Page 6 - Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, June 2021

6 High Desert Warrior www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin High Desert Warrior 7
June 2021
June 2021
News News

The Villages’ community pool reopens Colonel Simmering earns Place in the Desert

By Annette Pritt
Courtesy of the Villages at Fort Irwin Housing • Appointments can only be booked 24 hours or less in advance.
Please book your time slot ahead of time guarantee entry. Walk-ins Operations Group Public A airs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e community pool at the Villages can scan the QR code at the entrance. THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, Calif. — Col. Michael Simmering, the Com-
closed for the season in September 2019 and reopened on May 7, Pool Hours: mander of the Operations Group, earned his Place in the Desert (PID) on May 5.
following a year of COVID-19 restrictions. e pool’s normal season • Mondays: Noon – 8 p.m. PID’s are placed throughout the training area (known as “The Box”) in honor of the soldiers
from May to September 2020 was canceled, due to the pandemic, but • Tuesdays- Sundays: 10a.m. – 8p.m. and leaders who have signi cantly contributed to the mission at the National Training Center.
residents are excited about being able to take a dip in the water again. Sandy Basin Pool COVID-19 Restrictions: “Simmering’s Summit” was unveiled near Hill 780E in honor of the 27th Commander of Op-
“I’m also very thankful that the pool is available,” Katie Smith • Masks will be required by Visitors and Pool Monitors when not in erations Group.
posted to the Villages Facebook page.” Another resident, Jenn Calhoun the pool Simmering served as what’s called “Outlaw 01” my soldiers, from July 2019 through June
posted, “I am also beyond grateful to be able to use the pool.” • Temperatures will be taken at time of arrival 2021. “Simmering’s Summit” will continuously serve as a beacon to all units who train at the
Leaders at the Villages said they were thrilled to announce the NTC. It is a representation of the many dedicated hours spent observing, coaching and train-
reopening of the pool, saying reservations were required. • Pool water chemical levels will be checked every two hours ing rotational units, and the impact he has made on the Operations Group and e National
• There will be one entrance into the pool facility and one exit out
“Given we are restricted to only 120 in the pool area at a time, Training Center as a whole.
please be thoughtful of other families and give them a chance to enjoy • You must be 18 years of age and older unless accompanied by an adult
the facility as well,” the Villages’ commented on their Facebook page. • Due to restrictions, pool parties will not be authorized Foundation’s Point Cookies for Military Spouses
“ is won’t last forever. anks so much for being patient with all • A limit of 8 persons allowed per group. 15 families (120 max oc-
the limitations.” cupancy) will be allowed to swim on the hour for 50 minutes. Pool
Here are some of the rules and modifications (for a complete list, will be closed for the remaining 10 minutes for cleaning.
visit: https://mailchi.mp/1f7262a43f54/may-newsletter-pool-reopens- • Restrooms will be available dedication honors
post-yard-sale-infant-massage?fbclid=IwAR3eWBAZMPSmq51DQT • Showers and changing stalls will not be available
aG1u6gWa549OB523F5JmT7DDKxVUoz5ilJx4r8mF0) • Each family will be assigned a 12 feet by 12 feet space around the
• Attendance is BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (https://villagesat- pool deck and encouraged to stay within their 12 feet of space Army civilians
fortirwin.as.me/pool) • Chairs will now be provided
Freedom Fitness gym reopens Jobs, re-openings focus of May

Community Service Council meeting

By Janell J. Lewis Ford
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison Public A airs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e com-
munity service council meeting, formerly
known as the community town hall, Abe Dawoud
Photos by Abe Dawoud, Fort Irwin Public A airs
focused on jobs, re-openings, and school Fort Irwin Public A airs
and health care information for soldiers FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The Fort Irwin Family and MWR, the Fort Irwin Army Com-
and residents who are apart of the perma- munity Services and the USO handed out cookies and other giveaways on May 5, to celebrate
nent change of station (PCS) moves this and say thank you for Military Spouse Appreciation Day to those at Fort Irwin.
summer. The cookies were from the Cookie Plug and were handed out at the Post Exchange main store.
e event was held on May 25 at the
Sandy Basin Community Center and Photo by Abe Dawoud, Fort Irwin Public A airs
streamed live on Facebook.com/FtIrwin. Child and Youth Services announced that
It is led by the Garrison Command team and summer camps will begin again, the Middle
Garrison directorates present updates for each School and Teen Center is reopening on June 4
of their departments. and youth sports and tness clinics are restart-
e event began with information about the ing in June.
By Janell J. Lewis Ford In an e ort to prevent confusion and long May 27 large-scale job fair put on by Transition e Villages at Fort Irwin announced up-
NTC/fort Irwin Garrison public A airs waits to enter, fully-vaccinated patrons were Assistance Program. dates to the community pool that reopened on
able to present their vaccination cards at e
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e Freedom e options of spouses starting home-based May 7, including pool chairs that will now be
Fitness Center reopened to the community on Box Fitness Center and Memorial Fitness businesses for employment were explained by provided.
May 24 to fully-vaccinated service members Center to update their household information the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation ey also announced that they are conduct-
and bene ciaries. beginning May 11. (FMWR) office, as well as the need for paid ing free HVAC filter changes. They still offer
The gym shut down last April 2020 to begin Sta members swipe the customer’s identi- contracted instructors like Family Child Care free air lters at our Self Help Center and each
renovations that include: cation cards and annotate that the customer Providers and Child and Youth Services teach- home will receive a full maintenance service on By Annette Pritt
• Installation of phase change material (PCM) is fully vaccinated. Customers can still update ers. Both the MWR and the AAFES Exchange the HVAC system in 2021. Operations Group Public A airs
to increase efficiency, add insulation, and their household information. have several positions they’re aiming to ll. Lastly, a TRICARE representative provided a FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e Operations Group recognized past, present and future Depart-
reduce cost After being entered into the system, there “If you have soldiers coming in and they comprehensive overview on health care options ment of the Army Civilian employees with a plaque on May 10.
• Installation of fans to move more air and will be no requirement to show the vaccina- have a spouse or kids that want to work, get for soldiers and bene ciaries, including eligibil- e “Foundation’s Point” piece is just outside of the Operations Group Headquarters building
prevent hot spots, particularly in the aerobics tion card; however, the requirement for the with us now,” Steven Ryan, Deputy Garrison ity, pharmacies, dental, visions, COVID-19 and honors civilian employees who dedicate their careers to the betterment of soldiers, leaders
room and the basketball court area customer to swipe their identi cation card Commander said. “We can help ease them into changes and resources. and the mission.
• Installation of a transfer switch to make it upon entry remains in e ect. positions and depending on what they’ve done All slides can be found on the NTC website It stands as a representation of the many contributions and e orts made to ensure that Opera- e National Training Center and Fort Irwin community would like to thank the service
easier to power during outages, without requir- e hours for Freedom Fitness are Mondays before, they might already be pre-quali ed for at https://home.army.mil/irwin/application/ tions Group successfully completes their mission. Leaders say Army civilians are the foundation members who retired from the military in May 2021. e monthly retirement ceremony was
ing support from Southern California Energy – Fridays from 5a.m. – 10p.m. and Saturdays positions. A lot of our operations are closing files/4016/2195/4966/Community_Service_ of the Operations Group that continuously bring leadership, stability and continuity to the held at the Sandy Basin Community Center on May 25 and live streamed on Facebook.com/
• LED lighting upgrades installed – Sundays from 9a.m. – 4p.m. down because we can’t hire people.” Council_25_May_2021.pdf. organization. NTCfortirwin.

For more information go to home.army.mil/irwin For more information go to home.army.mil/irwin