FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Fort Irwin, California ~ 21 APR 2015

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Fort Irwin, California

Fort Irwin & the National Training Center (NTC) is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of 2,454 feet. It is located 37 miles northeast of Barstow, in the Calico Mountains.

The base is part of the Installation Management Command (IMCOM). The opposing force at the NTC is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Cavalry, who are stationed at the base to provide an enemy force to units on a training rotation at Fort Irwin.

Fort Irwin works within the R-2508 Special Use Airspace Complex.

On 9 August 1979, the Department of the Army announced that Fort Irwin had been selected as the site for the National Training Center. With over 1,000 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 this facility. The National Training Center was officially activated 16 October 1980.

The National Training Center and Fort Irwin continue to serve as the Army's premier training center. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the National Training Center has transformed to focus on continuous counterinsurgency operations that reflect the ongoing and rapidly changing battlefield.

One of the unique aspects of the base is the presence of several mock "villages" which are used to train troops in urban warfare prior to their deployment. The villages are supposed to mimic real villages from Iraq and Afghanistan and have variety of buildings like mosques, hotels, traffic circles, etc. filled with Arabic-speaking actors playing villagers, street vendors, and insurgents.

The biggest two are known as Medina Wasl and Medina Jabal, and are located several miles from Fort Irwin. Most of the buildings are created using intermodal containers like lego, but some can be much more elaborate and are actually built using Iraqi building standards.

Learn More About Fort Irwin 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

To: Kathy in Alaska

Snow is gone— I hope it stays away.
Right now, it is thundering and lightning outside.

It was mild today, good thing too, we have run out of fuel oil, delivery will be on Thursday.

21 posted on 04/20/2015 7:18:04 PM PDT by Soaring Feather (Music and Poetry --)

To: Kathy in Alaska

YUK! None here, don’t want anymore either...
Finally seeing 60 degrees, long overdue

22 posted on 04/20/2015 7:24:09 PM PDT by The Mayor (Honesty means never having to look over your shoulder.)

To: laurenmarlowe

Evenin’, Lauren! (((hugs))) Great road trip tonight!

See ya in a few short weeks? Sure do hope so!

23 posted on 04/20/2015 7:27:00 PM PDT by luvie (All my heroes wear camos! Thank you David, Michael, Chris, Txradioguy, JJ, CMS, & ALL Vets, too!)

To: Kathy in Alaska

Between Barstow and Las Vegas..

It tops at 130F

24 posted on 04/20/2015 7:29:45 PM PDT by mylife ("The roar of the masses could be farts")

In first....The Mayor grabs the gold!!

25 posted on 04/20/2015 7:43:58 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Soaring Feather

And in second....Ms Feather snags the silver!!

26 posted on 04/20/2015 7:52:10 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Kathy in Alaska

27 posted on 04/20/2015 7:59:18 PM PDT by The Mayor (Honesty means never having to look over your shoulder.)

And rounding out the top three....Pro bags the bronze!!

28 posted on 04/20/2015 8:26:09 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

29 posted on 04/20/2015 8:28:29 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

I’m off for home with a bundle of homework. It’s only Monday and a bunch of corrections came in over the weekend.

Back in a bit.

30 posted on 04/20/2015 8:29:23 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Kathy in Alaska

I am off to bed.
Monday wore me out.

31 posted on 04/20/2015 8:31:05 PM PDT by mylife ("The roar of the masses could be farts")

Me too....but homework calls.

Good night, my. Thanks for helping honor our military, and thank you for your service to our country.

32 posted on 04/20/2015 9:36:36 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Kathy in Alaska; laurenmarlowe

A very pleasant good Tuesday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Lauren. How's it going?

33 posted on 04/21/2015 1:07:57 AM PDT by E.G.C.

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...you and Bo enjoy your day.

I just finished homework and am off to get some sleep.

34 posted on 04/21/2015 1:43:12 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

Prayers for Arrowhead's recovery, and in his absence....

35 posted on 04/21/2015 1:44:25 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: E.G.C.; beachn4fun; Arrowhead1952; ConorMacNessa; MEG33; LUV W; PROCON; SandRat; Mrs.Nooseman; ...

36 posted on 04/21/2015 1:48:30 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Thanks, unique, for the pastries.

Coffee is always on........

How about a donut?

Cookies?

Veggies?

Sandwich?

37 posted on 04/21/2015 1:52:10 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Jet Jaguar; txradioguy; JemiansTerror; MEG33; Laurita; CMS; OneLoyalAmerican; Defender2; ...

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.
Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

38 posted on 04/21/2015 1:54:37 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)))

To: Kathy in Alaska

Tuesday Morning Coffee Bump.

39 posted on 04/21/2015 3:07:11 AM PDT by E.G.C.

To: laurenmarlowe; Kathy in Alaska; LUV W; MS.BEHAVIN; mylife; HiJinx; SandRat; ConorMacNessa; MEG33; ..

How well do I remember my last trip to NTC, now ten years gone.

Sarge’s Most Excellent Adventure, remember?

Going through some old boxes, I found that Skyraider had printed off every post from the Canteen from those days. Every last one in hard copy. He would read them to Momma so she could be kept up on the antics over there.

40 posted on 04/21/2015 4:08:59 AM PDT by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)

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