Training Support Center Hampton Roads

Training Support Center Hampton Roads is the current name of the facility in Virginia Beach, Virginia USA, which was long-known as "FTC Dam Neck". It is the home of the "Fleet Combat Training Center Atlantic" of the United States Navy.

FTC Dam Neck in 1964.

History

Dam Neck Mills, U.S. Lifesaving Service

TSC Hampton Roads is located near the former town of Dam Neck Mills which was located in Princess Anne County (the former county is now part of the independent city of Virginia Beach). It was the site of the 19th century Dam Neck Mills Lifesaving Station of the United States Lifesaving Service, one of five spaced at intervals along the coast in Virginia from Cape Henry south to the border of North Carolina. The U.S. Lifesaving Service merged with other agencies to form the United States Coast Guard in 1915.

The area's lifesaving history along the coast line of the Graveyard of the Atlantic is commemorated at the Old Coast Guard Station Museum located in the 1903 Seatack Lifesaving Service Station (the next one north of the Dam Neck Mills station) at 24th street adjacent to the boardwalk of Virginia Beach. The Old Coast Guard Station Museum has artifacts from the 1891 shipwreck of the Dictator, displays of period lifesaving equipment, educational programs, and even an online "Tower Cam", offering Internet users a similar view to those of members of the Lifesaving crews had over 100 years ago.

World War II, FTC Dam Neck

The United States Navy acquired the property during World War II to train anti-aircraft gunners. Since that time the mission was expanded to include training of Combat Systems operators and maintenance technicians. One notable former tenant command was Naval Guided Missile School (NAVGMSCOL), which provided training for the Polaris, Poseidon, and Trident 1 Backfit submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) systems and various surface missile systems.

Current mission

In 2004, FTC Dam Neck was reorganized and renamed Training Support Center Hampton Roads, to align it with the U.S. Navy's "Revolution In Training". The actual training activity is the Center for Surface Combat Systems, which is headquartered in Dahlgren, Virginia. TSC Hampton Roads supports the training mission, as its name suggests.

Tenant commands

Other tenant commands currently at Dam Neck include the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU/NSWDG), Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TACTRAGRULANT), and Combat Direction System Activity (CDSA) Dam Neck. TSC Hampton Roads is also home to the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC), which trains Marines and sailors in military intelligence.[1]

Nearby, Dam Neck Annex is part of Naval Air Station Oceana.

References
  1. "Overview". Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center. United States Navy. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
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