WVNG Army Interagency Training and Education Center Critical Infrastructure Protection battalion soldiers demonstrate force capabilities at Camp Dawson .
Photo by U . S . Army National Guard / Spc . Brianna Lawrence .
Top-Tier Training
PAIGE KOCOUREK
Fola All Hazards Training Area
Typically known for its coal mines and farming communities , Clay County is stepping to the forefront of military and first responder training . Based on a concept by retired Colonel Walter Hatfield and Major General James Hoyer , the Fola All Hazards Training Area was established in 2020 to train West Virginia National Guard ( WVNG ) service members and first responders . Today , first responders and the WVNG utilize the facility alongside the U . S . Army Combat Capabilities Development Command , U . S . Marine Corps and Polaris and SAAB — who use the facility to test equipment .
“ Prior to Major General William Crane assuming the role of adjutant general , the WVNG had been working on surface mine development projects with the West Virginia Department of Commerce and the West Virginia Economic Development Office for over a decade ,” says Major Holli Nelson , director of strategic communications and governmental affairs for the WVNG . “ Through this and other initiatives driven by the leadership of Governor Jim Justice , the WVNG got to work on helping to develop and bring homeland security and defense industry-related businesses to the Mountain State . The Fola All Hazards Training Area is the culmination of this endeavor and continues to expand in size and scope to build capabilities for U . S . Department of Defense ( DOD ), state and federal partners .”
Since its opening , the facility has been in a constant state of growth and development , with the addition of a closequarter training facility , multiple training lanes and housing and pending approval for additional developments . With an expansive 20,000 acres , the training facility is adept at catering to various training needs .
“ The Fola All Hazards Training Area is a multifaceted training facility owned and operated by the Civil-Military Innovation Institute with joint use agreements with the WVNG ,” says Lieutenant Colonel Todd Justice , WVNG director of joint operations . “ The training area has the capability to support all types of training , from domestic operations and close quarters combat to large scale force-on-force . There is unlimited growth potential if picked up as a national training site .”
From tactical and responder training to experience driving vehicles on rough terrain , the facility gives those using it a wide range of training abilities .
The various training opportunities offered are enhanced by the physical location of the facility . Its location in West Virginia capitalizes on the terrain of the state ’ s rugged mountains and valleys , which can improve the combat capability of our forces and those who train here as it often mimics that of overseas combat areas . Furthermore , the facility ’ s location is extremely attractive to those both inside and outside the state .
“ The defense industry is forever growing , and due to our proximity to Washington , D . C ., and 45 % of the U . S . population being within an eight-hour radius of central West Virginia , plus multiple military organizations on the East Coast with no substantial training area , we feel the growth potential is massive ,” says Justice .
The Fola All Hazards Training Area will continue to serve as a testing ground for defense innovation , prototypes , forceon-force training exercises and field testing for new technologies in the hands of warfighters in a contested environment .
“ The Fola facility is a one-of-a-kind national asset for advanced technology design and experimentation that is already attracting military and commercial customers ,” says Civil-Military Innovation Institute Founder Zenovy Wowczuk , Ph . D . “ This asset will bring these groups to the state and convince them to plant a permanent flag here .”
Ultimately , the facility gives military organizations — including the DOD , the Department of Homeland Security , the Army , the Navy and Special Operations Forces — access to training grounds near the East Coast , without having to travel across the country . Accessibility and the available austere terrain and environment to experiment with cutting-edge defense technologies make the Fola All Hazards Training Area an important addition to the defense industry . •
Photo by Christopher Hamrick .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE