Page 1 - Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, March 2021

Volume 17, Number 3 Published in the interest of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin community • home.army.mil/Irwin March 2020
‘Building a Stronger Foundation’ plan aims to improve quality Inside

of life on Fort Irwin: $300 million in upgrades coming to NTC

By Abraam Dawoud
Fort Irwin Public A airs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Speaking to a room
of senior leaders during a two-day conference on REEL good
Feb. 18, Fort Irwin’s Garrison command team
laid out a new, multi-million dollar strategic plan movies return
to improve the quality of life for the Soldiers and What icks and features
residents of Fort Irwin. created the email irwinbestinthewest@gmail.com, to expect from the newly-
For Garrison Commander, Col. Jeanette Mar- so the community has a resource to contact the renovated post theater
tin, improving quality of life on post has been command team directly. We’ve been taking their See full story, Page 3
her priority. concerns and putting them towards the quality of seating, and televisions.
“ e U.S. Army and Fort Irwin are undergoing life initiatives. at’s how we came up with some To cool down in the summer months, plans are
a transformational phase in which our Soldiers of our smaller quality-of-life projects, such as being developed to construct a lazy river for Sol-
and their families are being placed rst,” she said. renovating the dog park.” diers and their families to enjoy. A new community
When Martin rst arrived at Fort Irwin in Aside from the newly-completed dog park, activity center will also provide Soldiers and their
2019, she felt compelled to listen to the needs of multiple renovations are underway across the families activities such as mini-golf, virtual reality
her community. installation. Upgrades are currently in progress at (VR) gaming, laser tag, and an indoor playground
“I felt that taking comments and concerns from the community playgrounds, while the Warrior for entertainment. NTC in Outer Space
the community has been successful,” she said. “I Zone is set to receive new computers, monitors, e command team also realized that invest-
Fort Irwin’s role in the
See QUALITY , Page 4
Mars rover lifto
General discusses loosening restrictions, lowering health protection levels on post and landing
See full story, Page 5
By Janell J. Lewis Ford “I want to thank all of you again permitted under normal and appro-
for your continued adherence to our priate Garrison regulations without
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison Public A airs
policies and safeguards,” Lesper- exceptions to policy, 10-25 guests
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The ance said. “We are making progress being permitted inside/outside of
National Training Center and Fort particularly as the vaccinations are homes, authorized physical training
Irwin’s Commanding General, Brig. taking place, but I do want to remind (PT) for individuals or in groups up
Gen. David Lesperance, discussed you not to become complacent and to platoon level, travel to Big Bear, Indoor Dining
the relaxed COVID-19 restrictions to continue to follow our safeguards.” Mount Whitney and Lake Arrow-
in his Feb. 17 Live Community Lesperance reviewed the updates head is authorized and masks must be Returns
Update, while still stressing the need to his modi ed Feb. 4 General Or- worn at all times on the installation Which post locations are
for safeguards. der, including visitor access being (in accordance with the Secretary of back open and what
See GENERAL, Page 8 to expect
History in the High Desert: Fort Irwin celebrates Smooth Operation: No issues during See full story, Page 3
African-American achievements with rst Black mayor Bi-annual post-wide Power Outage
By David Dupree By Janell J. Lewis Ford

NTC /Fort Irwin PAO NTC/Fort Irwin Public A airs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Fort Irwin cel- FORT IRWIN, Calif.
ebrated Black History Month at the Sandy — Resident at the National
Basin Community Center on Feb. 10 under Training Center and Fort Confection
the theme “Success Always Leaves Footprints.” Irwin experienced the first Competition
Paul Courtney, the Mayor of Barstow, Calif., of two, scheduled post-wide 3 Fort Irwin women talk
was the guest speaker. He holds the distinction power outages on Feb. 27 about their baking battle
of being the rst African American to hold the e outage was scheduled to be serviced from 6a.m. to
city’s top elected position. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment 6p.m. and the Installation Energy Manager for the Direc- for $10,000
See full story, Page 4
See HISTORY, Page 11 See OUTAGE, Page 5

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