[Scan-DC] State Dept’s new Training Center in Blackstone, Va.

[John Wilson]

*  I can give you some history which might help.  Blackstone, is located 
about 35 miles west of Petersburg, VA on Rt. 460 in Dinwiddie Co.  I was 
there several times doing satellite tv installations in the early 2000s. 
I received a call for a repair job from a couple who worked and commuted 
daily to Ft. Lee which had to be 60-75 miles.  I quickly looked at the 
map and it didn't seem that far.   However after one hour on Rt. 460 I 
still had not reached the Blackstone exit.  There actually is two exits 
on Rt. 460, one for Ft. Pickett and the other for Blackstone.

   Ft. Pickett is a huge military facility mostly in a rural 
environment.  It mainly is for active duty Army and reserve active duty 
training support.   It is the military facility where Air Force troop 
carrier aircraft fly up from Ft. Bragg  to do their large scale 
parachute drops training.  Part of the installations training 
instructors and facilities managements are contracted out to private 
sector for the various jobs.  About 6-7 years ago the VSP built a large 
training complex for all VSP statewide divisions and other federal law 
enforcement personnel, by prior request, to practice in a closed track 
environment for vehicle pursuits and other maneuvers.  This VSP facility 
also has its' own 800 mhz. trs P1****but I am just out of range to 
monitor it.   It is unencrypted and can be heard mobile once in the Ft. 
Pickett area

   I seriously doubt that the federal govt. would purchase new private 
sector land near Blackstone when Ft. Pickett has thousands of acres much 
of which are not developed.  Blackstone is the only civilization close 
to Ft. Pickett.  The closest town to the west is Crewe, VA which doesn't 
have any relationship to Ft. Pickett because of it's distance.  Ft. 
Pickett also has MPs and restricted areas.  There's more than enough 
room also for the CIA to have a rural private location possibly to 
encourage someone who does not want to talk otherwise be persuaded.

   I'm surprised the CIA didn't establish a facility there years ago.  
Anyway, common sense would dictate that the State Dept. would use part 
of an undeveloped section of Ft. Pickett and not close to Blackstone 
proper but don't bet on it.  It probably will be an installation based 
on the CIA facility at Camp Peary in James City Co. or the FBI Academy 
in Fredericksburg.  Either way if it requires a multi-month training 
course, the student might want to purchase his/her own DTV satellite tv 
system to temporary install.  Otherwise plan on his/her excitement being 
driving to Blackstone for a hamburger and watching the resupply truck 
for the Dollar Family store off load.  When it gets dark in Blackstone, 
most people are in their homes not out and about.  But it is pretty 
country with some nice homes with really large acreage with lots of 
peace and quiet.  But remember all of the prime land near Blackstone was 
purchased years ago.  It will be interesting to see where the location 
actually will be.  Apparently a contract has been signed to do some kind 
of construction.

Having said all that I will not be surprised if the federal govt. 
purchases 500 acres of rural land on the southern side of the town of 
Blackstone as they can get.  The northern side is too close to Rt. 460 
and not sufficient for a large complex installation.

John
W4UVV *

Alan Henney wrote:
> Anybody know what freqs they are using?
>
> To Train Foreign Service Agents, You Must Build a Fake Town
> At a new State Department training center, survival lessons include fleeing
> ambushes, escaping burning buildings, and handling bomb threats.
>
> https://www.wired.com/story/state-department-virginia-training-center/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=wired&utm_social-type=earned
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