1. County Saddlery Serial Number

In our continuing effort to provide an avenue for individuals to voice their opinions and experiences, we have recently reviewed and updated our forum policies. Generally, we have allowed users to share their positive or negative experiences with or opinions of companies, products, trainers, etc. Within the industry, and that is not changing. When it came to overt criminal allegations, however, those discussions have in the past needed to stem from a report by a reputable news source or action by law enforcement or the legal system. We are now expanding our policies to allow posters to share their own first-hand experiences involving overt criminal allegations, such as animal abuse or neglect, theft, etc., but only if they publicly provide their full first and last name along with the post. We still will not allow anonymous postings alleging criminal activity.

So, a user may now make a specific claim against a named individual or company, but it must be a FIRST-HAND account, and they have to IDENTIFY THEMSELVES. Users have always been legally responsible for their posts, and nothing has changed there, but we want to loosen the reins a bit and further allow the free flow of discussion and information relevant to the horse community. We are not providing a free-for-all of anonymous rumor-mongering. As enduring advocates for the welfare of the horse, we want to provide a forum for those willing to sign their name and shine a light on issues of concern to them in the industry.

The full revised rules are posted at the top of each forum for reference. As a participant on this forum, it is your responsibility to know and follow our rules. Please read this message in its entirety.

Board Rules 1. You’re responsible for what you say. As outlined in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, The Chronicle of the Horse and its affiliates, as well Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd., the developers of vBulletin, are not legally responsible for statements made in the Forums.

This is a public forum viewed by a wide spectrum of people, so please be mindful of what you say and who might be reading it—details of personal disputes may be better handled privately. While posters are legally responsible for their statements, the moderators may in their discretion remove or edit posts, though are not legally obligated to do so, regardless of content. Users have the ability to modify or delete their own messages after posting.

Moderators generally will not delete posts, threads or accounts unless they have been alerted and have determined that a post, thread or user has violated the Forums’ policies. Moderators do not regularly independently monitor the Forums for such violations.

Profanity, outright vulgarity, blatant personal insults or otherwise inappropriate statements will not be tolerated and will be dealt with at the discretion of the moderators. Users may provide their positive or negative experiences with or opinions of companies, products, individuals, etc.; however, accounts involving allegations of criminal behavior against named individuals or companies MUST be first-hand accounts and may NOT be made anonymously. If a situation has been reported upon by a reputable news source or addressed by law enforcement or the legal system it is open for discussion, but if an individual wants to make their own claims of criminal behavior against a named party in the course of that discussion, they too must identify themselves by first and last name and the account must be first-person. Criminal allegations that do not satisfy these requirements, when brought to our attention, may be removed pending satisfaction of these criteria, and we reserve the right to err on the side of caution when making these determinations. Credible threats of suicide will be reported to the police along with identifying user information at our disposal, in addition to referring the user to suicide helpline resources such as 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK.

Conversations in horse-related forums should be horse-related. The forums are a wonderful source of information and support for members of the horse community. While it’s understandably tempting to share information or search for input on other topics upon which members might have a similar level of knowledge, members must maintain the focus on horses. Keep conversations productive, on topic and civil. Discussion and disagreement are inevitable and encouraged; personal insults, diatribes and sniping comments are unproductive and unacceptable. Whether a subject is light-hearted or serious, keep posts focused on the current topic and of general interest to other participants of that thread.

Utilize the private message feature or personal email where appropriate to address side topics or personal issues not related to the topic at large. No advertising in the discussion forums. Posts in the discussion forums directly or indirectly advertising horses, jobs, items or services for sale or wanted will be removed at the discretion of the moderators. Use of the private messaging feature or email addresses obtained through users’ profiles for unsolicited advertising is not permitted. Company representatives may participate in discussions and answer questions about their products or services, or suggest their products on recent threads if they fulfill the criteria of a query.

False 'testimonials' provided by company affiliates posing as general consumers are not appropriate, and self-promotion of sales, ad campaigns, etc. Through the discussion forums is not allowed. Paid advertising is available on our and through the purchase of. The tightly monitored forum permits free listings of genuinely free horses and items available or wanted (on a limited basis). Items offered for trade are not allowed. Advertising Policy Specifics When in doubt of whether something you want to post constitutes advertising, please contact a moderator privately in advance for further clarification. Refer to the following points for general guidelines: Horses – Only general discussion about the buying, leasing, selling and pricing of horses is permitted.

County Saddlery Serial Number

If the post contains, or links to, the type of specific information typically found in a sales or wanted ad, and it’s related to a horse for sale, regardless of who’s selling it, it doesn’t belong in the discussion forums. Stallions – Board members may ask for suggestions on breeding stallion recommendations. Stallion owners may reply to such queries by suggesting their own stallions, only if their horse fits the specific criteria of the original poster. Excessive promotion of a stallion by its owner or related parties is not permitted and will be addressed at the discretion of the moderators.

Services – Members may use the forums to ask for general recommendations of trainers, barns, shippers, farriers, etc., and other members may answer those requests by suggesting themselves or their company, if their services fulfill the specific criteria of the original post. Members may not solicit other members for business if it is not in response to a direct, genuine query.

Products – While members may ask for general opinions and suggestions on equipment, trailers, trucks, etc., they may not list the specific attributes for which they are in the market, as such posts serve as wanted ads. Event Announcements – Members may post one notification of an upcoming event that may be of interest to fellow members, if the original poster does not benefit financially from the event.

Such threads may not be “bumped” excessively. Premium members may post their own notices in the Event Announcements forum. Charities/Rescues – Announcements for charitable or fundraising events can only be made for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Special exceptions may be made, at the moderators’ discretion and direction, for board-related events or fundraising activities in extraordinary circumstances. Occasional posts regarding horses available for adoption through IRS-registered horse rescue or placement programs are permitted in the appropriate forums, but these threads may be limited at the discretion of the moderators.

Individuals may not advertise or make announcements for horses in need of rescue, placement or adoption unless the horse is available through a recognized rescue or placement agency or government-run entity or the thread fits the criteria for and is located in the Giveaways forum. Do not post copyrighted photographs unless you have purchased that photo and have permission to do so.

Respect other members. As members are often passionate about their beliefs and intentions can easily be misinterpreted in this type of environment, try to explore or resolve the inevitable disagreements that arise in the course of threads calmly and rationally. If you see a post that you feel violates the rules of the board, please click the “alert” button (exclamation point inside of a triangle) in the bottom left corner of the post, which will alert ONLY the moderators to the post in question. They will then take whatever action, or no action, as deemed appropriate for the situation at their discretion. Do not air grievances regarding other posters or the moderators in the discussion forums. Please be advised that adding another user to your “Ignore” list via your User Control Panel can be a useful tactic, which blocks posts and private messages by members whose commentary you’d rather avoid reading. We have the right to reproduce statements made in the forums.

The Chronicle of the Horse may copy, quote, link to or otherwise reproduce posts, or portions of posts, in print or online for advertising or editorial purposes, if attributed to their original authors, and by posting in this forum, you hereby grant to The Chronicle of the Horse a perpetual, non-exclusive license under copyright and other rights, to do so. We reserve the right to enforce and amend the rules. The moderators may delete, edit, move or close any post or thread at any time, or refrain from doing any of the foregoing, in their discretion, and may suspend or revoke a user’s membership privileges at any time to maintain adherence to the rules and the general spirit of the forum.

These rules may be amended at any time to address the current needs of the board. Please see our full and for more information. Thanks for being a part of the COTH forums! (Revised 5/9/18). Caveat: I am a total newbie to dressage, and I ride a gaited horse, so please excuse any questions that might seem silly. I am in search of a comfortable (for both horse and rider) dressage saddle and I'd like stay in a price range befitting our newbie-ness and gaited-ness. Last lesson I rode my horse in a Wintec Isabell and LOVED it, Caesar seemed happy also.I would actually consider using it for trail riding too, it was that comfortable.

So.this is where we get to the County part.I have seen, in researching County saddle threads, that lots of people like the 'older' County saddles, with mixed reviews of the newer ones. Since my price range is an 'older saddle' range, here are some questions.

A local consignment shop has one, I think it is a Competitor.no idea how 'old' it actually is, it looks to be in decent condition. Is there any way to tell when it was made? I am going to bring that saddle to the barn and try it out, if it is super comfy I will be thrilled. I have also been in touch with someone who has an 'older' C. Competitor for sale. It looks good in pictures I've seen.

She says it was made in England and is in excellent condition. Does anyone know when they were made in England and if that is a definite plus? Does anyone have recommendations for other brands that are well known for their comfort that I might see in the 'pre-owned' listings?

My main issue with comfort is my seatbones, the Isabell was a dream to ride in but they seem to be hard to find 'used'. Thanks in advance for any information and suggestions. Re the older saddle on consignment - if you can read the serial number, you can probably contact County and find out how old it is. They have contact info on their website County saddles are all made in England, so that is not a particular selling point of one County vs. If it helps at all, we have a saddlebred at our barn who goes in a County, I'm not sure which model. Do you have a saddle fitter or a trainer that can evaluate the fit for you before spending $$? When I switched over to dressage, I was not clueless about most things but I was clueless about the importance of saddle fit.and how saddle fit will change as horse builds muscle.

Is your horse wide or narrow? I am assuming being gaited your horse may have 'A' shape to his shoulders, but then I have seen the inverted 'U' shape on gaited horses, too. That will drastically change your options. That being said, if your horse is 'A' shaped, a County may work very well for you.if your horse has some curve to his/her back. I have a County Competitor 2004 that is a lovely saddle, fit my fjordieX perfect and me. Does not fit my AQHA mare at all, even though it is very wide. So, time for you and your horse to try on saddles.

If the Bates fit well, you probably do have the 'A' shape and that gives you something to go on. Do yourself a favor before you start really shopping and do complete wither/back tracings of your horse.

Lots of saddle sites tell you how, but go to a craft store like Hobby Lobby or somewhere that carries drafting/drawing supplies and buy a flexi curve. Easy to do and you can sent off drawings to different stores if needed. I sent my saddle out on consignment somewhere 'local', and just got a Toulouse Marianne from Classic Saddlery to try. And, yes it is a wool stuffed saddle, not like some of the older Toulouse. Lynnda and I have spent lots of time on the phone, emails and sending pictures and tracings back and forth.

I highly recommend working with her on trying to fit your horse if you need to do it long distance. Now, to fit the new saddle to my horse this morning. Keeping fingers crossed. Good luck in your search. Thank you all for the replies so far!

Very helpful! I will look for the serial number of the one at the store and call County. I can probably have my instructor take a look at the fit, she thinks a MW will be about right but I'm sure the definition of 'MW' also depends on the manufacturer. I am not stuck on any particular brand, I just want something that is comfy and good for horse and me. I saw a Kieffer in our price range but it was far away. The Counties are both within a distance where I can go see them in person before plunking down the $.

Thanks for the advice on fitting and tracing too. I have a flexi-rule from tracing my old horse. The horse I have now isn't A-frame, but he's not mutton-withered either. He has what I would consider 'nice, normal' withers and a decent topline. The Isabell that we used was a wide tree with a.thick. sheepskin half pad and baby pad under that, and he seemed fine with that configuration: nice, even sweat pattern and no ruffled hair when when untacked. I have had some problems with friction bumps (loin area) on him with certain saddles after a lot of trotting but not with the Isabell.

(I should note that my boy is a Missouri Foxtrotter and, in addition to his 'gaits', he does have a nice 'long trot' and we are working on a nice canter.) Pros and cons of commonly found saddles; notes about depth of seats; close-ness of contact; good, bad or ugly of saddle flaps; and any other opinions, anecdotes, etc are most welcome. I need as much information as I can get! Thanks again!

I have an 89 Competitor that horses & riders agree is very comfortable - we were v sad when FP outgrew that saddle & would've paid double the asking price for another that would fit. I figured it might need re-flocking, I havent asked too many questions about it yet because I can't go see it until October and it might sell in the meantime. (No point in wasting seller's time answering a million questions when I know I want to see it in person before I buy.) Good to know the ballpark price for re-flocking. Is that thru the rep? Do they come out and do it all on-site in one trip or is it a 'send it out/leave it at the shop' kind of thing? I have tried the CAIR panels and I think I am just happier with flocked, I like to know it can be fitted and changed. Fingers crossed that all the stars line up on this one.

I'd go ahead & let the seller know that you're interested (so she knows not to let it go very cheap to someone else or dump it on ebay or tack shop consignment - then she'll be less negotiable on the price as there will be a likely 20% commission). Thanks again alto, Seller knows I am interested and when I'll be 'in town'. She has sent me pics and we are in touch. I figure if she still has it and it's all good, then it was meant to be. I sent an inquiry to County ref a rep.

If there is one easily accessible that will encourage me to keep up with this particular saddle, although you're right, any decent saddle fitter should be able to sort it out. I am totally new to dressage, and doing it more for horsey athletic training and fun than for competition.but I feel like if I am going to do it I might as well have a decent and appropriate saddle. Plus, the dressage saddle I rode in was SOOO comfortable (and it was a Wintec Isabell - go figure) I would be happy to use it to trail ride too. My older county is an 82. WOW I ride in it on both my competition horses and actually bought a custom saddle last year from JRD but I am back to my old County again. It fits ME and my horses lift and like to work through in it.

I am sure at a show - its like - what is that little thing she is riding in? One of my students has a new County and its awesome but it would not fit ME. I have a 17.5 inch county older model I am taking to a sale - its too big for me - I need the 17 or smaller for the flap and must have the narrow twist. I have a lot of saddles but there is something special about these old Countys.

Thank you all for the replies so far! Very helpful! I will look for the serial number of the one at the store and call County. I can probably have my instructor take a look at the fit, she thinks a MW will be about right but I'm sure the definition of 'MW' also depends on the manufacturer.

My County is stamped MN but fits more like a large medium or small MW. I trialed two other saddles (Lauriche and Prestige) that were both marked MW. The Prestige was too narrow and the Lauriche fit roughly the same at the MN County. Tree size is really a crap shoot, like trying to buy jeans online.

What Tequila said. A MW in one make is a W or a M in another. You have to try the saddle on! I just bought a used County Connection that has a lot of 'give' in the cantle - but my saddler liked it fine - as long as you don't hear any cracking, popping, creaking sounds, you're probably OK, Texarkana. Love the Connection, BTW.

So does my gelding. He'd built enough muscle that his old beloved Hippostar no longer fit, and it was considered one of the wider saddles on the market when I bought it in the mid-90's! The Connection is also marked wide, but it's a 'wider' wide than the Hippostar. I now have a collection of hoop-shaped 'wide' saddles, besides the County and the Hippostar, I have a L & R, an Albion Original Comfort (marked MW but fits W) and a Passier Relevant.

I could start my own used tack shop!

. Operations: Frazer Lawrence. Support: Mark Landes.

Maneuver: BG Francis M. Beaudette. Rear: BG Joel Tyler Fort Bliss is a post in the U.S. States of and, with its headquarters located in. Named in honor of (1815-1853), a mathematical genius who was the son-in-law of President, Ft. Bliss has an area of about 1,700 square miles (4,400 km 2); it is the largest installation in (United States Army Forces Command) and second-largest in the Army overall (the largest being the adjacent ). The portion of the post located in, is a with a population of 8,591 as of the time of the.

Fort Bliss provides the largest contiguous tract (1,500 sq mi or 3,900 km 2) of restricted airspace in the, used for missile and artillery training and testing, and at 992,000 acres boasts the largest maneuver area (ahead of the, which has 642,000 acres). The garrison's land area is accounted at 1.12 million acres, ranging to the boundaries of the and in New Mexico. Fort Bliss is home to the, which returned to US soil in 2011 after 40 years in Germany. The division is supported by the. The installation is also home to the, the, the (now reflagged as the 1st Armored Division Artillery Brigade), and the. The headquarters for the, a federal tactical operational intelligence center, is hosted at Fort Bliss.

Its (United States Department of Defense) counterpart, is. Biggs Field, a military airport located at Fort Bliss, is designated a platform.

Is located on the post. Other forts in the frontier fort system were Forts, and in Texas, and in.

There were 'sub posts or intermediate stations' including Bothwick's Station on Salt Creek between Fort Richardson and Fort Belknap, Camp Wichita near Buffalo Springs between Fort Richardson and, and Mountain Pass between Fort Concho and Fort Griffin. Fort Bliss in 1885. Photo courtesy of In 1846, led through, with victories at the and the.

Then on 7 November 1848, War Department General Order no. 58 ordered the establishment of a post across from. On 8 September 1849, the garrison party of several companies of the ('The Old Guard', currently the oldest active duty regiment in the US Army), commanded by, found only four small and scattered settlements on the north side of the.

The Post Opposite El Paso del Norte was first established at the site of Coon's Ranch (often erroneously referred to as Smith's Ranch, now downtown ): 21 and, along with and other Southwestern outposts, protected recently won territory from harassing and, provided law and order, and escorted the.: 17 also had nominal command of the, the former Presidio of San Elizario, seventeen miles downstream from El Paso del Norte.: 9,17 With constant Indian raids, garrisons had to be moved frequently to meet the shifting threats. In September 1851, the Post Opposite El Paso and the Post at San Elizario were closed, the soldiers moved 40 miles (64 km) north to.: 20–21 Post of El Paso (1854), Fort Bliss, (1854-1868) On 11 January 1854, Companies B, E, I and K of the, under the command of Lt. Col., established Post of El Paso at under orders from.: 23 The post was named Fort Bliss on 8 March 1854: 23 in honor of Lt. Col., a veteran of the Mexican War (1846-1848) who was cited for gallantry in action. There it remained for the next 14 years, serving as a base for troops guarding the area against Apache attacks.

Until 1861 most of these troops were units of the 8th Infantry Brigade. At the outbreak of the, the Commander of the, ordered the garrison to Fort Bliss to, which Col. Did on 31 March 1861.: 29 Confederate forces consisting of the 2nd Regiment of Texas, under the command of Col., took the post on 1 July 1861,: 29 and used it as a platform to launch in an effort to force the Union garrisons still in these states to surrender. Initially the Confederate Army had success in their attempts to, but following the, Confederate soldiers were forced to retreat. Aerial view of Fort Bliss, 1968, with N-El Paso in background.

On New Year's Day,1878,: 36 Fort Bliss was established as a permanent post; the Company L of the and Company C of the, were sent to Fort Bliss to prevent further and the usage of Rio Grande water for irrigation purposes.: 36,39 Prior to this date, the government had had a policy of simply leasing property for its military installations. Now, however, a tract of 135 acres (0.55 km 2) was purchased at Hart's Mill on the river's edge in the Pass, near what is today the.

With a $40,000 appropriation, a building program was begun. The first railroad arrived in 1881, and tracks were laid across the military reservation, thereby solving the supply problems for the fort and the rapidly growing town of El Paso. By 1890, Hart's Mill had outlived its usefulness, and Congress appropriated $150,000 for construction of a military installation: 50 on the mesa approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) east of El Paso's 1890 city limits. Although no money was appropriated for the land, $8,250 was easily raised by the local residents, who realized the economic benefit to the area. Noel Parade Field, West Fort Bliss. In the background. Present site (1893-today) The present site of Fort Bliss on La Noria mesa, was laid out by Captain John Ruhlen from 1891 to 1892 and was first occupied by four companies of the in October 1893.: 50 The Pershing Expedition In January 1914, arrived in El Paso to take command of the Army 8th Brigade that was stationed at Fort Bliss.

At the time, the was underway in Mexico, and the 8th Brigade had been assigned the task of securing the. In March 1915, under the command of General, Pershing led the 8th Brigade on the failed 1916–1917 into Mexico in search of outlaw. On Friday, 11 March 2016, members of the 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, (3rd BCT, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss) conducted a at, NM, the former site of Camp Furlong, 2nd Squadron's billet in 1915. They reviewed the terrain of the 9 March 1916 raid by 's forces on the unit 100 years before.

2nd Squadron then participated in a parade with, and Roll Call of the fallen. During this time, the would become one of the homes to the and the, the U.S. Army’s first tactical unit equipped with airplanes. World War I and World War II As (AEF) commander (1917–1918), transferred to Fort Bliss and was responsible for the organization, training, and supply of an inexperienced force that eventually grew from 27,000 men to over 2,000,000—the of.

From 10 December 1917 – 12 May 1918, the wartime existed at Fort Bliss. Similarly, the was initially activated at Fort Bliss on 10 December 1917 and then deactivated in July 1919, but then reactivated at Fort Bliss on 31 August 1920. Predominantly a cavalry post since 1912, Fort Bliss acquired three light, eight medium armored cars, two motorcycles, and two trucks on 8 November 1928.

During, Fort Bliss focused on training (AAA). In September 1940 the Coast Artillery's anti-aircraft training center was established, and in 1941 the arrived to fly (the were at the nearby ). On 3 August 1944, the was ordered from to Fort Bliss to make the training of anti-aircraft gunners easier, and they became the dominant force at Fort Bliss following the departure of the. 1942, the War Dept. Made space available for handling up to 1,350 POWs, while POW camps could be constructed. During the war, the base was used to hold approximately 91 and Americans and from Hawaii (then a territory), who were arrested as potential but, in most cases, denied due process. Group of 104 in 1946 at Fort Bliss (35 were at ) By February 1946, over 100 German scientists had arrived to develop and were attached to the Office of the Chief of, Research and Development Service, Suboffice (Rocket), headed by Major James P.

Although the scientists were initially 'pretty much kept ' (resulting in the nickname 'Operation Icebox'), they were subsequently divided into a research group and a group who assisted with. German families began arriving in December 1946, and by the spring of 1948, the number of German rocket specialists (nicknamed ') in the US was 127. Fort Bliss rocket launches included firings of the at the in April 1945. In 1953, funding cuts caused the cancellation of work on the work that had begun at Fort Bliss. In late 1953 after troops had been trained at the Ft Bliss Guided Missile School, field-firing operations of the were underway at Red Canyon Range Camp, WSPG.: 263 In April 1950, the 1st Guided Missile Group named the the ARMY LOON.: 249 The Cold War.

Fort Bliss facility map of main area in 1974 Fort Bliss trained thousands of U.S. Soldiers during the. As the United States gradually came to master the art of building and operating missiles, Fort Bliss and became more and more important to the country, and were expanded accordingly. On 1 July 1957 the U.S. Army Air Defense Center was established at Fort Bliss. Located at this Center, in addition to Center Headquarters, are the; Air Defense; the 6th Artillery Group (Air Defense); the 61st Ordnance Group; and other supporting elements.

In 1957 Fort Bliss and its anti-aircraft personnel began using, Chaparral, and missiles. Fort Bliss took on the important role of providing a large area for troops to conduct with the missiles. Because of the large number of Army personnel enrolled in the air defense school, Fort Bliss saw two large rounds of construction in 1954 and 1958. The former was aimed at creating more barracks facilities, while the latter was aimed at building new classrooms, materials labs, a radar park, and a missile laboratory. Between 1953 and 1957 the Army also expanded McGregor Range in an effort to accommodate live fire exercises of the new missile systems.

Throughout the Fort Bliss remained a premier site for testing anti-aircraft equipment. Fort Bliss was used as the Desert Stage of the training course to prepare Ranger School graduates for operations in the deserts of the Middle East. From 1983 to 1987, Fort Bliss was home to the Ranger School's newly formed 4th (Desert Ranger) Training Company.

This unit was later expanded in 1987 to form the newly created 's short-lived 7th Ranger Training Battalion, which was then transferred to the in. The deserts of Utah proved to be unsuitable so the 7th Ranger Training Battalion was returned to Fort Bliss from 1991 until the Ranger School's Desert Phase was discontinued in 1995. While the develops doctrine and tactics, training current and future soldiers has always been its core mission. Until 1990 the post was used for and (AIT), under the 1/56 ADA Regiment, part of 6th ADA. Before 1989, 1/56 had three basic training companies and two AIT. After 1990, 1/56 dropped basic training, that mission assumed.

The unit now had four enlisted batteries for enlisted AIT, one battery for the Officer's Basic Course and Captain's Career Course (added in 2004) and one company that trained army truck drivers ( 88M). Fires from its launch canister. Base Realignment and Closure In 1995, the Department of Defense recommended that the be relocated to,. Efforts to consolidate units from another post with those units that remained at Fort Bliss were overruled by the, leaving Fort Bliss without any armored vehicles. Units operating the US Army's relocated to Fort Bliss during the 1990s.

The Patriot system played an important role in the / in 1991. In commemoration, the expressway in northeast was designated the Patriot Freeway. The War on Terror After the, Fort Bliss provided ADA Battalions for US and NATO use in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has served as one of the major deployment centers for troops bound for and.

This mission is accomplished via nearby, which is included in the installation's supporting areas. Following the in 2001 Fort Bliss began training Afghan security forces at the at Fort Bliss, with the hope that these newly trained soldiers would eventually be able to take control of their own national security. Base Realignment and Closure, 2005. See also: In 2005, the Pentagon recommended transforming Fort Bliss into a heavy armor training post, to include approximately 11,500 new troops from the – at that time stationed in Germany -, as well as units from and. An estimated 15,918 military jobs and 384 civilian jobs were planned to be transferred to Fort Bliss, brought the total number of troops stationed at Fort Bliss under this alignment to a total of 33,500 by 2012. Officials from Fort Bliss and the City of El Paso were thrilled with the decision; the general mood of the city government was perfectly captured by 14 May edition of the, which boldly proclaimed 'BLISS WINS BIG'.

According to, the BRAC commission considered three primary factors to make its decision: The military value of Fort Bliss, the potential for other branches of the armed service to use a post as large as Fort Bliss, and the lack of urban encroachment around Fort Bliss that would otherwise hinder its growth. The arrival of the 11,500 troops from the 1st Armored Division is also expected to create some 20,196 direct and indirect military and civilian jobs in El Paso. According to the, this is the largest net gain in the United States tied to the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations. Of the 20,196 new jobs expected to come to El Paso as a result of Bliss’ realignment 9,000 would be indirect civilian jobs created by the influx of soldiers to the 'Sun City'. When the BRAC commission recommendations were released Senator 's spokesman reported that El Paso was the only area that came out with a major gain of forces.

The news that El Paso had been selected to receive major elements of the 1st Armored Division was met with joy, but at the same time many expressed surprise at the panel's recommendation to transfer the Air Defense Artillery School, and its accompanying equipment (including the ) to. On 25 August officials representing Fort Bliss went before the BRAC Commission to plead their case for maintaining the ADA school and its accompanying equipment at Fort Bliss, citing among other thing the size of Fort Bliss and the history of the ADA school in the region. The BRAC Commission ultimately ruled against Fort Bliss, and the roughly 4,500 affected soldiers were transferred to. The entire transfer of soldiers to and from Fort Bliss was completed no later than 15 September 2011. On 25 June 2009, authority over the post was shifted from to.

Of Fort Bliss today. Present-day Among Fort Bliss' missions:. Provide anti-aircraft and missile defense capabilities. Conduct of nearly every type of Army weapon.

Host joint military exercises with other U.S. And foreign units,. Be home to many maintenance crews and supply units. Be one of the Army's premier bases for test-driving tanks and other equipment. House thousands of military vehicles, including all the equipment needed to set up sites.

Hosted the Air Defense Artillery Center from 1942 to 2010. USAADCEN has completed its transfer to. Concomitantly, the German Air Force Air Defense school is going to move to new training facilities in Germany and. In 2013, the German Air Force deactivated its presence at Fort Bliss, while retaining a presence at Holloman Air Force Base; over the previous 47 years, over 50,000 German Airmen received training at this command. In 2015, due to funding constraints on the planned new facilities in Europe, the German Air Force Air Defense school will stay open at Fort Bliss until 2020. Monitor missile launches conducted by, located 70 miles (110 km) to the north, in.

Host the (CRC), the unit-level training site for Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen who are deploying or re-deploying on an individual basis. This CRC consolidates several other centers and now serves the entire Continental United States (CONUS). A secured drone airfield, with a separate 5000 foot runway and dedicated hangar, 20–25 miles north of the main post is under construction, with completion expected by 2016. It will host a company of 9 Gray Eagles for First Armored Division. Training missions are supported by the McGregor Range Complex, located some 25 miles (40 km) to the northeast of the main post, in New Mexico. Most of Fort Bliss lies in the state of, stretching northeastward along from to the southern boundary of the in; in addition, much of the northwestward side of Highway 54 is part of the Fort Bliss Military Reservation, ranging from the northern side of to the southern boundary of; the main facilities are within the city limits of.

According to the city zoning map, the post officially resides in. Fort Bliss K-12 Schools Separate from the main post are the (which also serves the for the post's ) and a center at the eastern base of the. All of these supporting missions serve the military and retired-military population here, including having served General in his last days.

A new warrior transition complex, located at Marshall and Cassidy roads, was opened in June 2011 to replace the older facility serving the warrior transition battalion. A new location for William Beaumont Army Medical Center, to be located at Spur 601 and Loop 375, is now rescheduled to be completed in September 2019. The installation is also close to the El Paso Airport (with easy access from the post via Robert E. Lee Road— now renamed Buffalo Soldier Road), Highway 54, and Interstate 10.

There is a replica of the Magoffinsville site for Fort Bliss on post, simulating the adobe style of construction. Other items of interest include the memorial statue on Buffalo Soldier Road, at the Buffalo Soldier Gate of entry to the post, and a missile museum on Pleasanton Road. The walls of the old Fort Bliss Officers Club contains adobe bricks that are more than a century old. The building now houses a, where new personnel can learn about the post's activities and support groups.

The Fort Bliss Welcome center, for new arrivals, is nearby, in the Building 500 area. Fort Bliss has been designated a 'No Drone Zone' by the FAA, out to 400 feet beyond the lateral edges of the military reservation. This will be enforced by the Military Police. Local impact.

Fort Bliss soldier running up for his daily. As of 2005, the base contributed about $1.7 billion to the economy of and, and many businesses in the region serve the post's troops.

When troops are transferred to other posts or called up for service overseas, the economic fallout can be felt throughout the city. Following the departure of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment in 1995, many businesses in the Central and Northeast parts of the city either closed or moved. Conversely, the influx of troops from the 1st Armored Division led to a boom in construction of housing and schools in the Central and Northeast areas of El Paso. As the Army began downsizing in 2014, Fort Bliss was expected to lose 1,200 soldiers from the then-current 33,500 by 2017. Fort Bliss has also assisted El Paso during local. In 1897, and again in 1925, the fort provided food and housing to those displaced by flood waters. In 2006, Fort Bliss dispatched soldiers and helicopters to the flood-affected areas to help with rescue efforts there.

The flooding of El Paso in 2013 and 2014 were not met with this type of official response. As of July 2010, electric power consumption at Fort Bliss had been reduced by three megawatts as the base continues to work towards becoming a 'net zero' energy installation. In April 2013, announced a $120 million project to be completed by 2015, consisting of the largest solar farm within the U.S. A joint study by Fort Bliss and El Paso-area city governments found that desalination was a viable method for increasing El Paso's water supply by 25%. The Desalination Plant, on Montana Avenue, is located on Fort Bliss property, and desalinates the groundwater of the Hueco Bolson for use by El Paso and Fort Bliss. This reverse-osmosis plant protects the fresh groundwater supplies from invasion by more brackish water.

This plant is currently the largest non-seawater desalination plant in the world. In 2010, with the assumption of command by Major General, a local that grew up in El Paso, Fort Bliss was made an 'open post' which allowed anyone with a valid driver's license to enter the post. As of 2015 Fort Bliss is no longer an open post. Fort Bliss archaeologists manage 20,000 sites on the 1.12 million acre reservation, and serve as tribal liaison to seven federally-funded Indian tribes. The historic site in El Paso county is adjacent to the military reservation.

Cultural liaison with the tribes at the sacred sites of the reservation is an annual event. Geography. Location of the in El Paso County. The Fort Bliss is located. According to the, the census-designated place has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.0 km²), all of it land. In terms of its, it is a southern part of the. Bunker 11507 An investigation into above-ground dirt-covered bunkers located on the military reservation was opened in June 2013.

These former nuclear weapons bunkers were used by the Air Force during the Cold War, when Biggs Air Force Base was a SAC base. Low level radiation was detected in Bunker 11057. The bunker interiors were previously painted with epoxy paint to contain the radiation, and the paint has now chipped. The radiation contamination is confined to the area around the bunker. The area was closed on 11 July 2013. Demographics.

Leaving Fort Bliss As of the census of 2000, there were 8,264 people, 1,527 households, and 1,444 families residing on the post. The population density was 1,340.1 people per square mile (517.1/km²). There were 2,309 housing units at an average density of 374.4/sq mi (144.5/km²). The racial makeup of the post was 58.1%, 25.1%, 2.4%, 1.3%, 0.7%, 8.9% from, and 3.5% from two or more races. Or of any race were 19.3% of the population. There were 1,527 households out of which 80.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 5.4% were non-families.

4.9% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.54 and the average family size was 3.62. On the post the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 33.6% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 2.3% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older.

The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 167.0 males.

For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 204.8 males. The median income for a household on the post was $35,970, and the median income for a family was $34,679.

Males had a median income of $19,920 versus $17,227 for females. The per capita income for the post was $13,201. About 9.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. Fort Bliss Museums The Replica Museum is located next to the Noel Parade Field and depicts the Post at the Magoffinsville site. This five building museum was authentically constructed with and painted, and includes a store, bunkhouse, and a pottery kiln. The museum depicts the story of Fort Bliss and El Paso from 1848 to 1948 and was dedicated on the 100th anniversary. The Fort Bliss and Ironsides Museums are located next to the Athletic Field and includes outdoor and indoor exhibits.

These include important historical artifacts from the founding of Fort Bliss to the present day, such as General Pershing's Dodge Command Car and a.