Camp Dawson Garrison Training Center

Located in Kingwood, WVa., the Camp Dawson Garrison Training Center supported training for more than 128,917 military and civilian personnel during Fiscal Year 2023. As a Level IV Garrison Training Center, Camp Dawson provides a vast array of capabilities:

• transient training infrastructure
• full suite of classrooms
• barracks
• computer labs
• live fire ranges up to 7.62mm
• more than 3,000 acres of light maneuver area

Camp Dawson also hosts tenant organizations including the Camp Dawson Event Center that supports housing for more than 500 personnel and a classroom environment capable of training more than 1,000 personnel.

Additionally, the Training Center supports tenant organizations including the 197th Regional Training Institute (RTI), 753rd Explosive Ordinance Disposal, C Company 2/19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1201st Forward Support Company, Special Operations Detachment – Europe, the Mountaineer Challenge Academy – North, the Army Interagency Training and Education Center, a robust Environmental Section and a major venue for training for the Governor’s Jobs and Hope Program. Camp Dawson also recently gained the 1257th Engineer Detachment, which are Firefighters for the Garrison.

Camp Dawson Event Center

The Camp Dawson state-of-the-art event and conference center may host all branches of the military as well as government entities and approved non-profit organizations that are utilizing the space for official conferences or events.

197th Regiment Regional Training Institute

The 197th Regiment RTI is located at Camp Dawson in Kingwood and is the state’s premier training and education center. The RTI serves as part of the One Army School System providing training and certification to the National Guard, Reserve Component, and Active Components.

The 197th RTI is the higher headquarters for the State Officer Candidate School (OCS) Program, the 1st Modular Training Battalion (MTB), and the Fixed Wing Army Aviation Training Site (FWAATS). The Regiment also teaches the Common Faculty Development Instructor Course (CFDIC). The ability to teach CFDIC allows the Regiment to certify its instructors for both the MTB’s as well as the OCS program.  

During FY23, the 197th RTI completed a Training and Doctrine Command accreditation with an overall score of 99.7%, demonstrating excellence and professionalism as one of the top National Guard schoolhouses in the nation. The regiment provides oversight to reclassification and advanced Professional Military Education training for Horizontal Engineers and Horizontal Engineer Supervisors.

The 197th also conducts reclassification training for Vertical Engineers through the Carpentry / Masonry Specialist course. In FY23, the MTB had a student throughput of nearly 300 service members, resulting in 600 certifications, and an increase of qualified Soldiers, significantly enhancing engineer capabilities across the Army. The Regiment’s mission focuses on realistic training and leader development through rigorous development and implementation of Operational Environment variables in all aspects of training.

The commitment to educating and developing leaders through doctrine, real word experiences and hands-on training creates a world-class military education for every Soldier that trains at the 197th RTI.