California's Fort Irwin Nat'l Training
Center
National Training Center, performs one of
the Army's most important training missions, that of preparing battalion and
brigade task forces for combat. To accomplish this the Army has added
to Fort Irwin a computer-driven, live-fire complex with sophisticated targetry;
a full time opposing force which is trained and equipped similar to a Soviet
style motorized rifle regiment; a state-of-the-art instrumentation system that
monitors the training battles; and a 650 man full-time team of combat trainers
who observe and control units during exercises.
These 5
components are what make the National Training Center at Fort Irwin a
one-of-a-kind training facility. Twelve time a year, units from all
over the Continental United States travel to Ft. Irwin on a National Training
Center rotation.
A typical rotation lasts 28
days. Each rotation brings 4,000 soldiers. Special exercises can
swell the population of the Center by 10,000 troops. Troops arrive by
air at the old George AFB in Victorville,CA and are bussed to Ft. Irwin. They
also bring combat vehicles by rail which arrive principally at the Marine Corps
Logistics Base - Yermo Annex, located along Interstate 15, north of
Barstow.
Edwards AFB is a major player in the race for space - and many
times the space shuttles land in at Edwards vice the space center in
Florida. There are more Marines stationed at Edwards AFB than there
are currently assigned to
MCLB-Barstow.
Nearby Installations
| Nearby Installation |
Description |
Service |
Location |
| Fort Irwin |
Army training center |
U.S. Army |
California, USA |
| Twentynine Palms, CA Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
(MCAGCC) |
MC Training Center |
U.S. Marine Corps |
California, USA |