V.I. National Guard to Conduct Island-Wide Defense Training on St. Croix Through July 19

The V.I. National Guard and U.S. Department of Defense are conducting a territory-wide training exercise on St. Croix through July 19 to boost homeland defense readiness; temporary road and beach access disruptions may occur during operations.

The V.I. National Guard, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense, is carrying out a large-scale island-wide training operation on St. Croix designed to strengthen homeland defense preparedness.

The exercise, which began earlier this month, is scheduled to conclude on Friday, July 19, 2025, and involves select personnel from the Virgin Islands National Guard. According to the Guard, the training aims to reinforce coordination and response capabilities across the island in defense-related scenarios.

During the course of the exercise, members of the public may encounter temporary road closures or restricted beach access. Officials have asked residents to remain patient and cooperative during these brief disruptions, which are part of routine training procedures.

Authorities confirmed that there will be no public or media viewing opportunities during the operation.