FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Soldiers at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin can now travel to Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia and three National Parks, although outside visitors are still not permitted under COVID-19 regulations. Each week is also bringing a return to privileges and business openings.
• On June 26, the Bowling Center re-opened for bowling for the first time since March. The Snack Bar inside the business re-opened one month earlier, on May 26, for breakfast and lunch. Several new, COVID-19 measures are in place, including limiting open lanes, constant sanitizing and allowing only four people per lane.
• On June 25, the Samuel Adams restaurant began providing take-out only meals for family-style dinner
• On June 22, barber shops and salons re-opened with new precautions. Patrons must now make appointments, wear masks and establishments are restricted to the quantity of guests allowed at one time.
• The Oasis Café at the Weed Army Community Hospital reopened on June 17, with seating open to 25% capacity only. Face coverings and six feet of social distancing are required.
• On June 10, the Commissary announced its most relaxed restrictions since strict enforcements were put in place in March. They’re down to only seven, limited products—flour, flushable wipes, baby wipes, Lysol wipes, disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer and liquid hand soap.
• On June 9, the Legal Services/Tax Center Office and the Army Wellness Center both resumed in-person services with some limitations.
• Meanwhile, DENTAC announced that it is projecting August 2020 as the date for the Dental Clinic to open for elective care again.
• Outside of the installation, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom signed an Executive Order requiring everyone in the state to wear a face-covering in all public, high-risk situations on June 18.
NTC’s Commanding General, Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, outlined the conditions that need to be in place to expand the local travel area.
“It really comes down to case rates and positivity rates right now — those are the two numbers that matter more than anything else and right now we’re going in the wrong direction in the county and in southern California and until those conditions are met, the local area and the current restrictions are going to apply,” he said.
