FORT CARSON, Colo. – Fort Carson hosted a partnership and strategy summit Oct. 20, 2023, for its counterparts in the local government and sister installations aimed at building a stronger Front Range team and learning and growing from each other’s challenges.
Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, kicked off the summit discussing where the Mountain Post has been and the way ahead.
Doyle introduced a video showcasing the “Ivy” Division’s recent nine-month deployment to Poland, which included multiple training opportunities and exercises with NATO counterparts.
“We spent a lot of time and effort listening to our partners because they are the regional experts, but they also wanted to learn from us about our warfighters, how we can integrate things on the battlefield and understand how we would tie back into our elements,” Doyle said.
Fort Carson and the communities that surround it are crucial to Soldiers and their Families, just like they were during the deployment.
“Unlike anywhere else I’ve been, we have a lot of alignment with the Colorado Springs area and the greater Front Range communities when it comes to shared interests,” said Col. Sean Brown, Fort Carson garrison commander.
Trinidad Mayor Phil Rico and Fountain Mayor Sharon Thompson highlighted the value of their partnerships with Fort Carson.
Rico noted Trinidad is an important asset to Fort Carson because of Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site. Fort Carson and the surrounding installations use PCMS to conduct maneuver training.
“If we don’t have the proper training facilities that are available to our Soldiers, we are doing them a great disservice,” said Rico. “They need to have a good training facility, and PCMS offers that to not only the Army, but to the other installations and services.”
With Colorado Springs being home to a large military population it’s important that the surrounding communities and the military installations work together to maintain and improve the quality of life for service members and their Families.
“We have three Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSAs) with Fort Carson providing pest control, animal control and general facility construction,” said John Trylch, Fountain administrative services director.
Fountain is currently working on a Service Rail Park project located outside of Gate 19 to support Fort Carson and enhance local rail capabilities. The second rail will help increase Fort Carson resiliency.
“The finished project will bring in around 6,000 jobs for the community,” said Trylch.
Fountain is also partnered with the United States Air Force Academy and Peterson and Schriever space force bases, with agreements to help each other within the community.
Col. David Hanson, commander of Space Base Delta 1, and Col. Daniel Werner, deputy commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, spoke about the challenges and their partnerships with Fort Carson and the city of Fountain.
“If we don’t get ‘Peak Partnerships’ right we won’t be of value to the Army, we won’t be of value to the Department of Defense and we especially won’t be of value to our partners,” said Doyle.
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