Military airbase in Los Alamitos, California, USA
Joint Forces Training Base - Los Alamitos
is a
joint base
in
Los Alamitos, California
, United States. Formerly operated as a
naval air station
, the base contains the
Los Alamitos Army Airfield
and is sometimes called by that name. The base is also known as
JFTB - Los Al
or just
JFTB
. The base covers 1,319 acres and "supports 850 full-time employees and more than 6,000
National Guard
and
Reserve
troops."
[2]
Facilities
[
edit
]
JFTB has an
MWR
with billeting, a
pub
, and a
banquet hall
.
[3]
Fiddler's Green is the last remaining military pub in Orange County.
[4]
JFTB has significant training facilities, including an
Engagement Skills Trainer
, a Virtual Convoy Operations Trainer, a
HMMWV
Egress Assistance Trainer, a Laser Marksmanship Training System, and a Close Combat Tactical Trainer.
[5]
Los Alamitos Army Airfield
[
edit
]
The airfield has two
runways
:
- Runway 4L/22R: 5,902 x 150 ft. (1,799 x 46 m), surface: PEM
- Runway 4R/22L: 8,001 x 200 ft. (2,439 x 61 m), surface: asphalt/concrete
The airfield is home to Company A,
1st Battalion (Assault), 140th Aviation Regiment
.
Aquatics Training Center
[
edit
]
The JFTB Aquatics Training Center is an
Olympic-size swimming pool
50m by 25m, which offers year-round lap swimming, swim lessons, and fitness classes. The
women's national water polo team
regularly practices at the facility.
[6]
History
[
edit
]
In 1942, JFTB became a naval air base to train
fighter pilots
during
World War II
. In 1973, JFTB was transferred to the
U.S. Army
.
[7]
On 16 July 1957, then-
Major
John H. Glenn, Jr.
,
USMC
, set the
transcontinental air speed record
, flying a
F8U-1P Crusader
from NAS Los Alamitos to
NAS Floyd Bennett Field
, New York, in 3 hours, 23 minutes, and 8.4 seconds. Project Bullet, as the mission was called, provided both the first transcontinental flight to average supersonic speed, and the first continuous transcontinental
panoramic photograph
of the United States. Glenn was awarded his fifth
Distinguished Flying Cross
for the mission.
The senior command on post is the
40th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
, headquartered in the large, prominent building facing the flagpole and main entrance artery.
The base served as the Starting Line for the
14th season
of the hit CBS Reality TV Show
The Amazing Race
.
[8]
The base's status as an alternate landing area for Air Force One was mentioned in an episode of
The West Wing
.
The base leases the airfield to the City of Los Alamitos's for the annual
Southland Credit Union
Los Alamitos "Race on the Base," a charity event including a 5K Run, 5K Walk, 10K Run, 10K Skate/ Handcycle / Wheelchair, Mission: 1K Kids Run, Jr. Reverse Triathlon and Reverse Triathlon. This is the largest reverse triathlon event in the country.
[9]
On the south edge of Runway 22L is the Navy Golf Course, where
Tiger Woods
honed his game as a youth.
[10]
[11]
[12]
The 18-hole Destroyer Course opened in 1966 and an executive nine holes was later added. The former military-only facility opened for public play in 2004.
In 2014,
President Barack Obama
landed at Los Alamitos Army Airfield in
Air Force One
in order to give the
commencement speech
at
UC Irvine
.
[7]
In April 2015,
Brig Gen
Nathaniel S. Reddicks became the first installation commander from the
California Air National Guard
.
[13]
After this command, Reddicks retired from federal service and joined the
California State Military Reserve
, "making him the first federally
recognized general officer to join the CSMR since the Korean War."
[2]
In October 2016, Brig. Gen. John W. Lathrop took command of the base.
[2]
Gallery
[
edit
]
See also
[
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]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
FAA Airport Form 5010 for SLI
PDF
- ^
a
b
c
"Brig. Gen. John W. Lathrop Assumes Command of JFTB Los Alamitos"
.
California National Guard
. Retrieved
12 October
2016
.
- ^
"Billeting MWR"
. California National Guard
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
- ^
"The Pub at Fidder's Green"
.
OC Weekly
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
- ^
"JFTB Operations and Training"
.
California National Guard
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
- ^
"Joint Forces Training Base"
.
Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Luppi, Kathleen.
"Los Alamitos military base, still a formidable O.C. presence, now has a new commander"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
- ^
Lang, Derrik (2008-08-19).
"Meet the new teams on 'The Amazing Race'
"
.
Associated Press
. Archived from
the original
on January 31, 2009
. Retrieved
2008-08-19
.
- ^
Henderson, Shelly (2014-02-14).
"Race on the Base: A great big welcome from the City of Los Alamitos"
. OC Breeze
. Retrieved
2014-06-04
.
- ^
"Golf lessons at The Navy Golf Course"
. Navy Golf Course. Archived from
the original
on April 17, 2013
. Retrieved
January 28,
2013
.
- ^
Crothers, Tim (March 25, 1991).
"Golf Cub"
.
Sports Illustrated
: 56.
- ^
Shipnuck, Alan (April 3, 2000).
"Roots"
.
Sports Illustrated
. Retrieved
January 28,
2013
.
- ^
Keith, Sharon.
"Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base has a new commander"
.
Orange County Register
. Retrieved
23 August
2016
.
External links
[
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]
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Also includes some airports in the
Inland Empire
in proximity to Los Angeles
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Major airports
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Los Angeles
World Airports
(LAWA)
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Others
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Minor airports
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Los Angeles
County Gov't
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Other Los Angeles County
|
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Orange County
|
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(*)
former LAWA airports
(X)
As of 2019
[update]
previously had commercial service but now does not.
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