Photo By Jim O'Donnell | Dublin City Mayor Sherry Hu (right), speaks with PRFTA Garrison Commander Lt. Col....... read more read more
DUBLIN, Calif. -- Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA) serves as one of the premier training platforms on the West Coast, with more than 30 tenant units executing essential missions that reinforce Army Reserve and joint operational readiness. From intelligence and medical preparedness to enlisted leadership development and ceremonial support, PRFTA’s tenants are the driving force behind the garrison’s operational impact.
Originally called Camp Parks, PRFTA was established in 1943 as a staging location for Navy Seabees supporting the Pacific campaign during World War II. More than 80 years later, PRFTA has transformed into a modern installation supporting high-fidelity training and multi-component exercises.
“Camp Parks is not just a location—it’s a capability,” said Lt. Col. Richard King, PRFTA Garrison Commander, using the garrison’s more well-known name. “Our mission is to provide a secure, efficient, and adaptive training environment where tenant units can conduct operations, develop leaders, and prepare Soldiers for global contingencies. We exist to serve the warfighter.”
Just a 45-minute drive east of San Francisco, PRFTA’s nearly 2,000 acres offers a full spectrum of training environments for the nation’s armed services from classroom to obstacle courses, urban training sites to land navigation courses, PRFTA is a gem in an area widely known for the tech industry.
One of the 32 tenant units that call PRFTA home is the Regional Training Site-Medical (RTS-MED), located in one of PRFTA’s largest buildings, the SPC Jameson L. Lindskog Army Reserve Center.
RTS-MED’s mission is to provide training that enhances the Health Service Support and Force Health Protection capability and readiness of individuals, teams, and units to be prepared for overseas deployments, homeland support missions, and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) events, according to their director, Col. Steven R. Ford.
“At RTS-MED we provide training for over 4,000 individuals per year,” said Ford. “In addition to supporting all three Army components (Active, Reserve, National Guard), we also provide medical training support for all Department of Defense, governmental and non-governmental organizations.”
“PRFTA provides essential support needed to complete medical readiness training and the tools necessary for RTS-MED to function as a strategic site for providing real world medical care and hospitalization if a DSCA event should occur.”
Ford adds that PRFTA’s proximity to seaports, airports, railway lines, and a US Air Force Base that can be used to transport equipment, supplies, and personnel is an added benefit.
“PRFTA provides excellent garrison-centric support of public works (electrical, HVAC, water) and training ranges which allow for the training of Health Service Support planning, establishment, and operations,” said Ford. “I cannot think of a better location or facility that provides to us what Camp Parks does here.”
Another major tenant unit is the Non-Commission Officers Academy (NCOA), one of the Army’s 52 academies and a leader in performance and relevance according to their commandant, Command Sgt. Major George Camarena.
“With a 99.3 percent accreditation score, the highest across all component academies, and home to both the Instructor of the Year and the NCO of the Year for the 80th Training Command, our standard of excellence is clear,” said Camarena.
“Each year, we train over 1,200 Soldiers across nine cycles, developing agile, disciplined, and lethal leaders who are ready to lead from the front on ‘day one.’”
Camarena added that the quality of the training provided by the Parks NCOA is top-notch and indispensable to the nation’s defense but also key is the location where this training occurs.
“Situated near three major airports—San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco—and a short distance from Travis Air Force Base, our location is a strategic hub capable of rapid mobilization in support of emergent operations. The ability to train and project Army Reserve forces from the West Coast is not only cost-effective, but also critical. This academy at PRFTA does not just support readiness; it anchors it in one of the most strategically significant regions in the world,” said Camarena.
In addition to units supporting the warfighter, PRFTA is also home to the 191st Army Band, “The Band of the Wild West” a key component in helping the American public understand the Army mission.
“Our mission with the band is to promote the Army and our national interests, support commanders in their missions, and help build trust and confidence in America’s Army and its readiness—whether in peace, conflict, or war,” said Sergeant 1st Class Jamie Hall, Operations Non-Commissioned Officer for the unit.
“Being based here at (Camp) Parks in Dublin, right in the San Francisco Bay Area, makes it much easier to do all of that. The facilities are excellent, and having three major international airports within 45 minutes is a huge advantage, especially when our performances take us outside Northern California. While community engagement is our focus, we’re still Soldiers—and the support we get from PRFTA helps us stay ready.”
Lt. Col. King emphasized the importance of tenant unit synergy in driving PRFTA’s mission success.
“The strength of Camp Parks lies in the interoperability of its tenant commands,” he said. “From medical readiness and leadership development to full-spectrum mobilization support, every element contributes to a larger strategic posture. This installation is a launchpad—not just a home station.”
As global demands shift, PRFTA remains agile and mission-ready, serving as a dynamic platform for joint and total force operations, said King. PRFTA’s tenant units continue to deliver training excellence, operational capability, and leadership development—ensuring the installation’s enduring role in America’s defense.
PRFTA is a United States Army Reserve garrison located in Dublin, California, and is home to more than 30 units and organizations. It is committed to supporting the local community and providing a range of services and programs for military families. PRFTA is a sub-installation of Fort Hunter Liggett, located 156 miles south in Monterey County, Calif.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2025 18:18 |
| Story ID: | 544456 |
| Location: | DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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