Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, August 2022

Volume 18, Number 8 Published in the interest of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin community • home.army.mil/Irwin August 2022
Fireworks draw crowd at Fort Irwin’s iconic Painted Rocks
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Families, Soldiers and the neighboring community enjoyed a postponed Independence Day celebration on July 9, commemorating 246 years of freedom.
Soldiers stationed at the National Train- ing Center and Fort Irwin were immersed in training with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th ID, Pennsylvania National Guard during the 4th of July weekend. Fort Irwin, postponed their Freedom Festivities by a week so families could celebrate together.
NTC Soldiers conduct 10 decisive action training rotations per year.
Brig. Gen. Curt Taylor quoted President George Washington’s address to the continental Army. “The fate of unborn millions will now depend under God on the courage and confi- dence of this army,” Taylor said while kicking off festivities.
“I am proud to be serving with this Army. I am proud to serve with every one of you, and I
am proud to serve with that same army George Washington talked to 246 years ago tonight,” Taylor said.
While a number of cities across California canceled their shows due to staffing and ATF regulations, Fort Irwin’s Garrison team were able to produce a spectacular show.
Brandi Crist, Director of Family and Mo- rale, Welfare and Recreation, said the FMWR team is excited to “bring fireworks back to the Fort Irwin community.
Community members enjoyed food trucks, patriotic music, festive party favors, and clear skies while watching the firework display.
“Thanks for doing this. It was really well done. Kids made memories that will last a lifetime, and I seriously doubt they’ll remember that it was actually the 9th of July! Thanks to everyone who made this happen,” said Patrick Stallings.
Weed ACH gains new leader during change of command ceremony
Blackhorse Troops Forge Fighters
FORT IRWIN, Calif. – Col. Nancy Parson relinquished command of Weed Army Com- munity Hospital to Col. Michael Story July 6, during a ceremony at the hospital.
Parson took command in May 2020 after previously commanding 2nd Medical Recruit- ing Battalion in Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
During Parson’s time in command at Weed ACH, she and hospital staff navigated the COVID pandemic, to include COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and contact tracing, the roll out of MHS GENESIS, the Defense Health Agency’s latest electronic record system, successful passing of the Joint Commission survey inspection, and hosting a Leadership Summit where leaders from the local medical
community came to Fort Irwin to learn about Army medicine and build stronger ties.
Taking command of a hospital that has undergone so many transitions and events isn’t
Story by Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Bryson
300th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
FORT IRWIN, Calif. – U.S. Army Sol- diers from 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse) conducted a fierce counterattack againstthe56thStrykerBrigadeCombatTeam, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard, during a large-scale combat operations training event July 3, 2022, at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California.
Blackhorse Troopers tested the Rotational Training Unit’s (RTU) defensive ability by forcing them to fight to hold key terrain against a barrage of challenges from a near-peer op- ponent including indirect fire, close- combat
and chemical weapons attack, electronic signal jamming and hidden enemy forces.
Earlier in the week, elements of 11th ACR, acting as both the fictional Donovian 803rd Brigade Tactical Group and Bilasuvar Freedom Brigade (BFB) “guerrilla” fighters, defended the city of Razish, NTC, from the RTU in a gruel- ing all-day battle. Razish, the largest simulated urban settlement in the training area, presents visiting brigades with ample opportunity to test their skills and adapt against a wide range of weaponry and attacks from a uniformed army as well irregular forces as they fight to seize dense, urban terrain.
“You really have to put your thinking cap
See BLACKHORSE,Page2
See WEED ACH, Page 3 Fort Irwin surpasses 2022 AER Campaign Goal
Kimberly Hackbarth
National Training Center and Fort Irwin
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — For Army Emer- gency Relief ’s 80th anniversary, Fort Irwin and National Training Center set out to raise
$80,000 during the 2022 campaign and sur- passed that to raise $98,026.
Fort Irwin’s AER office recognized the installation’s contributions July 12, during a town hall event at Sandy Basin Community Center.
AER is a nonprofit organization that provides zero-interest loans and educational scholarships to active duty Soldiers and their family members, and retires.
Mary Duncan-Bell, the AER officer for Fort Irwin, ensures campaign coordinators and unit representatives have the information needed to speak with their commands and units about AER programs and services.
See AER, Page 3