Fort Irwin Middle School band members perform during the “Night of the Arts,” here, Jan. 16.

Fort Irwin Middle School hosted an evening where students were able to show off their creative talents, Jan. 16.

“Night of the Arts” allowed students to display artwork and perform in a variety of talents for parents and the community. There were performances by the 6th grade beginning band, the 7th and 8th grade beginning band, and the school’s advanced band. The school choir sang and the cheerleading squad demonstrated for the audience. Some of the youngsters performed comedy skits. Students and parents also participated in a scavenger hunt.

An audience of parents and siblings attended the Fort Irwin Middle School “Night of the Arts,” here, Jan. 16.

Winners of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) poster contest were: Jade Mooney, 6th grade; Jasmine Rodriguez, 7th grade, and; Laura Baez-Flores, 8th grade.

Thank you school staff, parents and students for a great event!
 

A display of art projects produced by students of Fort Irwin Middle School.

Winners of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) poster contest: Jade Mooney, 6th grade; Jasmine Rodriguez, 7th grade, and; Laura Baez-Flores, 8th grade.

Photo by Les Ozawa, USAG Fort Irwin

First Sgt. Taylor Tahbo, born and raised on the Colorado Indian Tribes Reservation, is the first of his family to join the Army.

“It completely blindsided my family,” said 1st Sgt. Taylor Tahbo of A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, about his decision to join the Army in 1999.

Tahbo had just completed his freshman year at Arizona Western College in Yuma, Ariz., when he made his decision. The next day, the recruiter drove about 60 miles from the recruiting station to Tahbo’s home on the Colorado Indian Tribes Reservation, some 40 miles south of Lake Havasu City.

Most of the 300,000-acre reservation is in Arizona, but a portion is on the California side of the 40-mile stretch of the Colorado River that runs the length of the reservation. The desert landscape is very much like Fort Irwin, said Tahbo, except for a half a mile of mesquite trees and plants on both sides of the Colorado River.

There, Tahbo, his older brother and two sisters grew up on the reservation which the United States government created in 1865 to relocate “Indians of the Colorado River and its tributaries” according to the reservation’s Web site. The reservation was originally designated for the Mohave and Chemehuevi tribes, who had lived in the area for centuries. People of the Navajo and Hopi Tribes were relocated to the reservation in later years.

Tahbo is of Tewa and Hopi (two of several Pueblo tribes of northern New Mexico) ancestry, but was raised mainly through the Tewa traditions of his father, who owns a small landscaping business and is a director of the tribal water company.

“Lot of the things in the songs that we sang, and the language my father taught me when I was growing up, was all Tewa,” Tahbo said. “I understand a lot of general words. When my father talks to me, I can understand it very well. The language requires a lot of hand gestures and body motions.”

A butterfly (Honmana in the Tewa language), symbolizing life in the Tewa-Hopi tradition, is depicted on a pot created by Grace Chapella as a gift to her grandson, 1st Sgt. Taylor Tahbo.

While his brother and sisters went on to professional careers after graduating from major universities in Arizona and New Mexico, Tahbo found his life’s journey within the Army. The recruiter told Tahbo he could rappel out of helicopters with the 101st Airborne Division.

“It sounded pretty exciting to me, so I went for it,” Tahbo said.

Since his first duty station at Fort Campbell, Ky., Tahbo has signed up for as many military schools as he could. He has completed FRIES (Fast Rope Insertion/Extraction) and SPIES (Special Purpose Insertion/Extraction), Master Reconnaissance School, and ranger and drill sergeant schools.

“I love training Soldiers,” Tahbo said. “I love learning, so a big part of my career has been all the school opportunities.”

As an infantryman, Tahbo deployed to Macedonia-Kosovo in 2001 and to Iraq during the 2003 invasion. He has also served as a drill sergeant and a Ranger instructor at Fort Benning, Ga., before being assigned here in 2010.

Tahbo sees a lot in common between his Tewa culture and the Army.

“A lot of both are about having respect for each other, having respect for the earth,” Tahbo said. “You have priorities. You have things that you know need to happen, in order for your family to be taken care of. It’s the same values that non-Native American homes try to instill in their kids.

Turquoise and silver adorns a pendant fashioned from the claw of a bear, the animal that represents the warrior spirit and lifestyle of 1st Sgt. Tayor Tahbo’s Tewa clan.

“We have very strong family ties. Everything we did was as a family. Not just my immediate family with my siblings, but also my father’s brothers, all of their children, my grandparents, first cousins, second cousins, and third cousins. It seems like every weekend, we were all together. We get together for dinners, for everything, birthdays, for mournings of loved ones who have passed.”

Now that he is stationed about three hours from his reservation home, Tahbo tries to take his family to visit the reservation when he can, especially so they can learn about the Tewa culture as well as to remain close to his extended family on the reservation.

About his 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, Tahbo said, “I know enough to pass the Tewa traditions and customs to them, but when we go back home, they really get a lot of it, because my father and his brothers and all of the family are still on the reservation. They still live exactly like I did when I was growing up. My kids get pulled into it and they enjoy it.”

In an interview for a video produced for the Native American Heritage celebration on Fort Irwin, Tahbo summed up the relations between the Army and the Native Americans:

“There are 50,000 Native Americans in the military, the highest rate of any ethnic background. Thousands are giving back to their community. We are a very driven people, just like everyone else. The stereotypes, they are long gone.”

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group glide through the air above the National Training Center during a combined arms training exercise here, Nov. 1.

The mission of the National Training Center is to provide tough, realistic joint and combined arms training, focused at the brigade combat team level and below. But NTC is not limited to training just Army battalions and brigades. Army Special Forces units, Marine special operations command units and Air Force fixed wing units frequently use NTC’s training area to conduct realistic training.

Recently, A Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, conducted a company-level training event, here, Nov. 1-4.

“The beauty about NTC is – any weapon system Special Operations Forces have can be used here,” said Lt. Col. Antonio Garcia, the SOF plans chief for Operations Group, here.

“The live-fire areas give great freedom of maneuver to conduct a variety of scenarios, dictated by the unit, and that’s difficult to replicate anywhere else,” Garcia said.

During the unit’s training, the 19th SFG ran small arms ranges, machine gun ranges, demolitions ranges, sniper ranges and a mortar range. In addition, the unit conducted a company proficiency static line airborne jump, a high altitude high opening jump, and a raid on one of NTC’s mock villages.

“I’ve been to the 29 Palms training area, the Joint Readiness Training Center and here at the NTC,” said Sgt. 1st Class Russell Hiatt, SOF plans non-commissioned officer in charge. “The infrastructure for close-quarter battle here at NTC is, hands down, one of the greatest I’ve seen.”

According to Garcia, the 19th SFG benefitted by training, here, because the environment offered can be used to replicate areas troops are currently operating in and potential locations of future threats.

A Soldier from 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group jumps out of CH-47 Chinook helicopter above the National Training Center during a combined arms training exercise here, Nov. 1, 2013.

As NTC strives to meet the training needs of each training unit, it is also necessary the unit looks forward to future requirements, such as unconventional warfare (UW).

“Special Forces is gearing much of their training on UW, so here at NTC and in Operations Group Special Operational Forces plans cell, we are trying to develop some UW lanes,” Garica said. “This way, our Special Forces can come here and receive UW training in addition to the training they are already conducting.”

While conventional warfare reduces an opponent’s military capability, unconventional warfare achieves military victory through acquiescence, capitulation or clandestine support for one side of an existing conflict.

According to Garcia, the addition of UW lanes will broaden the spectrum of training the NTC has to offer and make this training area even more attractive to military units coming here to train.

Major Gen. Ted Martin, commander of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, presents an NTC baseball cap to Col. Kazuhiro Yoshihara, deputy commander of Fuji Training Center, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force.

In a first-ever deployment of its kind, members of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force trained at the National Training Center during the January rotation.

Global operational tempo of United States military forces in previous years made it difficult to schedule JGSDF units into the NTC training calendar. Japanese military planners persisted and finally realized their goal last month. It was a trip eight years in the making.

Approximately 180 JGSDF Soldiers from the Fuji Training Center near Mt. Fuji arrived Jan. 11 to partner with the 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, during its four-week NTC training rotation. The Japanese were fully integrated into the training activities of the 3-2 SBCT and will be taking back to Japan training experiences not available there. The Fuji Training Center is the only one of its kind in Japan and is similar to the NTC, but on a smaller scale.

“This is a very different training environment for us,” said Lt. Col. Nobuyuki Ishii, the lead staff officer of Ground Staff Office (equivalent to Army Department headquarters). “In Japan, the maneuver area is limited and in a much smaller area. Not only is this a larger physical environment, suitable for large scale training, but we think the experience in a harsh, desert environment will toughen our Soldiers.”

“The objective is to improve our unit maneuverability and capabilities, and to enhance interoperability between the U.S. and Japanese,” Ishii said.

Photo by Sgt. Paul Sale, Operations Group

A Soldier from 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., throws a smoke grenade during a decisive action training rotation, here, Jan. 26.

The first Stryker brigade ever activated in the Army wrapped up its first decisive action rotation with a unit from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, here, Jan. 31.

The 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, arrived to the NTC in early January from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The 3-2 SBCT (activated in 2003) was immersed in a decisive action training environment (DATE) with challenges that included facing guerilla forces, insurgents, criminal elements and a near-peer conventional force. It was the first DATE rotation for any Stryker brigade said Capt. Christopher Swartz, public affairs officer with 3-2 SBCT.

It was also the first rotation at the NTC for a unit from Japan. Soldiers of the JGSDF partnered with 3-2 SBCT to be fully integrated into the DATE training.

Three battalions of the 3-2 SBCT field the Army’s IAV Stryker vehicles, which are highly deployable-wheeled armored vehicles combining firepower, mobility and versatility, with reduced logistics requirements. The mobility and transportability of the vehicles is significant to the “Arrowhead” brigade mission. The 3-2 SBCT mission has evolved to include being part of a realignment of forces strategy and serving as a ready contingency response force, explained Col. Hugh “Dave” Bair, commander of 3-2 SBCT.

“We’re aligned to the Pacific Command in the Pacific area of operations,” Bair said. “So, sometime in the spring of 2014 we will become a recognized force by the Army called the regionally aligned force.”

United States Pacific Command is one of six geographic Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Armed Forces around the world, and Army brigades are being designated as aligned forces to those commands.

As a RAF brigade, the 3-2 SBCT can perform a spectrum of missions, including humanitarian aid and disaster relief, in PACOM areas, said Bair. The PACOM commander would have the option of authorizing the brigade, or a customized portion of it, to go in quickly and establish security or stability until local forces can take over. The Stryker brigade can actually deploy anywhere in 96 hours and the brigade’s home station has force projection infrastructure to support movements by sea, land and even transporting Stryker vehicles on C-17 airplanes.

The partnership training at the NTC of the 3-2 SBCT and JGSDF was an extension of relationships that the U.S. maintains in the Pacific. Working with allies offers great opportunities during the evolution of the realignment strategy, said Bair.

“It just gives us opportunity to build familiarity as we grow our partnerships in the Pacific – certainly to build and learn from one another,” Bair said. “I think it’s exciting not only at an international level, obviously … but certainly it’s generating excitement for us, it’s generating excitement for our PACOM RAF mission as we get familiar with them. I think it’s going to be a fantastic rotation having them here.”

The NTC training identifies areas for improvement, recognizing areas of success and provides leader development – all the while facing an opposition force that is challenging and realistic, said Bair.

“It’s just very hard to replicate any of that at home station and, so, to come down here to a dedicated facility like the NTC and have that experience for three to four weeks is tremendous development – leader development at every level,” Bair said.

The brigade’s operations sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Lynwood Bailey, said that Arrowhead Soldiers and non-commissioned officers benefit from the NTC, because they can practice decision-making and mistakes here are not costly.

“We put a lot of responsibility on NCO’s and Soldiers to make decisions and this is the place where they can make a decision and if it’s not the right one, we don’t lose a life,” Bailey said. “They get a good training objective out of it, understand their mistake and can learn from that mistake, and that’s how they become resilient.”

One NCO, who has taken advantage of NTC training several times, is Staff Sgt. Jefferey Fleming, howitzer section chief for 1st Section, 1st Platoon, A Battery, 1-37 Field Artillery, 3-2 SBCT. He has attended seven rotations at the NTC, since 2002, and has deployed five times. The majority of the nine Soldiers he leads were here for the first time. Fleming concurred with Bailey’s assessment of the training benefits at the NTC for Soldiers.

“It gives them time to make mistakes, which is necessary and gives us time to pinpoint those mistakes, learn from them … and be able to have a plan … so those mistakes won’t happen again,” Bailey said.

Fleming added that the entire process of moving to and training at the NTC prepares Soldiers to have a mindset for possible deployments.

“It gives them time to adjust being away from family and focus more on training,” Fleming said. “It’s great across the board for everyone, especially the younger Soldiers.”

Bailey explained that the 3-2 SBCT mission requires having an expeditionary mindset, because the unit, in addition to assisting in the Pacific, might be called upon to serve in a CRF operation.

“We have to be ready to go all the time, that’s what that contingency response force is,” Bailey said. “So when the President calls, we are ready, both physically, mentally. Our equipment is ready. We have that expeditionary mindset that we can live in austere environments, much like we see here at the NTC. We don’t need large amounts of infrastructure, we fight as we arrive – that’s the expeditionary mindset.”

The 3-2 SBCT has proven itself – it is the most deployed Stryker brigade with three deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan – to be ready for the next phase in its history. Bair described his Arrowhead unit as a formation of incredibly talented and resilient Soldiers, who in many cases, have the experience of deployments and working with other nations and understand the importance of engaged leadership and cooperation.

“It’s humbling to be able to command … such a formation that represents truly the finest, I think, that society has to offer,” Bair said.

Ongoing

Free tax preparation services. Fort Irwin Tax Center, building 288. All Active Duty, Retirees, and their dependents, as well as Reserve and National Guard on orders for more than 30 days, can use the Tax Center for free tax preparation. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Call for an appointment at 380-3604. Appointments are prioritized and recommended. Walk-ins are also welcomed.

Sportman’s Club. If you’re a gun enthusiast, go hunting, or like to fish, join this club. The club operates a shooting range on post and can also organize fishing and hunting trips. Contact John Antes at 380-6372 or john.r.antes.mil@mail.mil.

Now through Feb. 25 and March31

Applications available for Welfare Grants and Student Scholarships from Military & Civilian Spouses’ Club. Welfare Grants awarded to non-profit organizations and government entities based on merit and need. Scholarships for local students in need of tuition assistance. Welfare Grant applications due Feb. 25; scholarship applications due March 31. Visit www.mcscftirwin.org for eligibility criteria and applications.

Now – Feb.14

Signups for Start Smart youth baseball. Youth Sports and Fitness. Three to 4-year-olds learn fundamentals of baseball, March 11 – April 15. $20. Parent Central building 109. Call 362-2855.

Now – Feb. 28

Signups for youth t-ball and baseball. Youth Sports and Fitness. T-ball, 5 to 6 years; baseball, 9 to 15 years. Learn fundamentals of baseball and compete as a team. Season, March 29 – May 17. $60. Parent Central building 109. 362-2855.

Now – Feb. 28

Draw your favorite President and win a prize. Arts & Crafts. Categories: ages 4-5 and 6-7. Turn in your drawing at Arts & Crafts, building 976. Call 380-3431.

Feb. 8

Sign-up deadline for Big Bear Snow Play. Outdoor Recreation. Trip is Feb. 15. Adult transportation, $25; children up to 13 years, $18. Call 380-4327.

Feb. 13

MCSC “Speed-Friending-Fun” luncheon. 11 a.m. Sandy Basin Community Center. Join the Military and Civilian Spouses’ Club to meet fellow spouses and make new friends in a fun environment. Crafters, vendors and opportunity prizes. Register by Feb. 9 at www.mcscftirwin.org; $13. Accepting donations for Fort Irwin Stray Animal Facility such as unopened dog and cat food, laundry detergent and slightly-used towels and blankets. Receive two opportunity tickets per item donated.

Feb. 15

Sign-up deadline for San Diego Whale Watching. Outdoor Recreation. Trip is Feb. 22. Adult transportation, $35; children up to 13 years, $25. Purchase boat tickets at a discount with Leisure Travel Services. LTS, 380- 4767/3431; Outdoor Rec., 380-4327.

Feb. 22

7th annual Snowshoe the Bear. 10 a.m. The Village at Big Bear, Calif. Fun for the whole family. A 5k and 10k course to challenge every ability level. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Enjoy scenic trails and unsurpassed views of beautiful Big Bear Lake. Dogs allowed. Snowshoes required. Register online at www.snowshoethebear.com (5k, $25; 10k, $45) or at the event (5k, $35; 10k, $55).

Fort Irwin Tax Center offers free income tax filing for Soldiers, Families, others who qualify

Gustavo Bahena

(Left to right, foreground) Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Travers, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Miller, and Maj. Gen. Ted Martin cut a ribbon at this year’s traditional opening of the Fort Irwin Tax Center, Jan. 17. Martin and Travers are the National Training Center and Fort Irwin command team. Miller is the NTC Staff Judge Advocate. Miller’s organization operates the tax center.

There remains approximately two months until the deadline for filing income tax returns.

If you think you have a refund coming to you, why wait for April 15 to file? And if you’ll owe, you don’t want to pay interest on the amount Uncle Sam wants to collect from you.

Either way, if you have questions about filing taxes, the place to visit is the Fort Irwin Tax Center in building 288 on Barstow Road, across from the Center Chapel. Free tax preparation services are offered to: active duty Soldiers and their dependents; military retirees and their dependents, and; Reserve and National Guard Soldiers on orders for 30 days or more. The Tax Center opened its doors to the community on Jan. 21; hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and they make appointments by phone at 380-3604. Walk-in customers are also welcome. Service on some Saturdays will also be available.

What can the tax center do for you? Well, last year, the center generated $3,168,676 in tax refunds and saved $214,911 in tax preparation fees for the 1,097 customers it served, according to Capt. Joseph Galli, an attorney with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, here. Returns are filed by six Soldiers (from various units here) trained in tax preparation certified by the Internal Revenue Service, said Galli.
They will be assisted by two trained volunteers.

At the traditional Tax Center ribbon cutting ceremony, Jan. 17, National Training Center and Fort Irwin commander Maj. Gen. Ted Martin met and spoke with the center staff. He praised the Soldiers and volunteers for serving the community, who is the benefactor of a service considered indispensable by leadership.

“The command decided that this was an essential element of taking care of Soldiers and their Families,” Martin said. “The best we can do for our Families is, at least, lessen the burden. Times are tough and every dollar counts. Why would we spend money to have somebody help us do those taxes when we have this great opportunity here?”
Customers of the tax center should bring paperwork that includes: military ID card; social security card; W-2; 1099-R; 1099-INT or other tax documents regarding income and expenses, and; last year’s tax return. For more information call 380-3604.

Christina Hansen, a veterinarian technician, here, holds
Duke, a lab-mix that was eventually adopted by a resident
of Fort Irwin.

Unregistered stray pets use up resources

If you’re an animal lover you’re not going to like the following number.

346.

That is the number of stray animals (dogs primarily) that were brought in to the Fort Irwin Veterinary Treatment Facility in fiscal year 2012-2013 (Oct. 2012 – Sept. 2013), according to data provided by Capt. Jennifer Schaefer, veterinarian and officer in charge of the facility.

“No dog or cat comes 35 miles from Barstow to come to Fort Irwin, so there is no such thing as a stray on Fort Irwin,” Schaefer said. “They were always somebody’s pet.”  Most of those stray pets were picked up by Fort Irwin police and taken to the facility. Once at the facility, 101 animals were never claimed. The good news is that 75 went to new homes, here and off-post.

So, are Soldiers and families really leaving these pets behind when they move to a different installation or leave the Army?

Not necessarily so, said Mike Butolph, deputy director of Emergency Services. Some pets are never reunited, because owners might not want to pay for costs involved with reclaiming the animal. Some owners might not have followed pet policies initially and do not want to start a process that involves a registration process, and costs – with the veterinarian facility and Pinnacle housing on post.  Stray animals are scanned for microchip data at the police station, Butolph said. The animal is turned over to the veterinarian facility soon after, with the microchip data – if there was any. If there was data, the facility staff assists by trying to locate the owner, Schaefer said. Even if a current owner is contacted, facility staff – and law enforcement for that matter – has no real authority forcing an owner to reclaim an animal. There even isn’t a ticket that can be issued, Butolph said.

Some of the costs associated with a stray sheltered at the facility include an impound fee of $15 per day; also, vaccines must be up to date before an animal is released (vaccines vary from $10 to $18). Impound fees go up for repeat strays. Schaefer mentioned there have been instances when owners do not claim animals for days, because the impound fee is cheaper than private kennel services.

The veterinary facility is not an animal shelter or a kennel, Schaefer said. There are only eight dog kennels and there is no funding for sheltering and caring of strays. Pet food and litter is provided by donations from the community.  The staff, consisting of three Soldiers and five civilian employees, care and clean up after the animals. The selfless service by the staff benefits animals whose owners have followed regulations that require registration of pets.  Adhering to those rules makes it easier for a roaming doggy or kitty to be reunited expeditiously with a worried owner.

“It is a post policy that any animal living on the installation has to be micro-chipped and up to date on their core vaccines, as well as registered here,” Schaefer said. “The reason for that is when your dog is loose, we can find it and we can reunite you. So, if we had better compliance on that, then we wouldn’t have so many strays that end up with us having to take care of them – or a rescue [shelter] has to take care of them.”  By installation policy, pets must registered at the veterinary facility. Pinnacle housing also requires pets to be registered with its office. The Web page at www.irwin.army.mil/Community/HousingRCI/Pages/PetPolicy has detail information about Fort Irwin’s and Pinnacle’s policy.

Pinnacle’s paperwork can be downloaded and printed. For more information call (888) 419-6499.  Police and veterinarian staff perform a noble service by picking up stray animals, caring for them, trying to identify owners, and getting them adopted when no one comes forward. However, these honorable actions come at a cost.

The mission of Fort Irwin law enforcement is to protect the community, Butolph said. The mission of the veterinarian facility is to take care of government-owned animals, such as police working dogs (7), horses (25), and other animals that add realism to the training at the National Training Center, said Schaefer. Schaefer also said that her organization is responsible for food inspection.

Butolph explained that law enforcement assets are utilized when a call is taken by the Fort Irwin dispatch center reporting a stray animal. Fort Irwin, similar to most installations, does not have animal control resources, so police perform the search and capture of pets. From the initial call to dispatch and a successful transition to the veterinarian clinic, the time involved can be as much as three hours – if the animal is captured the same day.

Butolph recommends Soldiers and families submit work orders to repair fencing deficiencies causing pets to escape yards. Residents of on-post housing can call the service request line at (855) 646-6420.

The Department of Defense recognizes the importance of stakeholder participation in the Installation Restoration Program Process.  Therefore, Fort Irwin is soliciting interest in establishing a Restoration Advisory Board to improve public participation and involve the community in the restoration decision-making process.

The RAB is intended to include community  members, who reflect the diverse interests of the local community.  The RAB will be asked to review and comment on plans and activities relating to the ongoing environmental studies and restoration activities at Fort Irwin.  Members will have the opportunity to provide input on activities that will accelerate the restoration. Members will also be expected to serve as a voluntary liaison between the RAB and community members, and be available to meet with community members and/or groups.  The RAB meetings will be open to the public.

Applications will be reviewed and approved by a selection panel comprised of representatives of Fort Irwin, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances and Barstow representatives, as appropriate. To qualify, interested parties must be local residents of the area(s) impacted/affected by the Fort Irwin Restoration Program.  The RAB members will be expected to serve a one- to two-year term and regularly attend RAB meetings.

For more information or to request a RAB membership application form, contact Justine Dishart, Chief Environmental Division, or Mary Hastings, Environmental Compliance Manager, at 602 5th Street, Fort Irwin, 92310 or (760) 380-5044.

11 ACR Troopers earn their spurs

A total of 83 Troopers from 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment earned their spurs in a time-honored unit event called the Spur Ride, Feb. 2-3.

Although the Cavalry no longer use horses tactically, the Spur Ride remains a long-standing tradition adopted by the United States Cavalry, dating back to the days of knighthood. While Spur Rides vary from unit to unit, the traditions all center on a heritage of horsemanship.

A Trooper throws a simulated hand grenade during a Spur Ride held by 1st
Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at the National Training Center.

First Lt. Andrew Roland, with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1/11 ACR, served as the officer-in-charge of the planning and execution of the squadron Spur Ride. Roland explained that candidates are referred to as “shaved tails” – a name that is derived from the days when cavalrymen were mounted on horseback. Spurs were not given to Troopers new to riding since a new rider’s lack of experience could present a danger to those around him. When a new Trooper arrived to their unit and received their horse, the mare’s tail would be shaved.  The bare tail warned other cavalrymen that the rider was inexperienced in handling the animal and room should be given for him to maneuver.

“By the time the horse was able to grow out its tail, the Trooper was considered trained and that horse was able to join him in combat from there on,” Roland said.

Spur Rides are seen as a rite-of-passage. They are not what some often confuse with a form of hazing. Hazing typically involves punishment as a rite-of-passage with no defined purpose; a Spur Ride creates a controlled stressful environment for candidates in order to promote teamwork – a crucial necessity for all Army training and more importantly, any battlefield.

Spur Ride candidates began separated into squads before rotating through several training stations involving everything from dismounted patrols to using hand grenades.  Only after shaved tails proved proficiency could they road-march back to garrison to be awarded their spurs. From then on, Troopers can wear the coveted spurs on their boots during military ceremonies.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I know what I am doing, to show that I can do this and uphold the legacy of the cavalry,” said Pfc. Ryan C. Abbott, a newly-made spur holder assigned to HHT, 1/11 ACR.

Traditions are passed down from one generation to the next, whether it is being told or shown to new spur holders.  “Being able to pass the knowledge that I had gained when I went through the Spur Ride makes me feel like I am a mentor to the new candidates,” said Spc. Caleb J. Smith, a Spur Ride lane walker from HHT, 1/11 ACR. “It makes me feel good that I was able to show these new spur hopefuls the ropes. Once they are inducted into the [Order of the Spur], there will be a feeling of camaraderie amongst us that wasn’t there before,” Smith said.

An 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Trooper atop an Opposing Forces Surrogate Vehicle, (OSV) awaits battle with the approaching 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during training at the National Training Center, June 2013.

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment has spent the last 18 months training and executing decisive action opposing force tactics, and as of February they have been called the measuring stick of the Army.

The 11th ACR has played the role of opposing force at the National Training Center since 1994. However, that role has evolved every time the current operational environment has changed. In the 1990’s, the unit portrayed a near-peer force specializing in mechanized infantry and tank battles in desert terrain. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, 11th ACR Soldiers replicated urban insurgencies, local national security forces, and civilians on the battlefield.  Recently, the Blackhorse has given United States Army units the challenge of facing asymmetric tactics in the mountains and small villages similar to what units face in Afghanistan. However, in the last two years, the 11th ACR has pursued the challenge of replicating a combination of every role it has portrayed in the last 20 years.

After more than a decade of portraying an insurgency, the 11th ACR returned to replicating foreign tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and tow missile trucks – a near-peer conventional force that was feared during the 1990s. The latest transition in roles for the regiment is required for decisive action (DA) rotations that prepare brigade-size elements (referred to as rotational units or RTU’s) for world-wide deployments against a near-peer enemy. Furthermore, DA rotations prepare units to not only face a mechanized force, but brigades also have to partner with local Army elements and face the challenge of counter insurgency operations against an asymmetric guerrilla element.

“As the opposing force at the National Training Center, 11th ACR serves as the measuring stick for the Army,” said Col. John Ward, commander of 11th ACR. “If we are not creating the most challenging battlefield conditions in the world for the rotational units, we are doing them a disservice.  It is our job to allow them to learn through their actions while adjusting their tactics, techniques, and procedures accordingly.  Their hardest days should be in the Mojave Desert, which will only better them should they go overseas to face a real enemy.”

During the first few modern-day DA rotations, the fights were not as one sided as they were supposed to be. In the spring of 2013, 1st Squadron, 11th ACR got the opportunity to train on a DA platform.  They received training from the observer/coach/trainers of Operations Group, who normally focus on RTU’s. Training began at the platoon level and eventually expanded up to the squadron level, focusing on planning, maneuver techniques, as well as perfecting use of the equipment.

Shortly after this training event, the 11th ACR replicated a near-peer opposing force during NTC rotation 13-08.  However, this time they won all four major battles in the most convincing manner in more than two decades.

Troopers assigned to I Battery, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment engage targets of opportunity while playing the role of enemy forces against 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, while training at the National Training Center, June 2013.

“We went from nearly no maneuver capability to fully utilizing U.S. doctrine in combined arms maneuver,” explained Capt. Sebastian Engels, commander of C Troop, 1/11ACR.

“The exercises allowed for fundamentals to be developed at the lowest levels in the sections and platoons, troop and squadron operations. Rotational performance enhanced exponentially following the repeated FTX’s and showed in our success during Rotation 13-08.”

It has been approximately 18 months since the 11th ACR set out to re-affirm itself as the nationally-feared opposing force, and in February, the 11th ACR ended another rotation with a series of convincing victories. Blackhorse Troopers walk with a swagger these days with the motto of, “This Is Our House” and an attitude of never being beat.  However, every Blackhorse Trooper will acknowledge the importance of their impact on brigade combat teams coming to Fort Irwin and the magnitude of being the best, so that they can legitimately improve the rest of the Army.

1/11 ACR, portrays the sentiment of the entire regiment by saying: “I am proud to be a part of the improvements that this unit has gone through. We have learned to technically master our systems that used to present a challenge for us, reach our potential and train the RTU to the fullest capacity. Our main goal is to indirectly prevent Soldiers from dying in combat.”

An exercise participant packages materials taken from a suspected “chemical weapons” facility during a training exercise here, Jan. 31.

Tucked in among the mountains, rock and desert landscape of the National Training Center instruction continues to challenge members of America’s armed forces and that of its partner nations.

Already well known for the realism included in training scenarios and the austere environment that greets new arrivals, the center added a new wrinkle Jan. 31 – by introducing the ability to test units on dealing with weapons of mass destruction and prevent, among other things, their use and proliferation.

“This is the first time there’s ever been a CBRNE Battalion task force included as part of a training rotation,” said Maj. Bradley Stremlau, of the 20th CBRNE Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.  CBRNE refers to their specialty which focuses on mitigating Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives hazards.

The CBRNE Battalion task force, he said, was challenged with integrating into a maneuver force and brigade combat team. For January’s rotation that meant working with the 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. One training scenario included engaging opposition forces that were producing sarin gas.  It required the CBRNE Response Team to partner with the brigades’ 2-3 Infantry Regiment, which was tasked with securing the objective area and facilities suspected of housing chemical weapons.

Once successfully secured, the CRT moved in to assess, characterize, and exploit the site – a small aluminum-sided warehouse containing “chemical processing equipment, artillery shells and large tanks used to store the gas.”

“There were several objectives, but basically we’re charged with systematically locating, characterizing, and securing or destroying WMD programs, networks and related capabilities,” Stremlau said.  At depth, that means preventing looting or capture of WMD and related material by enemies, while exploiting program experts, documents and other media found on such sites to prevent the proliferation of material, technology, or personalities associated with the WMD network.

“There are four phases of WMD elimination,” Stremlau stressed. “Isolation, exploitation, destruction, and monitoring/redirection; but first we have to safely shut down operations at each site, take samples, and mitigate associated hazards.”

He added that the environment provided by NTC ensures there are challenges regarding communications which, given the unit’s particular mandate, are extremely
important. This particular training scenario took place in a valley surrounded by steep hills and mountainous terrain.

The end result, however, was well-worth the frustration and obstacles interjected by scenario developers, according to Soldiers.  “It’s not fun, but the training definitely helps me with proficiency,” said Pfc. Kim Landicho, 24, from the Bronx, N.Y., and member of the CRT. “I’ve never been deployed so the environment here really helps prepare you for one in the future – so you’re not shocked. Every mission or training scenario taught me something new I can use.”

The training Landicho received is provided at the NTC to some 50,000 United States and multinational forces each year across a wide range of military operations,
ensuring combat units are ready for worldwide contingencies.

Army Campaign

During March, the country observes National Women’s History Month.  The theme, “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment,” honors the extraordinary and often unrecognized determination and tenacity of women. Against social convention and often legal restraints, women have created legacies that expand the frontiers of possibility for their character, courage and commitment as mothers, Soldiers, educators, relief workers, institution builders, CEO’s, and as leaders in communities, politics, labor, and religion.

This legacy inspires girls and women to achieve their full potential and encourages boys and men to respect the diversity and depth of women’s experience.

Brain Injury Awareness Month is also recognized in March and serves to inform us that a brain injury can happen anytime, anywhere to anyone – brain injuries do not discriminate.  Did you know that 2.4 million people sustain a brain injury each year? An injury that happens in an instant can bring a lifetime of physical, cognitive, and behavioral challenges, but early, equal, and adequate access to care will greatly increase overall quality of life. Help honor the millions of people with brain injury, who with proper acute care, therapeutic rehabilitation and adequate long-term supports, are living with the successes and challenges that each day brings.

Your Community

Fort Irwin’s Spring Fling event takes place March 28-31, starting with a Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Ceremony and Motorcycle Ride. Spring Fling will feature children’s activities, food vendors, music, educational and safety demonstrations, and carnival rides.

ONGOING

Free tax preparation services. Fort Irwin Tax Center, building 288. All Active Duty, Retirees, and their dependents, as well as Reserve and National Guard on orders for more than 30 days, can use the Tax Center for free tax preparation.

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Call for an appointment at 380-3604. Walk-ins also welcomed.

MARCH 31

Applications available for student scholarships from Military & Civilian Spouses’ Club. Scholarships are for local students in need of tuition assistance. Visit  www.mcscftirwin.org for eligibility criteria and applications.

MARCH 9

BOSS car wash. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Blue Track parking lot. Support the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers at their fundraiser event. 267-1726.

MARCH 11

Battle Color Ceremony. Noon. Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow. Featuring the world famous U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, Silent Drill Team and Color Guard from the historic Marine Barracks in Washington D.C. Free. 577-6430.

MARCH 15

Deadline to nominate volunteers for Volunteer of the Year.  Anyone can nominate a volunteer at http://fortirwinfmwr.com/

Also, make sure to RSVP your volunteers for the Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony by April 1 (ceremony is April 11). RSVP at 380-8422; provide names and count of volunteers attending ceremony.

MARCH

Spouse Resiliency Training. 8:30 a.m. to noon. Sleepy Hollow Community Center. A free training hosted by Army Community Service. Free childcare with advance registration. 380-5165.

MARCH 29

Clever Clover 5k/2k fun run. 8-10 a.m. Freedom Fitness Center. Pre-register for $3 or $5 on race day. 380-7720.

APRIL 2

Autism Awareness Day Walk. 9-10:30 a.m. Blue track. Wear something blue; learn about autism, other community programs, and events at information booths. 380-3698.

TIEFORD VIEW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL EVENTS

March 7. Read Across America “Crazy Socks Day” (Dr. Seuss theme)

March 25-27. Parent Teacher conferences; minimum day for students.

MEDDAC, NTC and Fort Irwin

Fox James – boy

March 2 at 4:30 a.m.

5 lbs., 15 oz., 19.6 inches

Capt. Zachary and Sherry Wiles

Unit: 2/11th ACR

Adrian Paul – boy

March 4 at 8:24 a.m.

8 lbs., 2 oz.

Spc. Nicholas and Frances Foster

Unit: 58th CEC

Zaiden – boy

March 8 at 8:10 p.m.

7 lbs., 2 oz., 20 inches

PV2 Brandon and Rebekka Perez

Unit: 1/11th ACR

Bayleigh Renee – girl

March 11 at 1:12 a.m.

5 lbs., 13 oz., 18.5 inches

Pfc. Tyler and Tressa Fankhauser

Unit: Maint. Troop, RSS, 11th ACR

Maleek De’Andre Basille – boy

March 12 at 8:33 a.m.

6 lbs., 13 oz., 19.25 inches

Spc. Jermaine and Manuela Robinson

Unit: HHT, 1/11th ACR

Aliyah – girl

March 15 at 6:45 p.m.

8 lbs., 3 oz., 21 inches

Spc. Andres Ramirez and Nadia Mendoza

Unit: HHT, RSS, 11th ACR

Persinna Toni – girl

March 17 at 1:58 p.m.

7 lbs., 6oz., 19.5 inches

Sgt. 1st Class Patrick and Tina Williams

Unit: OPS GRP

Kash Rakim – boy

March 19 at 8:36 p.m.

7 lbs., 5 oz., 18.9 inches

Spc. Lechelle and Jarde Stormer

Unit/Company: HHC, 1916th SPT BN

George Lee – boy

March 24 at 8:04 a.m.

8 lbs., 3oz., 20.1 inches

Lt. Col. Michael Martin and Maj. Hillary Martin

Unit: OPS GRP

Amelia Ingrid Kristine – girl

March 24 at 10:24 a.m.

6 lbs., 14 oz., 18.5 inches

Tashawn and Regina Freeman

Unit/Company: 1/11th ACR

Gavin – boy

March 25 at 10:07 a.m.

7 lbs., 13 oz., 20.9 inches

Sgt. Denzel Oliver and Spc. Yolanda Oliver

Unit/Company: S&T Troop, RSS, 11th ACR

Although the next school year is still months away, it’s time to start getting ready to enroll children in preschool and kindergarten.

Colin Powell State Preschool on Fort Irwin is currently accepting enrollment packages. The school is for 3 and 4-year-old children. It is funded by the California State Department of Education and operated by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. The school is located at 37041 Rhineland Drive and the phone number is 386-7940. See the flyer on this page for enrollment information.

Lewis Elementary School on post will be conducting a transitional kindergarten and kindergarten round-up April 29 and May 8, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The school is located at 1800 Black Hawk Drive and the phone number is 386-1900. Requirements include: parent/guardian contact information and two local emergency contacts. Enrollment packets will be available on the day of registration. Representatives from Mary Walker Clinic and DENTAC will be available to schedule appointments for physicals or dental screenings. Health and other required documents are listed on the flyer on this page.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Fort Irwin Water Treatment Plant construction project is underway.

Construction and ground placement of new water pipes will periodically occur on post and outside the cantonment area. Currently, tractor-trailer trucks will be in the vicinity of the construction site at Goldstone and Outer Loop Roads, northbound lanes of Outer Loop from Goldstone Road to Barstow Road and later, Barstow Road north to the water well site at Bicycle Lake. Contractors will be staging large blue PVC pipes approximately 70 feet off the roadway surface on the desert side. The staged pipe will be fenced in by orange mesh fencing. Project officials would like to remind the public to stay out of the fenced area and use caution when walking their pets in the area.

The facility is designed to treat up to six million gallons of potable water per day to the inhabitants of the National Training Center. The new WTP will use a combination of electro-dialysis reversal technology, reverse osmosis, and a mechanical evaporator to purify the water to achieve the post’s 99 percent water recovery rate requirement. The EDR separates contaminants from source water through an electrochemical process. Fort Irwin Garrison officials estimate 50,000 Soldiers train at the NTC annually and 85 percent of the permanently assigned community lives on the post.

The current system uses reverse osmosis to treat potable water at the post.

For background information or general information about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, contact the Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public Affairs Office at (213) 452-3921 or visit the Web site http://www.spl.usace.army.mil.

Children partake in a coloring activity at the Environmental Center for Directorate of Public Works at Fort Irwin, March 14. The students, who are homeschooled, were on a monthly trip for children of the homeschooled community of this installation.

Living or working on Fort Irwin puts its community well into the desert, but it also provides a great opportunity to learn about the unique environment of the Mojave.

Being good stewards of the land, the United States Army at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin employs experts in the fields of archaeology and biology. Those experts perform a mission to inform Soldiers and Families of the wonders and dangers of animals and plants, and about past inhabitants of the area. A group of students took advantage of that expertise during an outing to the Environmental Center of Directorate of Public Works here, March 14.

Approximately 40 homeschooled students, elementary to high school, attended the open house, said Stacey Baquera, military spouse and head of the homeschool community. Groups of students rotated through six stations displaying insects, snakes, tortoises and demonstrations of skill used by Native American Indians in the past. At the anthropology station, archaeologist Matthew Yacubic showed students how past indigenous people worked stone and obsidian to make tools and hunting gear. He also allowed students to use a metate (grinding stone) to crush seeds.

Dakota Taylor,15 and in the 10th grade, holds a replica weapon handed to him by Matthew Yacubic, archeologist with Directorate of Public Works here. The weapon would have been used by Native American Indians who lived in the Fort Irwin area.

April Billingsley, a military spouse here, attended with: son, Josiah 3; nieces Jordan, 13, and Ariona, 8, and ; nephew Gary, 7. She provides homeschool instruction to the four and said the trip for them was really great.

Jordan called the exhibits “cool” and enjoyed leaning about the Mojave ground squirrel and snakes.

At the desert tortoise exhibit, lead biologist Liana Aker explained to the youth that the threatened species can live many years, such as Dozer, who is 50 years old and is one of three tortoises that reside in pens outside the facility. She explained that sightings of tortoises at the NTC and Fort Irwin are reported to the department of Fish and Wildlife.

Baquera praised the DPW experts as very knowledgeable and called the opportunity to visit their facility as awesome. She stated that the homeschool group goes on a trip about once a month. Previous outings have been to a train museum and Harvey House in Barstow and the Shark Reef Aquarium in Las Vegas. Future trips include the Riley Farms in Oak Glen for Civil War reenactments and Sea World in San Diego.
 

Students participate in an activity demonstrating tools and techniques used in archeology. The students are from a group that receives homeschool instruction while living on Fort Irwin.

An insect display was one of six stations at the Environmental Center at Fort Irwin that students visited, March 14.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rob Lopez, a UH-72 A Lakota helicopter pilot with B Company, 2916th Aviation Battalion here, speaks to children from the School Age Services program about the Sokol helicopter mission at the National Training Center.

For some kids, having a day off from school might allow for a few more video games before mom or dad gets home.

But for the children of School Age Services, here, a scheduled day off Feb. 14 meant they got to learn about fire safety, the environment and the helicopter mission of the National Training Center.

Children participating in the SAS program spend days off supervised and kept busy with activities at building 1322. The program (under Child, Youth & School Services) has an enrollment of about 100 children, said Ivette Guadalupe, Child & Youth program assistant. Approximately 65 went on a trip hosted by 2916th Aviation Battalion, 916th Support Brigade, to the post helipad. At the helipad, six demonstration stations were staffed by Fort Irwin Fire Department personnel, the Bureau of Land Management, and Soldiers of the 2916th AVN BN.

Children from the School Age Services program at Fort Irwin receive instructions about a helicopter crewmember’s helmet from Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Barker, of B Company, 2916th Aviation Battalion here.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tony Lozano, a helicopter pilot and safety officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2916th, said the unit serves as a sponsor to SAS (similar to other units who sponsor a school on post) and the relationship allows Soldiers to give back to the community.

The partnership, begun in August 2013, has been truly amazing and a huge support for the program, said Andrea Wooley, director of SAS.

“It has been an overall positive influence for the program,” Wooley said.

Paige Lyday, 10 years old and in fifth grade at Tiefort View Intermediate School, said she liked learning about the cargo net used under UH-72A Lakota helicopters. Her friend Christian Lloyd, 11 years old and also a fifth grader at TVIS, explained that the net can carry up to 1,500 pounds. He found interesting the camouflage helicopters (known as Sokols), which are used in the training mission.

Fort Irwin Fire Department firefighter Jacob Chavez describes the tools and capabilities of a fire engine to children of the School Age Services program at Fort Irwin.

“That’s what I liked the best,” Christian said. “They fly behind the mountains and they use them for ‘laser-tag.’”

Fort Irwin Fire Department personnel taught children about fire truck capabilities and fire safety at home. Firefighter Jacob Chavez described the tools on a fire engine and explained that the truck’s main water cannon can expel 1,200 gallons of water per minute. Inside a smoke trailer, fire prevention specialist Patty Setter instructed children to stay low when smoke fills a room and crawl out the nearest exit.

The trip also allowed the children to get out of the SAS facility and release their energy, said Wooley. The SAS program offers care, before and after school, with options for before school only or after school only, for children in first through fifth grade. Participants can also get full day care services during out of school periods, excluding federal holidays, during the school year. For more information call 380-4163/4164. Children must be registered through CYSS at Parent Central, building 109.

Fort Irwin fire prevention specialist Patty Setter turns the smoke machine on for a demonstration on how to get out of a room filled with smoke. Children of the School Age Services program on Fort Irwin get ready to get low, and crawl to the nearest exit.

Ongoing

Free tax preparation services. Fort Irwin Tax Center, building 288. All Active Duty, Retirees, and their dependents, as well as Reserve and National Guard on orders for more than 30 days, can use the Tax Center for free tax preparation. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Call for an appointment at 380-3604. Appointments are prioritized and recommended. Walk-ins are also welcomed.

Sportman’s Club. If you’re a gun enthusiast, go hunting, or like to fish, join this club. The club operates a shooting range on post and can also organize fishing and hunting trips. Contact John Antes at 380-6372 or john.r.antes.mil@mail.mil.

Signups for Operation Kids Camp at Camp Nawakwa in the Barton Flats Area of the San Bernardino Mountains. June 22-27. Open to youth 8 to 14 years of an active duty or retired family member; $395 fee. Fort Irwin personnel receive a 25 percent discount. Archery, cookouts, team building, swimming and more. Go to www.campfiretoday.org.

April 7-9

Fort Irwin Desert Bombers softball team tryouts. 5:30-7 p.m. Softball Fourplex. Open to Active Duty and DOD civilians, 18 or older. Must attend all tryout dates. Bring your own equipment. Final roster will be posted by April 10. Call 713-0812, (626) 533-3001 or (706) 573-8844.

April 10

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Army Field and Mary Walker Clinic. Bring your old and expired prescriptions or over the counter medicines to have them disposed correctly.

April 10, 17, 24

Xbox Battle Rattle. 5:30 p.m. Warrior Zone. Show off your video game skills. Fort Irwin Gamers meet on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. A Soldiers-only facility. 380-3585.

April 12

Family Movie Night. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Town Center. Free family movie; bring your own chair, blanket, food and beverages. 380-6880.

April 19

Free Easter breakfast for children. 9:30 – 10 a.m. Commissary. Serving breakfast to children, ages 1 -10. RSVP at 380-3560 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-2p.m.) by April 17. Breakfast will include waffles or French toast sticks, baked goods, orange juice and two percent milk.
Easter Egg Hunt. 10 a.m. Blue track field at corner of Inner Loop Road and Barstow Road. PWOC invites the Fort Irwin community to bring children, fifth grade and younger, to an Easter Egg hunt.

May 14

Ribbon cutting ceremony for AbilityOne Base Supply Center. 9 a.m. The Lighthouse for the Blind will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the center at South Depot Road and Inner Loop Road. The center provides supplies for government agencies, whose purchases support the employment of people who are blind.

School Events

Lewis Elementary School

• April 29 – Lewis Kindergarten Round-Up, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fort Irwin Middle School

• April 14 – 9th Grade Orientation at SVHS, 6 p.m. (current 8th graders)
• April 28 – 8th Grade CST in Science
• April 30 – Drama Club Musical/Play Performance in FIMS gym, 5:30 p.m.

Silver Valley High School

• April 26 – Prom at Historic Harvey House in Barstow, 6 p.m.

Staff of the Fort Irwin Base Supply Center gather for a photo with Karen Kidd (center, right), vice president of operations, Base Supply Center at The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Customers of the BSC can meet the staff at a ribbon cutting ceremony, where there will be free hotdogs and refreshments from
11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., May 15.

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. recently completed construction of the newest AbilityOne Base Supply Center located at the corner of South Depot Road and Inner Loop on Fort Irwin. This is the seventh BSC operated by The Lighthouse for the Blind, based in Seattle, Wash.

There are more than 140 AbilityOne BSC’s on military and federal installations. Purchases at the BSC support the employment of people who are blind.

The BSC offers a wide range of commercial products for office, janitorial/sanitation, and mission specific items. These items are available for purchase to government, military and contractors using government purchase card for payment, or corporate credit cards.

AbilityOne has a 15-year history of operating BSC’s with extensive knowledge of the everyday items required to meet organizations’ missions. The BSC can source national stock number and commercial items for unique needs.

Seth Smith, a clerk at the Fort Irwin Base Supply Center, started his first job with the BSC in February. He is legally blind and lives in Apple Valley, riding the commuter bus to work full-time, Monday through Friday.

The Fort Irwin BSC is more than 9,200 square feet and features a special order desk where customers can order products not on the shelf, including items from GSA or DLA.

Stop in for a tour, pick up a catalog and meet the friendly staff. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. For more information about the store, contact the manager, Eletha Wade, at 686-4100 or at ewade@seattlelh.org.