US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort McClellan, AL)

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THE TRAINING BRIGADE as extracted from Home of the Military Police Corps The Training Brigade was created during the post reorganization of 1976-77 and includes six battalions - a student battalion, two basic training battalions, and three Military Police One Station Unit Training battalions. The Student Battalion is a carryover from the preconsolidation era and includes both enlisted personnel and officers of the U. S. Army, plus personnel from other branches of the Department of Defense and from other countries. All students assigned to the Student Battalion attend one of the 16 law enforcement courses taught at the U. S. Army Military Police School. The two Basic Training battalions were transferred from the U. S. Women's Army Corps Training Center which was inactivated April 1, 1977. The 1st and 2nd battalions became integrated lmale and femalel basic training battalions in October 1978. Instruction and proficiency examinations insure that each basic training graduate has acquired a foundation in general military subjects, discipline and courtesies. Basic training graduates go on to other Army schools for training in specialized military skills. Men and women entering the Army who wish to pursue a law enforcement career are assigned to one of the three One Station Unit Training qosutl battalions. OSUT is a 12 to 14 week training program that is designed to develop qualified entry level MPs and Correctional Specialists by combining traditional basic training with traditional military police advanced individual training.

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Approximately 500,000 men were trained at Fort McClellan during World War ll. Included among these was a company of Japanese-Americans stationed at the post to familiarize American troops with the fighting style and methods ofthe Japanese soldier. Many individuals and units which trained here during the war years later received some of the highest military honors and decorations. During the war years more than S17 million was spent on permanent and temporary buildings, roads and streets. ln 1943 the Branch immaterial Replacement Training Center at Fort McClellan was replaced by the Infantry Replacement Training Center which gave recruits basic and combat training. At the war's end the center trained soldiers for occupation duty and in November 1946 it became the Recruit Training Center. After the war, the Recruit Training Center was inactivated and the number of personnel at the post dwindled rapidly. The installation was placed on inactive status with only a maintenance crew June 30, 1947. Plans were made in January 1950 to use the post for National Guard annual training and facilities were rehabilitated. M A replacement training center for the Chemical Corps was activated with Fort McClellan as its permanent home in 1951. ln 1962 the name of the activity was changed from the Chemical Corps School to the US Army Chemical Center and School. lt was disestablished in 1973. The Women's Army Corps School was founded at Fort McClellan on September 25, 1952 and approximately two years later official ceremonies were conducted to establish 3 , i 8 Y - -f-. A 1' I'-sb.. l - 5 . 'mg-Jann-u '--. ...wa t 'mfg .ar--5 L '5? '.i . ., r -Y T' .. McClellan as the first permanent home of the U. S. Women's Army Corps Center. A new activity, the U. S. Army Combat Developments Command Chemical - Biological - Radiological Agency, moved to Fort McClellan in 1962. It was disestablished in 1973. Noble Army Hospital, a three-story, 100-bed facility, was dedicated May 4, 1962. The summer of 1966 was a busy one for this Southern installation. The mission was changed and the fort was renamed U. S. Army School!Training Center and Fort McClellan. To meet requirements for the Vietnam War, an Advanced individual Training Infantry Brigade was activated here in 1966. Because of continued force reductions in Vietnam, the brigade was deactivated in April 1970, after training more than 30,000 men. The Third Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy called Fort McClellan home from 1967 to 1972. Leadership courses were taught to noncommissioned officers from throughout the Third Army Area. Official ceremonies were held July 11, 1975 marking the move of the U. S. Army Military Police School from Fort Gordon, Georgia to Fort McClellan. A major reorganization of the post began in the fall of 1976 and was completed on May 13, 1977 when the colors of the WAC Center and School were retired during ceremonies on Marshal Parade Field. Less than two months later, on July 5, One Station Unit Training was initiated. 4 1 ,3 yn. , - W W.. 'A 1, I ' Y 41,2 W ' 1 - If. I 1 ' Qi t 's 'J'- LJ, CEU' was J 7' QP' JF V uv 3 ,hw-v-'Q R . ' V 7 Job- T'

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' f'f -f'f ?i' - 'I iya Q, i K ry. I ,Q P S CI BASIC If W ' I . It . 'T' rw x m' 1 'V4' . ' Z.. 3 fa 11 ,I 11lm'a . My Q Yi f ,W 's TRAINING BATTALION LTC Major JACK M. MAYS MORRIS I. ROUSEY Battalion Commander Executive Officer I 2nd LT CSM SFC HENRY N. MCDILL, JR. BETTY J. BENSON JAMES F. GENTILE Operations Officer Command Sergeant Maior Operations NCO