When Fort Irwin units receive their copy of an incoming Soldier's assignment orders, the unit assigns a sponsor to assist the Soldier and their family.

The sponsor sends a welcome letter, which includes a preaddressed post card inviting the Soldier to send for the Army Community Services welcome packet and the Fort Irwin general information fact sheet. As soon as a Soldier gets their assignment orders, they may wish to check with the Housing Referral Office for on-post and off-post housing information prior to deciding when to transport their family to Fort Irwin. The Soldier may also wish to make reservations at the Landmark Inn on post. Both can be done by calling DSN 470-4599 or commercial (760) 380-4599.

Barstow, the closest town to Fort Irwin, is 37 miles away. Located midway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, it is accessible via interstates 40 and 15, and state highways 58 and 247. Amtrak passenger trains offer daily service to Barstow.

Greyhound Bus Lines offer services to Barstow from Las Vegas, Ontario and Los Angeles. There is no commercial airport in Barstow. The three closest airports are Ontario (120 miles), Los Angeles, (175 miles), and Las Vegas, (180 miles). Local airports or the Scheduled Airline Ticket Office can provide flight information.

When Soldiers arrive in Barstow, and before going to Fort Irwin, they are requested to stop by the Fort Irwin Outreach Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 512 Barstow Rd. in Barstow. The Center is closed on Wednesday and weekends. The Welcome Center telephone number is (760) 256-1735.

Soldiers can sign in at the Welcome Center and may decide to seek lodging in town, if they determine by phoning post that no guest quarters are available.

Newcomers should report to the AG Replacement Detachment, Building 412, for inprocessing, which is done quickly and with a minimum of inconvenience. Soldiers need to be in uniform and bring their orders and military records.

Soldiers and their family members can receive immediate assistance from Army Community Services. Volunteers and paid staff members can help new families get settled in. From the Lending Closet, items such as bedding, kitchen utensils and baby-care implements, such as a crib or high chair may be signed out. A well-stocked food locker is also available for emergencies.

Soldiers must register privately owned vehicles and weapons within three days of arrival. Vehicle registration requires the Soldiers provide a valid Military ID, driver's license, insurance, registration, and proof of compliance with California emissions standards. Weapons registration forms may be obtained at the Soldier's new company and must be signed by the company commander. Only the form must be delivered to the Vehicle and Weapon Registration Section, Building 312. Weapons being registered should not be brought to the facility.

Pets must be registered at the Animal Disease Prevention and Control Facility within one week of arrival on post. Any animal immunization records available should be presented when registering the pet. In addition, each pet registered on post is required to have an AVID chip, which is available at Veterinary Services. Clear, sunny weather is the norm yearround. Summer days are hot, with temperatures in June through September averaging 110 degrees. Nights are cool in the mid- to upper-60s. Winter temperatures can dip to the lower 20s.

Fort Irwin housing privatized in March 2004. Pinnacle is our partner for property management and maintenance. They manage the day-to-day housing functions including Army Family Housing, Bachelor Officer and Junior and Senior Enlisted Quarters. They are located at 5th and South Loop in Building 826. There are currently 2,353 sets of family quarters. Construction in 2008 will produce an additional 217 quarters for E-1 through E-6.

The family housing inventory includes 928 two bedroom, 963 three-bedroom and 340 four-bedroom quarters for Soldiers in family housing.Waiting periods vary depending on availability, subject to change. Eligible Soldiers must place their names on the waiting list within 30 days after signing in onto post. Contact Pinnacle by calling (760) 386-HOME (4663). You may log onto the Web site at: resident.irwinmilitaryhousing.com to find more information about housing at Fort Irwin.