Page 1 - Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, January 2021

Volume 17, Number 1 Published in the interest of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin community • home.army.mil/Irwin January 2020

Commander’s Safety Message, Holiday Inside

Market and Tree Lighting Ceremony • Soldiers, spouses help

families during
By Janell J. Lewis Ford Although the December 2020 event was the holidays
a scaled-down version from the usual ex-
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison Public A airs See full story, Page 2
travagant event, everyone was still able to take
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e National home complimentary hot cocoa kits and take
Training Center and Fort Irwin o cially kicked photos with Santa. ere were also more than • Retirement: Man leaves
o the holiday season with the annual Holiday 300 Christmas trees given away to Fort Irwin NTC after 42 years
Market and Tree Lighting ceremony on Dec. 5 families through donors, including La Salle
in the Town Center. Prep College as a part of the annual Trees for See full story, Page 4
Community members came out for the Troops program. • Silver Valley prepares for
special occasion, donning masks and ensuring Holiday Message
safe distancing. An eight-year-old girl who was e event was streamed live on Facebook. second school semester
celebrating her birthday helped Brig. Gen. com/FtIrwin and days after the community
David Lesperance ip the switch and turn on watched the holidays get o to a good start, See full story, Page 5
the lights. Lesperance acknowledge the spike in CO- • NTC’s canceled
See CEREMONY , Page 5
January rotation
Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan WACH begins COVID-19 vaccinations See full story, Page 6

wrap filming at NTC and Fort Irwin • Christmas in January
By Janell J. Lewis Ford
See full story, Page 11
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison
Public A airs • NTC’s 2020 Year
FORT IRWIN, Calif. in Review
— Oscar Award-winning See full story, Page 12
performer, Denzel Wash-
ington and actor Michael B.
Jordan wrapped up lming
for a movie at the National
Training Center and Fort Irwin in December and had a holiday greeting Kimberly Hackbarth, WACH Public A airs
for soldiers, families and civilians. Capt. Jessica Oesch, a perioperative nurse in the Weed
“I want to say Happy Holidays to the U.S. Army, from me and DW,” Army Community Hospital operating room, received the
Jordan said in the video recorded at the NTC. “We appreciate all you rst COVID-19 vaccine on Fort Irwin, Calif., on Dec. 23. The
guys do, all your service, all your sacri ce. anks to all the freedoms that hospital received a limited supply of vaccines and will
you allow us to have.” vaccinate personnel in accordance with the Department of
Defense’s population schema.
See DENZEL, Page 5
Story and Photo by Kimberly Hackbarth
Husband in custody following soldier’s death Weed Army Community Hospital Public A airs

NTC Fort Irwin Public Affairs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — e National Training Center and
Fort Irwin’s Weed Army Community Hospital began vaccinating
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — San Ber- healthcare workers and sta with the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec.
nardino County Sheri ’s Department is 23, in line with the Department of Defense’s population schema.
investigating the death of Sgt. 1st Class According to the schema, healthcare providers, healthcare sup-
Rebecca Padgett. port, emergency services and public safety personnel who have
Military Police with the National Train- chosen to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will be vaccinated rst.
Capt. Jessica Oesch, a perioperative nurse in the WACH oper-
ing Center and Fort Irwin found Padgett ating room, received the rst COVID-19 vaccine on Fort Irwin.
dead in her home on the installation on Dec. 1. e suspect is her civilian For Oesch, an Anniston, Alabama, native, getting the vaccine
husband, Ervin Padgett, and he is in custody. was a means of protection.

See CUSTODY, Page 2 See VACCINE, Page 5

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