Fort Irwin (San Bernardino County, California)

San Bernardino County · California · Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, War on Terror

Quick BriefPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range in 1940, covering approximately 1,000 square miles in the Mojave Desert. In 1942, it was renamed Camp Irwin in honor of Major General George LeRoy Irwin, a World War I commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. In August 1961, the garrison was designated a permanent installation and renamed Fort Irwin. The National Training Center was officially activated on October 16, 1980 and Fort Irwin returned to active status on July 1, 1981, becoming the Army's premier training facility.

Active base today

History & Significance

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range in 1940 as a military reservation of approximately 1,000 square miles in the California desert. The range served as a training ground for anti-aircraft batteries stationed at Camp Haan on March Field in Riverside and acted as the first line of defense against potential attacks on Kaiser Steel in Fontana during World War II.

In 1942, the facility was renamed Camp Irwin in honor of Major General George LeRoy Irwin, commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade during World War I. The camp was deactivated in 1944 and reopened in 1951 as the Armored Combat Training Area, serving as a training center for combat units during the Korean War. In August 1961, the garrison was designated a permanent installation and renamed Fort Irwin.

On August 9, 1979, the Department of the Army announced that Fort Irwin had been selected as the site for the National Training Center due to its over 1,000 square miles for maneuvering, uncluttered electromagnetic spectrum, and isolation. The National Training Center was officially activated on October 16, 1980 and Fort Irwin returned to active status on July 1, 1981, with Brigadier General James T. Bramlett as the first commanding officer.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the NTC transformed to focus on continuous counterinsurgency operations reflecting the rapidly changing battlefield. Following the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the National Training Center began training soldiers for future fights against major near-peer adversaries.