183rd RTI hosts open house, demonstrates capabilities - Sep. 24, 2016

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute demonstrate their capabilities during an open house Sept. 24, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Soldiers from 1st Battalion rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion provided an orientation to their driving simulator and Soldiers from 3rd Battalion conducted several military police demonstrations. Open house attendees included Virginia Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr., Delegate Thomas C. Wright, Jr., and officers and noncommissioned officers attend the Command and First Sergeant Course.

Soldiers from the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 91st Troop Command provided aviation support for the rappelling demonstration.

The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute is comprised of the RTI Headquarters and three battalions. First Battalion conducts infantry training, including the 11B Infantryman Military Occupational Specialty Qualification Course, Light Leaders Course and rappel master, while 2nd Battalion conducts the 88M Motor Transport Operator Course. Third battalion includes both Officer Candidate School and Warrant Officer Candidate School and also trains Soldiers as military police officers.

The RTI includes 74 instructors supported by 32 staff personnel. The schoolhouse was completed in 2011 and includes approximately 400,000 square feet of instruction space, including a combatives training room, eight modular classrooms and a lecture hall capable of accommodating 480 students, along with three barracks with two-person rooms and open bay housing that can accommodate 275 students. At Fort Pickett, instructors and students can reach training sites within five minutes and that includes a variety of ranges, convoy and live fire lanes, an urban assault course, training villages, field training lanes, an air assault tower and an extensive urban training site.