FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The National Training Center and Fort Irwin’s new commanding general, Brig. Gen. Curtis Taylor, laid out some of his priorities during the latest Community Service Council Meeting on April 27 at the Sandy Basin Community Center.
Taylor said he had just participated in a meeting “with about 15 different agencies in Washington, D.C., talking about quality of life at Fort Irwin and I was blown away by the number of Army-level resources that are being directed at this installation; So that will be our focus— continuing to work across the gamut, from spouse employment, to housing, to child care centers, to continue to build quality of life here.”
Taylor said the Army is moving to a preference-based assignment model, so enhancing the opportunities at Fort Irwin is priority in order to continue to draw talent to this installation.
“What that means is, we have to compete in our own, internal labor market and we have to make this a place that people want to live,” he said. “We have to invest and continue to invest.”
This is Taylor’s third time at the NTC.
“I was here as a family member, as a dependent, back in 1986-87, and it was a very different place,” he said.
Taylor said he’s always enjoyed his time at Fort Irwin.
“This is a very special community,” Taylor said. “We absolutely love this installation and are happy to be back in our hometown.”
He has spent a lot of time learning about the community.
“I look forward to learning from you about where those impediments are that discourage people from wanting to choose this place as their next hometown,” Taylor said.
More information about permanent change of station (PCS) moves was provided at this event. The slides can be found at home.army.mil/irwin under the “Town Hall Slides” tab.