FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Fort Irwin, California ~ 15 JUL 2008

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World | The Canteen Crew

[laurenmarlowe]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Fort Irwin, California

Fort Irwin and the National Training Center (NTC) is a major training area for the United States Military. Located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California, the base is part of the Installation Management Command (IMCOM). The opposing force at the NTC is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Regiment, who are stationed at the base to provide an enemy force to units on a training rotation at Fort Irwin.

The mission of the National Training Center is to provide tough, realistic, joint and combined arms training in multi-national venues across the full spectrum of conflict set in a contemporary operating environment to assist Commanders in developing trained, competent leaders and Soldiers by presenting them with current problem sets to improve the force and prepare for success in the Global War on Terrorism and future joint battlefields.

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 Garces, 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.

In 1844, Captain John C. Fremont, accompanied by Kit Carson, was the first member of the US Army to visit the Fort Irwin area. Captain 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.

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.

The years following the Indian Wars were quiet militarily. In 1940, President Franklin 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. Two years later, Camp Irwin was deactivated and placed on surplus status.

Learn More About the Fort Irwin History Here!

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 (2590 km²) 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.

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.

The National Training Center and Fort Irwin continues 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.

Read More About Fort Irwin Here!

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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

 

 

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, They're fighting for our Freedom.

Prayers going up.

[laurenmarlowe]

United States Marine Corps Band~National Anthem

[Kathy in Alaska]

Road Trip: Fort Irwin, California

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.

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To every service man or woman reading this thread.
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Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.
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[laurenmarlowe]

Photo by Capt. Stephen Barker July 14, 2008 Sgt. 1st Class David Sullivan, an engineer equipment supervisor from the 326th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Ky., trains Iraqi army engineers on the use of the U.S. Army's D7 armored bulldozer at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, June 26. The 326th is on duty in Iraq under the command and control of U.S. Army Europe's 18th Engineer Brigade.

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul Seeber July 14, 2008 Soldiers from 1st Platoon, 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, provide security during a patrol in Sa'ada, Iraq, July 7, 2008.

Photo by Kimberly Gearhart July 14, 2008 Gina Gonzalez, Gary Sinise, and Jeff Vezain perform as part of the Lt. Dan Band at U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt, Germany, July 7. Sinise is also co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children, which provides school supplies to children in areas being served by deployed U.S. forces, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Last fall, the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry (Airborne), headquartered in Schweinfurt, distributed 2,048 school supply packages to children in Afghanistan.

[laurenmarlowe]

Evening MA!

Gotta get some work done, will try and get back later!

*HUGS*

[Kathy in Alaska]

Honoring Our Heroes

AbnSarge USA
Allegra
3 sons (armymarinemom and amdad)
Brett USN (CindyDawg)
Brother and Son-in-Law (kalee)
Cannoneer No. 4
Capt Future Snake Eater USA (RightOnline)
Capt Jason Clendenin (friend of Frou)
Chris USA (amom)
Chuck USA (RightOnline)
Clarinet_King USAF (NerdDad/CDBear)
Col Mike (gpapa)
CMS USA
David USAF (LUV W)
Defender2
Deven USA (Shimmer)
Ethan USMC (georgiabelle)
Ev USA (Mozie)
Fred (DocRock)
GulfWar1Vet USA
IS2 Brianne USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
IS2 Heather USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
Jade Falcon USN
JemiansTerror USA (Jemian)
Jet Jaguar USAF
Joel (NEMDF)
Jonathan USMC (AZbushgal)
Josh USN (doug from upland)
Karen USA (fatima's granddaughter)
KB4W USAF (arbee4bush)
Kenneth (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
Kevin USMC (skimask)
Kevin and David USA (vigilante2)
Laurita USA
LCpl Carter USMC
Lindsay (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
Lt David (Coldwater Creek)
M1911A1 USMC (M0sby)
M1Tanker
MEG33's Navy Grandson
Mike1Sg USA (mystery-ak)
Milo828 USA (mystery-ak)
Nate USN (sneakers)
Old Sarge USA
OneLoyalAmerican USCG
PFC Dan USA (son of swmobuffalo)
Robert, Jeremy, Daynnis USA (SoldierDad)
Sat-Com Chris USA (son of KC Burke)
Sgt Dusty USA (MountainDad)
Sgt Sean Reed (preed)
Sgt Spencer USA (grame)
Son USCG (GodBlessUSA)
SPC Mike USA (AbnSarge)
SSGT John Linde USA (JFoxbear)
Terrence USN (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
The Sailor
tongue-tied USN/USA
Tonkin USN/USCG
txradioguy USA
Valerie USAF (Shimmer)
Victor and Tony D USMC (weldgophardline)
William USA (jackv)

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening and happy work. *HUGS*

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

(Click on graphics for music)

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

(Click on graphics for music)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Families, for your service to our country.

Thanks, unique, for the perfect woohoo.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Families, for your service to our country.

Thanks, unique, for the perfect woohoo.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

OOPS!!

[mylife]

Ahhhh Ft Irwin... I spent 2 dusty months there on war games.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And grabbing the gold....is Hope!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, lauren, for our National Anthem...humming along.

[mylife]

Gary Sinise is too cool!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And snagging the silver....my!!

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Lauren. Hugs

Thanks for tonights thread.

[mylife]

wooH00!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And tonight's bronze goes to....Taz!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Hope, for today's Pledge. Thanks to you, AfghanMan and Penguin Girl, for your parts in helping keep all of us free and safe.

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Kathy, Hugs.

Is everything back to the usual state of hardship at work?

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening my. One of the Lords Blessed days here today.

Low heat and no humidity and then I came to work...

[TASMANIANRED]

That’s a huge surprise..

[mylife]

Well all good things come to an end...

[Old Sarge]

Ah, the days and weeks at the National Testing Center.

Spent a few too many of those in my day!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, my....it is hot there!!

Ft. Irwin is located in the geographic center of the middle of nowhere. It's not at the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

[HiJinx]

Everyone should experience 2 months at Ft. Irwin...they’d never again complain about where they live.

Ft. Irwin is not a fun place to be...I was there for two Brigade rotations with the 1st Infantry Division. I was also there demonstrating a contractor’s equipment. Even in garrison, life at Ft. Irwin is a challenge.

On the first rotation, a medical unit set up in a great location - easy access, wide flat terrain, and sort of hidden by hills on three sides. One negative - it was a desert wash.

It rained, the wash ran, and most of their personal gear ended up buried in sand out on the desert floor.

[mylife]

Familiar?

[mylife]

Garrison? I spent 2 months sleeping on the hood of a humvee

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

July 15, 2008

Silent Helper

ODB RADIO: Listen Now |  Download
READ: Isaiah 25:1-9

I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things. —Isaiah 25:1

The discovery of penicillin revolutionized health care. Prior to the 1940s, bacterial infections were often fatal. Since then, penicillin has saved countless lives by killing harmful bacteria. The men who recognized its potential and developed it for widespread use won a Nobel Prize in 1945.

Long before the discovery of penicillin, other silent killers were at work saving lives by destroying bacteria. These silent killers are white blood cells. These hard workers are God’s way of protecting us from disease. No one knows how many invasions they have stopped or how many lives they have saved. They receive little recognition for all the good they do.

The Lord gets similar treatment. He often gets blamed when something goes wrong, but He seldom gets credit for all the things that go right. Every day people get up, get dressed, drive to work or school or the grocery store, and return safely to their families. No one knows how many times God has protected us from harm. But when there is a tragedy, we ask, “Where was God?”

When I consider all the wonderful things that God does silently on my behalf each day (Isa. 25:1), I realize that my list of praises should be much longer than my list of petitions.

God’s goodness undergirds our lives
In many silent ways;
His blessings are beyond compare—
For them we give Him praise. —D. De Haan

God keeps giving us reasons to praise Him.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 7–8; Proverbs 6:1-11

[mylife]

I was sleeping in a wadie by the wall till I saw a hummer drive right into one in blackout conditions and wind up on its nose 10 feet from a signal brigade HQ tent.

No more sleeping on the ground for me. I aint gettin run over by a tank

[HiJinx]

Garrison for the third rotation, I was in one of the Star Wars annex buildings demo’ing the Common Sensor User Interface.

Those washes made for great DF locations. You could park a Radio/DF set in the bed of the wash and raise the H-Adcock just above the wall of the wash - practically invisible to land or airborne observation and not much camo netting needed.

I kept a night watch out during those three days - not for the enemy, but for rain clouds! It snowed up on Mt. Tiefort overnight, and we were a bit leery of the melt the next day. As it turned out, we had nothing to worry about.

[mylife]

The nearest life is in the big town of Barstow Ca!

[Old Sarge]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[HiJinx]

Man, I hear ya! We were very keerful about where we set up.

[mylife]

L0L

[mylife]

I learn quick!

[HiJinx]

The nearest life is in the big town of Barstow Ca!

Hey, they have a Wal-Mart there...they're big time!! I turned down orders to Ft. Irwin...Nana had no desire to live in Barstow or on post.

[mylife]

Spent 4 days on Mt tiefort with a hole in the side of the hummers tire the size of my fist

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Taz....((HUGS))....situation is back to normal. LOL! How is your day going?

[mylife]

I can imagine! L0L

[Kathy in Alaska]

WAIT!!! You were a sailor...what kind of war were you practicing for??

[mylife]

There is some decent mexican chow in barstow

[Raffus]

I haven't thanked the troops for everything they do for some time and I want to tonight. Thanks to Jim Rob too for this wonderful site! I'm a serious lurker to the site and support it monetarily. I'm spoiling my adoptees on a regular basis.

Hope all is well you too KIA! 8) I'm hoping that the adoptee program is working. In my case, we have a great relationship!

[mylife]

I worked for Army and Marines and now work for Airforce

[mylife]

Its windy as hell on Tiefort too!

[Kathy in Alaska]

He sure is one of the good guys. And he puts his “money” where his mouth is....he, and his band, lets our soldiers know they are appreciated.

[Kathy in Alaska]

What was it like to have a real weekend off?