Whereas the Virgin Islands National Guard was founded on October 19, 1973, in a ceremony officiated by Major General La Vern E. Weber, Director of the United States Army National Guard; Whereas October 19, 2023, marks 50 years since the Virgin Islands National Guard was established; Whereas the founders of the Virgin Islands National Guard, who were veterans of foreign wars, believed that the territory of the Virgin Islands was vulnerable and in a general state of unreadiness following the incorporation of the Virgin Islands as a territory of the United States; Whereas the Virgin Islands National Guard and the thousands of members who have served in the Virgin Islands National Guard have made a vital contribution to the national defense of the United States over the last 50 years; Whereas the Virgin Islanders in the United States Armed Forces have served and fought in every major United States military conflict of the 20th and 21st centuries; Whereas, dating back to Hurricanes David and Frederick in 1979, the Virgin Islands National Guard has aided in disaster relief efforts and responded to major disasters, including Hurricane Hugo, Hurricane Marilyn, Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas the Virgin Islands Army and Air National Guard have served and fought in major United States military conflicts since 1973, including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas, in response to the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, the Virgin Islands National Guard was deployed to missions worldwide, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Haiti, and Cuba; Whereas members of the Virgin Islands National Guard have made the ultimate sacrifice in their valiant service to the Nation, including two servicemembers who were killed in action while serving in active duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom