Camp Beauregard
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Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville (previously Camp Beauregard) is a Louisiana National Guard installation located northeast of
Pineville, Louisiana Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located across the Red River from the larger Alexandria, and is part of the Alexandria Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,555 at the 2010 census. It had ...
, primarily in Rapides Parish, but also extending northward into Grant Parish. It is operated and owned by the Louisiana National Guard as one of their main training areas. The current base covers and is home to many different units and elements of the
Louisiana Army National Guard The Louisiana Army National Guard (; ) is a component of the Louisiana National Guard, and the state's reserve force within the United States Army. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal ...
. The camp was originally named for Louisiana native and Confederate
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Camp Beauregard was one of ten U.S. Army installations named for former Confederate Generals. Inspired by the work of the Federal
Naming Commission The Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America, more commonly referred to as the Naming Commissio ...
, the Louisiana National Guard began the process of soliciting potential replacement names for Camp Beauregard from the general public in September 2022 even though the State of Louisiana was not legally required to do so. In March 2023, a list of six names were sent to Louisiana Army National Guard Adjutant General, Major General Keith Waddell, for his consideration. The Louisiana Army National Guard announced in April 2023 that the military installation would be renamed Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville later that year. The name change occurred in October 2023.


History

The beginnings of the existing post date back to 1917, when the War Department authorized the building of more than thirty camps around the country to train troops for
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. The 17th Division was organized in 1918 as a National Army division for World War I. The 17th Division included the 33rd Infantry Brigade (September 1918-February 1919), with the 5th and 83rd Regiments, and the 34th Brigade with the 29th and 84th Regiments. The 5th Infantry Regiment was assigned on 27 July 1918 to the 17th Division and relieved on 10 February 1919. The 17th Division was intended to be a replacement and school division. The 17th Division did not go overseas and demobilized in February 1919 at Camp Beauregard. In 1919, the camp was abandoned and given to the state. In 1940, Camp Beauregard was returned to the U.S. government for use as a
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
training area. During this time period Beauregard became very busy. The area had been effectively
deforested Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...
in previous years and was unusable for agriculture. The camp, and several tens of thousands of acres of surrounding land, including Camp Claiborne, Camp Livingston, Camp Cook, Fort Polk and what is now Esler Regional Airport were used for the
Louisiana Maneuvers The Louisiana Maneuvers were a series of major U.S. Army exercises held from August to September 1941 in northern and west-central Louisiana, an area bounded by the Sabine River to the west, the Calcasieu River to the east, and by the city of ...
, a training exercise involving almost 500,000 men, preparing for the battles of World War II. Two-thirds of the U.S. military rotated through these war games. A large part of the State of Louisiana, centered on these large camps, became almost an occupied territory. After World War II, the camp was returned to the state, which used it as a training area for two years and then deactivated it. In 1973, the camp was reactivated, and became one of the premier military training areas in Louisiana. Since then, most of the old buildings have either been torn down or remodeled, and many new buildings have been constructed. The 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Louisiana Army National Guard often makes use of the camp's training and lodging facilities. The 225th Engineer Brigade, the largest engineer group in the army, has its headquarters at Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville. The 199th Regiment (RTI) is also headquartered at the training center. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections operated the J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center adjacent to the Louisiana National Guard base on the camp property.Time in Prison
." Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. 28/40. September 23, 2010.
until it closed in July 2012.J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center
"
Archive
Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. Retrieved on October 23, 2012. The
United States Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...
Tactical Operations Center maintains a small, full-time operational cadre of its Special Operations Group.


See also

* List of U.S. Army installations named for Confederate soldiers


References


External links


Training Center Pineville official website

History of Training Center Pineville
{{Coord, 31, 22, 32.50, N, 92, 23, 22.29, W, display=title Buildings and structures in Grant Parish, Louisiana Buildings and structures in Rapides Parish, Louisiana Installations of the United States Army National Guard Military installations in Louisiana 1917 establishments in Louisiana