VDF Teams With Red Cross For Training

Members of the Leesburg unit of the Virginia Defense Force teamed up with the Red Cross' Loudoun County chapter for its bi-annual CPR preparedness training session Saturday at the Leesburg Armory.

Commander of the unit, First Sergeant Chris Howlett, said working closely with the Red Cross and the local unit of the National Guard is a matter of course. "It's important for us to know each other and be able to use our training well, and identify others who have training as well. Then everyone is on the same page."

The Virginia Defense Force essentially acts as a replacement and support force for the Virginia National Guard when its members are called away for missions. Upon its inception, the force was part of the Virginia State Guard, and though it is now its own independent entity, the VDF still operates under state guard rules and serves at the pleasure of the governor. VDF consists members who have prior military experience and those who do not, along a two-thirds to one-third split, respectively.

"We have a lot of people who can no longer deploy, or who are somehow outside the restrictions for active duty military members. Here we do mostly disaster relief and some light military police work. We really have a place for anyone who wishes to serve their community," said Howlett.

Members must commit to approximately 28 training days per year, which involve participating in drills, field exercises and other types of training. Enlistees also learn how to set up and run communication units, keep order in the event of an emergency and perform various tasks, which may be needed if disaster strikes. It is for the latter of these reasons the VDF teams up with the Red Cross, which provides CPR training to the force free of charge.

"We have a great partnership with the community--both with organizations and people. We have some older members in this unit who bring along valuable personal ties, and these can be extremely important when working under tough circumstance," said Howlett.

As an example, Howlett relayed an anecdote about an older VDF member who was able to use his ties at his day job at Home Depot to help with a water transportation mission. "We had so much water to transport and we're thinking, this is going to take forever(how can we do this?" Howlett said another member suggested to the gentleman he ask Home Depot if they would loan a large box truck to transport the water. "He said 'sure!' and before we knew it, we had a huge truck ready to be loaded up," Howlett said. It is this type of situation, that Howlett said typifies the ideal way the VDF, businesses and members of a community can come together to work for the greater good.

The statewide force is seeking to push its enrollment numbers from approximately 1,000 to 1,200 members, to around 3,500, which roughly equals the amount of Virginia National Guard troops who are deployed out of state. "That's the ratio we're going for," said Howlett.

"The VDF is a great fit for people who want to serve, but can't. We can find a service fit for anyone. You're not going to be jumping out of airplanes or that kind of exciting stuff, but you will be providing a needed service to your country and community, which is very true and important."

For further information about VDF or to request recruiting information, visit www.vdf.virginia.gov or e-mail vdfinfo@vdf.virginia.gov.