Fort Irwin & The National Training Center
NTC Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active:	1940 - 1942; 1951 - 1972; October 16, 1980 - Present
Country:	USA
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Branch:	Regular Army
Type:	Training Post
Role:	National Training Center
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Current commander:	BG Robert W. Cone
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Ceremonial chief:
Colonel of the Regiment:	{{{colonel_of_the_regiment}}}
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Notable battles or wars:
Notable commanders:	MG George S. Patton
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The entrance to the NTC.

Fort Irwin & the National Training Center or NTC is a major training area for the United States Army. Located in the Mojave Desert in California, the base is part of U.S. FORCES COMMAND. (FORSCOM). The opposing force at the NTC is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Regiment who are permanently deployed at the base to provide an enemy force to units on a training rotation at Fort Irwin. Image File history File links National_Training_Center_SSI.png // SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA. Description: A nine-sided green device with one point down in base, 2 7/16 inches in height overall, bearing three arrowheads with points converging at center, a yellow arrow at the top, blue at left and red at the... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The Regular Army is the name given to the permanent force of the United States Army that is maintained during peacetime. ... George Smith Patton, Jr. ... A battle honour is an official acknowledgement to recognize a military units achievements in specific wars or operations. ... Image File history File links NTCgate461. ... Image File history File links NTCgate461. ... Training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relates to specific useful skills. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Looking across from Emigrant Pass towards the Kingston Range in the eastern Mojave. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... Supporting the American Army ... This article is about a military term. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Regiment. ...

Fort Irwin works within the R-2508 Special Use Airspace Complex The R-2508 Complex includes all the airspace and associated land presently used and managed by the three principal military activities in the Upper Mojave Desert region: Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) National Training Center, Fort Irwin Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWPNS...

History

The Fort Irwin area has a history dating back almost 15,000 years, when Indians of the Lake Mojave Period were believed to live in the area. Indian settlements and pioneer explorations in the area were first recorded when Father Francisco Barces, a Spaniard, traveled the Mojave Indian Trail in 1796. During his travels, he noted several small bands of Indians and is believed to have been the first European to make contact with the Indians of this area.

Jedediah Smith is thought to have been the first American to explore the area in 1826. A fur trapper, Smith was soon followed by other pioneers traveling the Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. Bitter Springs, on the eastern edge of Fort Irwin, was a favorite stop over site. Jedediah Strong Smith (born Jan. ... The Old Spanish Trail is a historic trade route which connected the northern New Mexican settlement of Santa Fé with that of Los Ángeles in California. ...

In 1844, CPT John C. Fremont, accompanied by Kit Carson, was the first member of the US Army to visit the Fort Irwin area. CPT Fremont established a camp near Bitter Springs that served travelers on the Old Spanish Trail, and later the Mormon Trail, linking Salt Lake City to California. This camp was later to become an important supply center for pioneers during California's settlement and gold rush. John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813-July 13, 1890), birth name John Charles Fremon [Harvey, p. ... Kit Carson Kit Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868), born Christopher Houston Carson, was an American frontiersman. ... The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of Latter Day Saint movement traveled from 1846-1857. ...

The California Gold Rush brought prosperous trade and unexpected trouble to the area. As California grew, and more travelers used the trails to enter the territory, raids and horse stealing became a problem. In 1846, the Army's "Mormon Battalion" patrolled the Fort Irwin area to control the raiding and horse stealing. During the Indian Wars the Army constructed a small stone fort overlooking Bitter Springs and patrolled the Fort Irwin area. The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by great world-wide interest concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ...

In the 1880's the area experienced an economic boom with the discovery of borax at Death Valley. From the late 1800's to the early 1900's, the area began to grow tremendously as mining operations of all types flourished. Soon railroads, workers, and businesses led to the establishment of the nearby town of Barstow, California. Borax is a somewhat generic name used to describe a number of closely related minerals or chemical compounds: anhydrous borax (Na2B4O7) borax pentahydrate (Na2B4O7 Â· 5H2O) borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7 Â· 10H2O) The borax term is most usually used to describe borax decahydrate. ... Death Valley and Panamint Range Death Valley is a valley in California that is located southeast of the Sierra Nevada range in the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert, comprising much of Death Valley National Park. ... Barstow is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ...

The years following the Indian Wars were quiet militarily. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range, a military reservation of approximately 1000 square miles in the area of the present Fort Irwin. In 1942, the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range was renamed Camp Irwin, in honor of MG George LeRoy Irwin, commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade during World War I, and it was subsumed into the Desert Training Center as one of its Cantonment areas and some of its ranges. Two years later, Camp Irwin was deactivated and placed on surplus status. FDR redirects here. ...

Camp Irwin reopened its gates in 1951 as the Armored Combat Training Area and served as a training center for combat units during the Korean War. Regimental tank companies of the U.S. 43d Infantry Division from Camp Pickett, Virginia were the first to train at the new facility. The 43d Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II. // Pre-world War II Activated: 21 March 1925 as a National Guard Division in Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont. ... Fort Pickett, Virginia, is a Virginia Army National Guard installation, located near the town of Blackstone, Virginia. ...

The post was designated a permanent installation on 1 August 1961 and renamed Fort Irwin. During the Vietnam buildup, many units, primarily artillery and engineer, trained and deployed from Fort Irwin.

An M1 Abrams at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin

In January 1971,the post was deactivated again and placed in maintenance status under the control of Fort MacArthur (Los Angeles), California. The California National Guard assumed full responsibility for the post in 1972. From 1972 to late 1980, Fort Irwin was used primarily as a training area by the National Guard and reserve components. Image File history File linksMetadata Abrams461. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Abrams461. ... Fort MacArthur is a former U.S. Army installation in San Pedro, California (now the port community of Los Angeles), named for General Arthur MacArthur, Jr. ... It has been suggested that National Guard Bureau be merged into this article or section. ...

On August 9, 1979, the Department of the Army announced that Fort Irwin had been selected as the site for the National Training Center. With over 1000 square miles for maneuver and ranges, an uncluttered electromagnetic spectrum, airspace restricted to military use, and its isolation from densely populated areas, Fort Irwin was an ideal site for a National Training Center. The National Training Center was officially activated October 16, 1980 and Fort Irwin returned to active status on July 1, 1981. August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Since its activation, the National Training Center has witnessed many firsts. The first unit to train against the Opposing Force at the NTC were from 1st Brigade, U.S. 1st Infantry Division in January 1982. Infantry and engineer units first augmented the Opposing Force in 1984. June 1984 saw the first use of M1 Abrams tanks and M2 Bradley fighting vehicles on the National Training Center battle field. The first armored cavalry squadron rotation occurred in November 1984. Units from the 101st Airborne Division participated in the first light force rotation in March 1985. The U.S. 197th Infantry Brigade participated in the first extended rotation with brigade operations in June 1985. The first urban terrain mission was conducted at the National Training Center Pioneer Training Facility in December 1993. This article is about a military term. ... The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army —nicknamed the Big Red One after its shoulder patch—is the oldest continuously serving division in the American Army. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ...

The National Training Center and Fort Irwin continue to serve as the Army's premier training center. Officials from many countries have visited the National Training Center and use it as a model to build their own training centers. As in the past, Fort Irwin pits soldiers against a harsh environment, but now adds a determined and formidable opposing force. As during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm, the National Training Center and Fort Irwin continue to train units to fight and win on the battle field.

Geography

Fort Irwin is located at 35°15'44.96" North, 116°40'28.96" West.

External links

• Fort Irwin Homepage
• GlobalSecurity.org article