.
Major General Ring has participated in multiple peacetime and combat deployments including: Operation JOINT FORGE, Operation NEW HORIZONS, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, and Operation JUMP START along the U.S. South West border.
Major General Ring is married to Leigh Anne Ring of Richmond, VA and they have two grown children, Caroline and Joshua.
Meet The FoG
Some of the Friends of the Guard (FoG) take a break and pose in front of an Up-Armored HUMMV they are restoring. When completed, the vehicle will receive TAC-Markings for a VANG unit in the Global War on Terrorism.
“It’s important to preserve and display these pieces of Virginia’s military past because they have come to symbolize much more than just large pieces of iron and steel. Our Vietnam vets love to bring their families and friends to see the M42 Duster and UH-1 Huey helicopter because it gives them a chance to talk about their service.” Al Barnes VANG HF Vice-Chairman
The M42 40 mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, or “Duster,” is a tracked vehicle built for the U. S. Army from 1952 until December 1960, and in service until 1988. Seen here in April 2019
The same “Duster” after preservation and restoration by the FoG and on display at the JFHQ in June 2021.
An M84 Mortar Carrier, derivative of the M59 Armored Personnel Carrier, as seen in June 2021.
The same M84 Mortar Carrier after preservation by the FoG in December 2021. Restoration to original appearance will begin in May 2022.
The Historic Foundation’s Volunteer Group: The Friends of the Guard (FoG)
What is the FoG?
One of the more interesting parts of the Historic Foundation is the unique service organization known as the FoG. The acronym is short for “Friends of the Guard,” a name given by Maj. Gen. Williams to the volunteers who refurbish historical macro artifacts for the VANG HF. It started simply enough as two veterans MSG(Ret) Craig Jewell and COL(Ret) James Ebertowski volunteered to work on a badly rusted 1955-dated M42 Duster that had been brought to the JF HQ for display. In time they reached out to other retired veterans in the area who joined them.
The Duster, a self-propelled, open turret anti-aircraft gun, was obtained through the efforts of Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Al Barnes, the Virginia National Guard command historian. The FoG met once a week for more than a year to scrape off the rust and then sand and paint the Duster to get it ready for display. In the meantime, other macro artifacts including a 1942 dated Bofors 40mm Anti-Aircraft Gun, a 155mm Howitzer, a 120mm Soviet mortar, a 1919 French 75mm cannon, a WWII pack howitzer, an M4A3E8 Sherman Tank, an M-84 Armored Mortar Carrier and a WWII DUKW Amphibious vehicle arrived at the Headquarters and took their place on the display pads to the south of the building.
The FoG efforts to preserve these pieces of VANG history has been invaluable. Also refurbished by the group are the M41 Bulldog Tank and the 3 and ½ ton Service Elevator Pulley from the Twin Towers on display in front of the Headquarters have been restored and preserved by the volunteers. One of the next items is the UH-1 Huey which will be mounted above the brick wall sign in front of the Headquarters.
Now numbering 10 members in their group, the FoG donated 1023 hours of volunteer work in 2021. Together they have almost 300 years of combined military service. They include two former Ordnance Corps colonels, a Transportation Corps colonel, a Medical Service Corps colonel, an Aviation major, a combat engineer NCO, a military intelligence NCO, a Navy chief warrant officer 4, an Army command sergeant major and an Army master sergeant. The group includes two Vietnam veterans, three Desert Storm veterans and an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. They also include three Defense Language Institute graduates and three former Combined Army Support Command Directors.
Another preservation and restoration project by the volunteers, a 75mm pack howitzer is seen here receiving its final paint job before display in the lobby of the JFHQ.
Shortly after its arrival at the JFHQ and placement on a display pad, the M84 Mortar Carrier starts to get a good cleaning and preservation begins.
FOG PROJECTS YEARS IN REVIEW
FOG 2019 Projects
FOG 2020 Projects
FOG 2021 Projects
FOG 2022 Projects