Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
Encyclopedia
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA) is a United States Army
facility located in Dublin, California
that is currently a semi-active mobilization and training center for Army Reserve Component personnel to be used in case of war or natural disaster.
. It was named after Rear Admiral Charles W. Parks, CEC, USN. Adjacent to Camp Parks to the east, was Camp Shoemaker and the U.S. Naval Hospital Shoemaker, also built during the war. The three Navy bases laying side by side were called "Fleet City."
In 1945, on its huge paved parade ground, Camp Parks could muster more than 20,000 men and hundreds of officers. It was the home for Seabee battalions returning from the Pacific Theater of Operations after a year or more of arduous construction duty. They came to Camp Parks for medical treatment, military training and reorganization. The base housed up to 20 battalions at a time. Most battalions prepared for a second tour in the Pacific. Many Seabees were hospitalized, and those no longer fit for duty received their discharge. After their initial leaves, personnel were given rigorous training and battalions were brought back up to fighting strength.
In 1946, at the end of World War II
, the Secretary of the Navy disestablished the three facilities, and from 1946 to 1951, the Navy leased the land to the County of Alameda
for use as Santa Rita Jail
. The sea of Quonset huts and its' two-story wooden barracks were dismantled in the following years.
, and renamed the facility Parks Air Force Base, and made it a Basic Military Training Center. The Air Force had to completely rebuild the base. Base personnel were initially housed in temporary facilities and ate from a field mess. The first group of Airmen arrived at Camp Parks in the Summer of 1951; mass training began in March 1952. Parks Air Force Base is notable since it is one of the few facilities to be called an air force base, but which did not have a functional runway on site.
In July 1959, the installation was transferred to the United States Army
. From 1959 to 1973, it was operated in a standby status under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Sixth Army
, Presidio
of San Francisco.
In 1973, the U.S. Army determined that Camp Parks was needed as a mobilization and training center for Reserve Components in the event of war or natural disaster. On December 11, 1980, the Army officially designated Camp Parks as a semi-active installation, renaming it Parks Reserve Forces Training Area.
Today, Parks is a direct-reporting installation of Ft Hunter Liggett, Calif.
New and state-of-the-art training facilities have been built and more are planned. In the garrison area are administrative and classroom buildings, upgraded housing, a remodeled dining facility, a modern lodging facility, an informative history center, and other support and training facilities.
Parks RFTA is the only local training facility for more than 11,000 Army Reserve Soldiers in the San Francisco Bay Area where firing ranges and a wide variety of training facilities are available. Reserve Units permanently stationed at Parks RFTA conduct weekend inactive duty training throughout the year, and Reserve Component units travel to the base for their two-week annual training. http://www.armyreserve.army.mil/ARWEB/ORGANIZATION/FACILITIES/Installations.htm
) recommendations, the Department of Defense recommended relocating the 91st Division to Fort Hunter Liggett
.http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-parks.htm
http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/StateInstallationBreakdown/CACampParks.pdf
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
facility located in Dublin, California
Dublin, California
Dublin is a suburban city of the East Bay region of Alameda County, California, United States. Located along the north side of Interstate 580 at the intersection with Interstate 680, roughly east of Hayward, west of Livermore and north of San Jose, it was named after the city of Dublin in...
that is currently a semi-active mobilization and training center for Army Reserve Component personnel to be used in case of war or natural disaster.
World War II
The facility was built during World War II, and was commissioned 19 January 1943 as Camp Parks and was home to the Navy SeabeesSeabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
. It was named after Rear Admiral Charles W. Parks, CEC, USN. Adjacent to Camp Parks to the east, was Camp Shoemaker and the U.S. Naval Hospital Shoemaker, also built during the war. The three Navy bases laying side by side were called "Fleet City."
In 1945, on its huge paved parade ground, Camp Parks could muster more than 20,000 men and hundreds of officers. It was the home for Seabee battalions returning from the Pacific Theater of Operations after a year or more of arduous construction duty. They came to Camp Parks for medical treatment, military training and reorganization. The base housed up to 20 battalions at a time. Most battalions prepared for a second tour in the Pacific. Many Seabees were hospitalized, and those no longer fit for duty received their discharge. After their initial leaves, personnel were given rigorous training and battalions were brought back up to fighting strength.
In 1946, at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Secretary of the Navy disestablished the three facilities, and from 1946 to 1951, the Navy leased the land to the County of Alameda
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
for use as Santa Rita Jail
Santa Rita Jail
Santa Rita Jail is a county jail located in Dublin, Alameda County, California adjacent to the Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, and operated by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office...
. The sea of Quonset huts and its' two-story wooden barracks were dismantled in the following years.
Cold War
Camp Parks sat unused until the Air Force established a basic training center in 1951, during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and renamed the facility Parks Air Force Base, and made it a Basic Military Training Center. The Air Force had to completely rebuild the base. Base personnel were initially housed in temporary facilities and ate from a field mess. The first group of Airmen arrived at Camp Parks in the Summer of 1951; mass training began in March 1952. Parks Air Force Base is notable since it is one of the few facilities to be called an air force base, but which did not have a functional runway on site.
In July 1959, the installation was transferred to the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. From 1959 to 1973, it was operated in a standby status under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Sixth Army
U.S. Sixth Army
The Sixth United States Army is a field army of the United States Army.-History:It was first activated in January 1943, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger. Under the code name Alamo Force, it assumed control of the majority of US Army units involved in Operation Cartwheel, the campaign...
, Presidio
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
of San Francisco.
In 1973, the U.S. Army determined that Camp Parks was needed as a mobilization and training center for Reserve Components in the event of war or natural disaster. On December 11, 1980, the Army officially designated Camp Parks as a semi-active installation, renaming it Parks Reserve Forces Training Area.
Today, Parks is a direct-reporting installation of Ft Hunter Liggett, Calif.
Current mission
Parks has a primary mission of exercising the functions of command, training, security, administration, servicing and supply to all troop units, military activities and other governmental agencies assigned or attached.New and state-of-the-art training facilities have been built and more are planned. In the garrison area are administrative and classroom buildings, upgraded housing, a remodeled dining facility, a modern lodging facility, an informative history center, and other support and training facilities.
Parks RFTA is the only local training facility for more than 11,000 Army Reserve Soldiers in the San Francisco Bay Area where firing ranges and a wide variety of training facilities are available. Reserve Units permanently stationed at Parks RFTA conduct weekend inactive duty training throughout the year, and Reserve Component units travel to the base for their two-week annual training. http://www.armyreserve.army.mil/ARWEB/ORGANIZATION/FACILITIES/Installations.htm
Assigned units
- 91st Division (Training Support)http://www.armyreserve.army.mil/USARC/DIV-TS/0091DIV-TS/Overview.htm - headquarters and various units.
- 104th Division (IT)http://www.armyreserve.army.mil/USARC/DIV-IT/0104DIV-IT/0004BDE/Overview.htm: 4th Bde CSS; 6th Bn PSS; 9th Bn PN/HS
- Regional Training Site-Medical
- Equipment Concentration Site (ECS30) / Area Maintenance Support Activity (AMSA)
- Western Army Reserve Intelligence Support Center (WARISC)
- Navy Seabees (NMCB 18, Detachment 1018)
- Company B, 319th Signal Battalion
- Company B, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment (Air Assault)
- Western Information Operations Center (WIOC)
Future changes
In its 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRACBase Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
) recommendations, the Department of Defense recommended relocating the 91st Division to Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett , named after General Hunter Liggett in 1941, is a United States Army fort in southern Monterey County, California, about 250 miles north of Los Angeles and south of San Francisco...
.http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-parks.htm
http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/StateInstallationBreakdown/CACampParks.pdf