VaARNG recruiting battalion tops annual mission
The Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion marked a milestone Aug. 20, 2025, when it surpassed its National Guard Bureau mission of 851 enlistments in what has been an exceptional recruiting year. With weeks still remaining before the Sept. 30 end of the recruiting year, the battalion’s recruiters have continued to build on that success, adding dozens more enlistments.
“This remarkable achievement, the first time since 2014 that we have surpassed our accession goal, is a testament to your collective dedication and hard work,” said Lt. Col. Eric Johnson, commander of the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, to the battalion in an email sent to mark the milestone.
Virginia’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion is organized into two companies: Alpha Company, which covers the western side of the state, and Charlie Company, which covers the east. Recruiters are assigned to specific areas, each with its own challenges and opportunities. Recruiting in Virginia Beach beneath the roar of fighter jets, for example, looks very different than in rural communities like Abingdon or Gate City.
Col. James C. Shaver, the Virginia National Guard’s G1 deputy chief of staff for personnel, addresses 22 of the VNG’s newest recruits following Military Signing Day, held May 16, 2025, at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia.