Fort Chaffee Announces Opening of New $22 Million Range, Grand Opening Ceremony to be held on post June 27, 2019 at 9 a.m.

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MEDIA ADVISORY 

June 25, 2019

Contact: Maj. W. B. Phillips, II
State Public Affairs Officer
Arkansas National Guard
501-212-5020 / 501-590-0318
william.b.phillips18.mil@mail.mil

Fort Chaffee Announces Opening of New $22 Million Range 
~ Grand Opening Ceremony to be held on post June 27, 2019 at 9 a.m. 

FORT CHAFFEE JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Barling, Ark. – The Arkansas National Guard will host a grand opening ceremony to announce the addition of a new $22 million range complex on Fort Chaffee at 9 a.m. on June 27, 2019. The newly opened Scout Reconnaissance (RECCE) range with Infantry Platoon Battle Course (IPBC) Overlay will bring range capabilities to the state that are only available at select installations regionally and nationally.
The Scout RECCE Range is used to train and test scout vehicle crews on the skills necessary to detect, identify, engage and defeat stationary and moving infantry as well as stationary and moving armor targets in a tactical scenario. In addition to the vehicle course, there are four lanes of Multipurpose Machine Gun (MPMG) qualification lanes. Crew live fire and crew served weapons qualification are necessary to validate vehicle crews from across the nation to satisfy readiness validation requirements. 
The Infantry Platoon Battle Course (IPBC) is used to train and test infantry platoons on the skills necessary to conduct tactical movement techniques, detect, identify, engage and defeat stationary and moving infantry and stationary and moving armor targets in a tactical scenario. This course has six separate objectives to provide a wide array of realistic, combat simulated challenges. Platoon live fire is a requirement to validate readiness of all Infantry Brigade Combat Teams in the U.S. Army worldwide. This capability is only available at select installations regionally and nationally.
“This new range will provide training and qualification abilities unlike any in the region,” Chaffee Training Site Manager Lt. Col. Dwight Ikenberry said. “We’re committed to providing world-class training to our local units and Department of Defense partners from across the nation.”
Fort Chaffee is a premier training location and has hosted units from the Army National Guard and Reserves, Naval Special Warfare, Marine Corps, and the Air Force. 
Media wishing to attend the grand opening should R.S.V.P. to Maj. Phillips NO LATER THAN 4 p.m. on June 26, 2019. Media escort will meet at the front gate of Fort Chaffee at 8:30 a.m. on June 27, 2019, for escort to the location. 

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