FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Fort Greely, Alaska ~ 06 March 2017

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | laurenmarlow and the Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Fort Greely, Alaska

Fort Greely is a United States Army launch site for anti-ballistic missiles located approximately 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. It is also the home of the Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC), as Fort Greely is one of the coldest areas in Alaska, and can accommodate cold, extreme cold, or temperate weather tests depending on the season.

Fort Greely has a proud history. Because of its location and environment, it has been the site for cold-weather training and testing of operations and equipment through the past half century. Until the late 1990’s, its primary tenant units included the Cold Regions Test Center and the Northern Warfare Training Center.

In 2001, Fort Greely was partially removed from the BRAC list, in order to support the nation’s strategic objective of missile defense. Today, Fort Greely proudly serves as the primary support base
for a host of tenants that support the Ground-based
Midcourse Defense (GMD) initiative.

The camp was established in 1942 as Big Delta Army Air Field. During World War II, The Alaska Highway was built to connect an existing road in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada with the Richardson Highway in Alaska, a distance of 1423 miles. The Alaska Highway met the Richardson Highway at Delta Junction, 5 miles north on the Richardson Highway from what is now Fort Greely.

The United States used the base to aid Russia against Germany and Japan by sending airplanes and supplies authorized by the Lend-lease act through Alaska and into the Russian Far East. The name was later changed to Allen Army Airfield. After World War II, Fort Greely was built south of the air field.

Learn More About The History Of Fort Greely HERE!

In 1995, Fort Greely was selected for realignment (but not closure) as a cost-saving measure. Only the Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC) and Public Works functions were to remain on the installation. Large portions of the post were to be closed and, at one point, the main post was to be turned over to the city of Delta Junction for use as a private prison. Ultimately, plans for the prison fell through.

In 2001, headquarters for the Northern Warfare Training Center and Cold Regions Test Center were moved to nearby Fort Wainwright. Training ranges were also transferred to Fort Wainwright control and renamed Donnelly Training Area. Though its command moved, CRTC continued operating from Fort Greely. The Northern Warfare Training Center also continued operations at Black Rapids Training Facility.

After the United states announced that it would withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, Fort Greely was selected as a site for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. Starting in the summer of 2002, the United States government began work on the missile defense installation at Fort Greely, planning to deploy a total of 25 to 30 anti-ballistic missiles by 2010. Concurrently, the Missile Defense Command took command of Fort Greely, relinquishing direct Army control, while the Army retained control of the nearby Donnelly Training Area.

Testing efforts are centered at the Bolio Lake Range Complex, approximately 10 miles south of Fort Greely. Arkansas Range is the main test site for mines and small arms. Washington Range is a multi-purpose range used for air defense missile firings, artillery tests, such as Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM), and smoke and obscurant tests requiring large areas and mobility testing. Texas Range is available for direct-fire tests, as well as sensor, small arms, and missile tests. Oklahoma Range, primarily used for indirect-fire work, is capable of observed fire to 30 km and unobserved fire to 50 km.

Learn More About Fort Greely HERE!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[PROCON]

Yo radu!

The weather was sunny and I did run a number of errands this morning before going back into relaxation mode.

You get everything done you wanted to? Kittehs cooperating?

[luvie]

Hey, there, radu!

Sure did! Looking at those pictures made me cold. Sort of like watching the Decorahs tonight. Brrrrr!

[radu]

Sounds like a pretty good day! Got things accomplished and had time to kick back. And you had nive weather.

Not so pretty here today. Drizzled most of the day.
Had to make a quick run to the store and have done a little housework. Laundry going now. Such fun. LOL

Kittehs have been fairly well-behaved today, for a change. We’ll see how long that lasts!

[radu]

The pix made me cold too. LOL!

I feel so bad for the Decorahs. They’re getting hammered. Seeing the ice on their faces ...... :-(

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...hope you got some more dry and the ground is ready for more rain.

I’m hoping a truck load of snow has been removed from my front yard. More snow is coming and the plow guy has nowhere to put it. It is not legal to add to the pile in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Glad you were warm and safe.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I am off for home. FINALLY got the uploads of time done. Many issues, and one was my fault.

[ASOC]

spent many a night freezing my...goodness off on the Mississippi range Brim Frost was the name of the exercises back then.

Just as cold today.

[radu]

No dry today but not too much rain. It just drizzled all day. There’s a batch of rain building up west of us that might come down a bit harder tonight though.
A little more tomorrow, then dry until Saturday.

Wow, you’ve had more snow than I realized. It sure will be nice if the pile in your yard IS smaller when you get home. They do need somewhere to put the fresh snow that’s coming.

You wanted snow. :-)

[luvie]

It just about made me shiver to see them, but they are used to it as it happens every year! Thank goodness those feathers keep them toasty warm underneath!

[radu]

Hope you managed to walk out the door without homework tonight! :-)

[radu]

It did make me shiver. Used to it or not, it can’t be fun for them having little icicles hanging off their faces.

[luvie]

I know! Just hope it melts soon! You know, there are tons of eagles living in Alaska, so they must be a hearty bunch to bear THAT kind of cold!

[radu]

I hope it melts soon, too, and that there’s a reasonably early Spring this year. Not just for the birds but for everyone living up there. I imagine they’re all sick of the cold and snow by now.

Gotta be really hardy to survive winters in Alaska. Can’t be easy for eagles to find food but they obviously do.

[luvie]

Looks like there are lots of areas where they can get to the sea to fish and then mooch off of fishermen who love eagles. LOL!

Did y’all have a pretty day there? Ours was windy. Again. I think that’s going to be the daily story till about May. LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Ambrosia...that’s a good bit of wind.

How did the contents of the shed fare? Good luck finding all the pieces.

Thanks for sharing your storm experience. Stay safe!

[radu]

They do have fishermen buddies who enjoy feeding them. That helps for sure. :-)

It was a dreary, drizzly day today and a little breezy. A cold front is coming through tomorrow night and it won’t be fun Wed. and Thurs. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the 20s. Hoping for a breeze both nights so we won’t have frost on the flowers.

Yep, this time of year we can expect a lot of windy days with the fronts moving through over and over again. Then come summer, when it’s hotter ‘n hades, we won’t be able to beg a breeze. LOL

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, ASOC....the interior can get mighty cold. I can’t imagine how cold you must have been at times.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I couldn’t find it online, but the news guy said we were WAY behind, but now are only a foot behind after the last couple weeks.

And I am minus a truckload of snow. I will try to remember to take a picture in the morning...it should be light enough.

[luvie]

Yikes! It’s going to be pretty darn cold there. We got the cold front, but not AS cold.

Sorry today was dreary. I’d trade anytime. Yesterday, our humidity was at 3%. That’s almost obscene! Ugh