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Designed by Capability Brown, and built by James Wyatt for George William the 6th Earl of Coventry, this Saxon Tower was completed in 1798. It has been used to house a printing press, as a holiday home in the late 1800s, and as a vantage point during WWI and WWII.
For more info: www.broadwaytower.co.uk/
This has been a turning point in the history of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE). With the successful completion of the exercise „Brilliant Capability 2016”, the Corps – Custodian of Regional Security – has become operationally capable to assume command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, also referred to as the “spearhead force”. I strongly believe that our team effort will provide tremendous value to NATO. – said Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, the Corps Commander, on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day, which took place in Szczecin, 2nd June.
Croome Park is a landscaped country park surrounding Croome Court, in Worcestershire. It was Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's first complete landscape design, begun in 1751 for George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry. The mansion house was also designed by Brown and is a rare example of his architectural work.
The Court has recently been acquired by the National Trust and is currently being renovated.
Croome Court is a grade 1 listed building.
At the Capability Barns site in Fen Drayton, a small platform has been built, and a restored signalbox has been installed.
Two BR Mark 1 carriages are also on site, Maroon SK 24458. and CK 15626 in Blood & Custard.
© [R. C. Tarling.
August 2013.
Day trip to Wrest Park in the village of Silsoe near Luton.
Wrest Park is a 19th century pseudo-French mansion built in 1834-39, to designs by its owner the Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey, an amateur architect, the first president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Wrest Park has an early eighteenth-century garden which was probably originally laid out for Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent and then modified by Lancelot "Capability" Brown in a more informal landscape style.
It is now in the care of English Heritage.
A WinVisible member wears a large sign around her neck calling for an end to the DWP ATOS work capability assessments, and also lists peopls who have died after being declared fit for work.
DPAC, Mental Health Resistance Network & WinVisible vigil at High Court supporting judicial review of Work Capability Assessment (WCA) London - 08.07.2014
Disabled activists representing Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), the Mental Health Resistance Network (MHRN) and WinVisible (Women With Invisible Disabilities held a dignified vigil on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice to show support for the judicial review taking place this week intended to make the Dept. for Work and Pensions (DWP) prove to the court that they are abiding by a previous court order that they make reasonable adjustments to the Work Capability Assessment testing process to make it fit for purpose and to abide by the Equalities Act 2010.
A previous judicial review had ruled that the WCA was clearly biased against people with mental health disabilities, and great harm has been done to many people as the DWP has refused to take into consideration any medical evidence or evidence crucial to any understanding of how a claimant's mental illness affects their daily lives and their ability to work. This cruel process has put people with mental health problems at a substantial disadvantage. The testing process has caused a great deal of distress, anxiety and fear, and there is clear evidence that there has been a significant number of suicides by claimants going through the Work Capability Assessment process, run up till now by disgraced French IT firm ATOS.
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A visit to Berrington Hall near Leominster in Herefordshire.The dome was being restored so part of the building was under scaffolding inside and out (including up the main staircase).
Berrington Hall is a country house located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Leominster, Herefordshire, England. During the 20th century it was the seat of the Cawley family.
It is a neoclassical country house building that Henry Holland designed in 1778-81 for Thomas Harley. It has a somewhat austere exterior, but the interiors are subtle and delicate. Berrington Hall is home to the Elmar Digby furniture collection, paintings by, amongst others, Thomas Luny (1759–1837), and the Charles Paget Wade costume collection from Snowshill, which can be viewed by appointment. The 'below stairs' areas and servants' quarters that are open to the public include a Victorian laundry and Georgian dairy. Berrington has been in the care of the National Trust since 1957 and is, along with its gardens, open to the public.
Berrington features Capability Brown's last landscape design. A notable feature is the ha-ha wall, which was subject to extensive renovation in the late 20th century by local craftsmen. Berrington Pool, a lake and island, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Berrington had been in the possession of the Cornewall family since 1386, but was sold in 1775 to Thomas Harley, a banker and government contractor who in 1767 had been Lord Mayor of London. He commissioned the rebuilding in 1778-1781 of the present Berrington Hall in place of the previous old house. He made it available to his daughter Anne and her new husband George Rodney, the son of Admiral Rodney. After Harley's death the house descended in the Rodney family for 95 years.
In 1901 the Manchester businessman Frederick Cawley MP, later Baron Cawley, purchased the estate. In 1957 the 3rd Lord Cawley transferred it to the Treasury, which passed in on to the National Trust. Lady Crawley was allowed to remain in occupation until her death in 1978.
It was classified as a Grade I listed building in 1959.
A walk through Capability Brown's final landscape. We headed down to the Berrington Pool through several gates. In nearby fields were sheep. Was also an electric fence near one of the gates.
Did try to walk back a different way through the field but couldn't see where the path was, so returned via the same set of gates.
cows
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard that was published by Judges Ltd. of Hastings. The card has a divided back, on which is printed:
'Ashburnham Christian Trust.
Interdenominational Conference
and Training Centre for Families
and Young People'.
Ashburnham Place
Ashburnham Place is an English country house, now used as a Christian conference and prayer centre, five miles west of Battle, Sussex. It was one of the finest houses in the southeast of England in its heyday, but much of the structure was demolished in 1959, and only a drastically reduced part of the building now remains standing.
The gardens of Ashburnham Place are Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Early History of Ashburnham Place
The village of Ashburnham was the home of the Ashburnham family from the 12th. century. The family became wealthy through their land holdings in Sussex and around Pembrey in Carmarthenshire, and later from their participation in the Wealden iron industry.
Only the cellars remain from the earliest-known house on the site, dating from the 15th. century. This house was abandoned in the 16th. century, and confiscated by Queen Elizabeth I.
The Ashburnham family recovered their estate under Charles I, and John Ashburnham was a loyal servant of the King. However he was forced to sell the estate to the Relf family in the English Commonwealth, to pay fines levied for supporting the King.
John Ashburnham recovered the estate again after the English Restoration. His grandson and namesake, John Ashburnham, was created first Baron Ashburnham in 1689. The house was largely rebuilt to designs of the neo-Palladian architect Stephen Wright under the direction of the builder John Morris of Lewes, ca 1757–61.
Design of Ashburnham Place
The park, covering some 220 acres (0.89 km2) and including three large lakes around the house, was laid out by the landscape architect Capability Brown in the mid-18th. century. Brown's orangery, c. 1767, houses the oldest camellia in England.
Brick external additions were made to the house in Gothic Revival style in 1813–17, by a third John Ashburnham, the second earl of Ashburnham, to designs by George Dance the Younger.
Robert Adam designed entrance lodges for the second Earl in 1785. George Ashburnham, 3rd. Earl of Ashburnham, commissioned architectural drawings from John Soane, but it is not known if the suggested additions were built.
The house was refaced in stone in the early 19th. century, and then, when fashions changed, a second, red brick outer skin was added in 1853.
Internally, the house had a mix of styles, with a fine staircase by George Dance rising three floors in the central entrance hall. The drawing room was decorated with painted wall panels attributed to Athenian Stuart.
The house held the family's fine collection of paintings and the extensive library, collected by the 3rd. Earl and his son, Bertram Ashburnham, 4th. Earl of Ashburnham.
Later History of Ashburnham Place
By the late 19th. century, the family was under financial pressure, and offered to sell the library, including its collection of illuminated manuscripts, to the nation in the 1890's for £160,000. The deal did not go ahead, and the books were sold piecemeal for a total of £228,000 over the next few years.
Many were acquired by the British Library, but the sixth-to-seventh-century Ashburnham Pentateuch is in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
The Earldom became extinct on the death of Thomas Ashburnham, 6th. Earl of Ashburnham in 1924, and the house was inherited by his niece, Lady Catherine Ashburnham. The house was damaged when a fully loaded American Marauder bomber crashed nearby during the Second World War, and dry rot set in.
Lady Catherine was the last of this line of the Ashburnham family, and the estate was inherited by Reverend John David Bickersteth (1926-1991), a great grandson of the 4th. Earl, on her death in 1953.
In addition to the prospect of huge repair bills, he was also saddled with crippling death duties of £427,000. The contents of the house were sold at auction at Sotheby's in June and July 1953, and half of the estate was sold in the next few years. The house was mostly demolished in 1959, reducing the central section to two floors and the wings to a single storey.
The house is Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England and the parkland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Ashburnham Today
Bickersteth established a prayer centre in the stable block, and gave the remaining parts of the house and its parkland to the Ashburnham Christian Trust in April 1960. It is operated as a Christian conference and prayer centre.
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
Strategic Airlift Capability program.
At the 2006 Farnborough Airshow, a number of NATO member nations signed a letter of intent to jointly purchase and operate several C-17s within the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC). SAC members are Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, the U.S., along with two Partnership for Peace countries Finland and Sweden as of 2010.The purchase was for two C-17s, and a third was contributed by the U.S. On 14 July 2009, Boeing delivered the first C-17 under the SAC program. The second and third C-17s were delivered in September and October 2009.
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
Communications capability was the primary focus for more than 50 Soldiers from the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade during their two-week annual training at Fort Indiantown Gap. In an elaborate configuration of tents, generators and specialized trailers, Maryland National Guard Soldiers set up classified and non-classified computer networks, switches, and routers all in a field environment.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
The Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target (PATRIOT) Missile protects ground forces and critical assets at all echelons from advanced aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles (TBM). The PATRIOT Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) is the Army’s premier guided air and missile defense (AMD) system providing highly reactive hit-to-kill capability in both range and altitude while operating in all environments.
Read more at asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/ms-pac-3_mse/.
Leominster (pronounced 'Lemster') is an historic market town which dates back to the 7th century.
Berrington Hall
A neo-classical mansion built to a design by Henry Holland, set in superb gardens by Capability Brown.
The exterior is restrained classical design, the interiors are stunningly ornate, with painted ceilings and an exceptionally fine entry staircase.
The House
Built in 1778-81 for Thomas Harley, son of the 3rd Earl of Oxford, Berrington Hall is one of the few masterpieces of the architect Henry Holland to survive intact. The interiors are characteristic of Holland’s refined Louis XVI manner and the house is set amidst a park with an artificial 14-acre lake laid out by the landscape designer ‘Capability Brown’ who was also Holland’s business partner and father-in-law.
Thomas Harley made a fortune supplying the British army with clothing and when he decided he needed a new house to showcase his family's prestige and wealth, he called on landscape gardener Capability Brown. It was Brown who chose the location for Berrington Hall, selecting a site that gave sweeping views to the Black Mountains of Wales. While Brown busied himself with creating the parkland and semi-natural landscapes, for which he was famous, the task of building the house itself fell to Brown's son in law, the architect Henry Holland.
Holland began work in 1778 and the house was completed in 1783. He drew upon the popular neo-classical style to create a house with two very different characters. The exterior is plain, sparingly adorned and formal whilst the interior is a riot of lavish colour and ornate decoration.
The interior decoration is unrestrained, with wonderful painted ceilings, ornate plasterwork, and a high dome shedding light onto a spectacular entry staircase. The elegant Georgian theme is augmented by fine furniture most of it French.
Lord Admiral Lord George Rodney was a family friend and visited Berrington Hall frequently. The dining room is hung with huge paintings by Luny depicting Rodney's famous sea battles.
There is also a fascinating glimpse of life 'below stairs', with the Laundry, Butler's Pantry, and Dairy being the highlights.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/berrington-hall/features/the-man...
The Laundry
A Strategic Airlift Capability/Heavy Airlift Wing Boeing C-17A Globemaster III parked on the apron of Eindhoven Air Base with a RNLAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules taking off in the background
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division work around the clock to plan, prepare, and implement tactics for use in a Brigade Warfighter Exercise and eXportable Combat Training Capability exercise taking place at Camp Ripley Training Center in May and June 2015. From Feb. 5-8, the troops set up and maintained a simulated Forward Operating Base for the duration of their Communication Exercise.
Castle Ashby House aerial image - Northamptonshire. Built around 1574 to 1600. Owned by the Marquess of Northampton. Landscaped by Capability Brown. #CastleAshby #aerial #image #Northamptonshire #aerialphotography
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
Leominster (pronounced 'Lemster') is an historic market town which dates back to the 7th century.
Berrington Hall
A neo-classical mansion built to a design by Henry Holland, set in superb gardens by Capability Brown.
The exterior is restrained classical design, the interiors are stunningly ornate, with painted ceilings and an exceptionally fine entry staircase.
The House
Built in 1778-81 for Thomas Harley, son of the 3rd Earl of Oxford, Berrington Hall is one of the few masterpieces of the architect Henry Holland to survive intact. The interiors are characteristic of Holland’s refined Louis XVI manner and the house is set amidst a park with an artificial 14-acre lake laid out by the landscape designer ‘Capability Brown’ who was also Holland’s business partner and father-in-law.
Thomas Harley made a fortune supplying the British army with clothing and when he decided he needed a new house to showcase his family's prestige and wealth, he called on landscape gardener Capability Brown. It was Brown who chose the location for Berrington Hall, selecting a site that gave sweeping views to the Black Mountains of Wales. While Brown busied himself with creating the parkland and semi-natural landscapes, for which he was famous, the task of building the house itself fell to Brown's son in law, the architect Henry Holland.
Holland began work in 1778 and the house was completed in 1783. He drew upon the popular neo-classical style to create a house with two very different characters. The exterior is plain, sparingly adorned and formal whilst the interior is a riot of lavish colour and ornate decoration.
The interior decoration is unrestrained, with wonderful painted ceilings, ornate plasterwork, and a high dome shedding light onto a spectacular entry staircase. The elegant Georgian theme is augmented by fine furniture most of it French.
Lord Admiral Lord George Rodney was a family friend and visited Berrington Hall frequently. The dining room is hung with huge paintings by Luny depicting Rodney's famous sea battles.
There is also a fascinating glimpse of life 'below stairs', with the Laundry, Butler's Pantry, and Dairy being the highlights.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/berrington-hall/features/the-man...
The Drawing Room
This was Thomas Harley's principal sitting room. It enjoys outstanding views of the park.
The Drawing Room would have provided an appropriate backdrop for fashionable Georgian activities such as taking tea.
A visit to Berrington Hall near Leominster in Herefordshire.The dome was being restored so part of the building was under scaffolding inside and out (including up the main staircase).
Berrington Hall is a country house located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Leominster, Herefordshire, England. During the 20th century it was the seat of the Cawley family.
It is a neoclassical country house building that Henry Holland designed in 1778-81 for Thomas Harley. It has a somewhat austere exterior, but the interiors are subtle and delicate. Berrington Hall is home to the Elmar Digby furniture collection, paintings by, amongst others, Thomas Luny (1759–1837), and the Charles Paget Wade costume collection from Snowshill, which can be viewed by appointment. The 'below stairs' areas and servants' quarters that are open to the public include a Victorian laundry and Georgian dairy. Berrington has been in the care of the National Trust since 1957 and is, along with its gardens, open to the public.
Berrington features Capability Brown's last landscape design. A notable feature is the ha-ha wall, which was subject to extensive renovation in the late 20th century by local craftsmen. Berrington Pool, a lake and island, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Berrington had been in the possession of the Cornewall family since 1386, but was sold in 1775 to Thomas Harley, a banker and government contractor who in 1767 had been Lord Mayor of London. He commissioned the rebuilding in 1778-1781 of the present Berrington Hall in place of the previous old house. He made it available to his daughter Anne and her new husband George Rodney, the son of Admiral Rodney. After Harley's death the house descended in the Rodney family for 95 years.
In 1901 the Manchester businessman Frederick Cawley MP, later Baron Cawley, purchased the estate. In 1957 the 3rd Lord Cawley transferred it to the Treasury, which passed in on to the National Trust. Lady Crawley was allowed to remain in occupation until her death in 1978.
It was classified as a Grade I listed building in 1959.
Grade I Listed Building
Berrington Hall and Adjoining Outbuildings
Stables - on this side just the stables. The other stables is used as the Stables Cafe.
In this one you can watch a film on the TV.
A Mental Health Resistance Network activist wears a yellow "Save the Independent Living Fund" tee shirt.
DPAC, Mental Health Resistance Network & WinVisible vigil at High Court supporting judicial review of Work Capability Assessment (WCA) London - 08.07.2014
Disabled activists representing Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), the Mental Health Resistance Network (MHRN) and WinVisible (Women With Invisible Disabilities held a dignified vigil on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice to show support for the judicial review taking place this week intended to make the Dept. for Work and Pensions (DWP) prove to the court that they are abiding by a previous court order that they make reasonable adjustments to the Work Capability Assessment testing process to make it fit for purpose and to abide by the Equalities Act 2010.
A previous judicial review had ruled that the WCA was clearly biased against people with mental health disabilities, and great harm has been done to many people as the DWP has refused to take into consideration any medical evidence or evidence crucial to any understanding of how a claimant's mental illness affects their daily lives and their ability to work. This cruel process has put people with mental health problems at a substantial disadvantage. The testing process has caused a great deal of distress, anxiety and fear, and there is clear evidence that there has been a significant number of suicides by claimants going through the Work Capability Assessment process, run up till now by disgraced French IT firm ATOS.
This photo © Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit, blog or otherwise exploit my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.
Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix. Standard industry rates apply.
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This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
Striated bark of a gum tree in Sheffield Park Garden which we were visiting to take a look around the location used for one of my favourite films, The Innocents (1961), directed by Jack Clayton and starring Deborah Kerr.
"Sheffield Park Garden is an informal landscape garden five miles east of Haywards Heath, in East Sussex, England. It was originally laid out in the 18th century by Capability Brown, and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its then owner, Arthur Gilstrap Soames. It is now owned by the National Trust. The gardens originally formed part of the estate of the adjacent Sheffield Park House, a gothic country house, which is still in private ownership. It was also firstly owned by the West Family and later by the Soames family until in 1925 the estate was sold by Arthur Granville Soames, who had inherited it from his childless uncle, Arthur Gilstrap Soames."
Source: Wikipedia
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
The well known hat of Clive Jones and Lawrence beside the lake at Compton Verney.
Lancelot Brown (1716 – 6 February 1783), more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape gardener. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure.
Compton Verney House, the present mansion, was built by George Verney, twelfth Lord Willoughby de Broke in 1714. In 1780, the fourteenth Earl employed Robert Adam for the purpose of carrying out major extensions to the manor. The grounds were landscaped by Lancelot "Capability" Brown who constructed two lakes almost a mile long from a number of smaller pools. The house was bought in 1993 in a run-down state by Littlewoods millionaire Sir Peter Moores, and restored into an art gallery capable of hosting international exhibitions.
Disability rights protest at DWP HQ against Work Capability Assessments - London 01.04.2014
A small group of disability rights activists from DPAC, WinVisible and Mental Health Network protested outside the London headquarters of the Dept for Work and Pensions in Tothill Street (where it's rumoured Iain Duncan Smith keeps his coffin full of soil from Milton Keynes), to demand an end to the discredited, hated Work Capability Assessments which have been used as a blunt weapon by the Tories through their (now-dismissed) henchmen at ATOS to drive many sick and disabled people to their deaths in the dishonest name of 'Austerity'.
Their numbers were few because of last minute changes, but their words - as ever - were poignant, angry and defiant.
This photo © Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit, blog or otherwise exploit my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.
Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix. Standard industry rates apply.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application solely at my discretion
If you want to use any image found in my Flickr Photostream, please Email me directly.
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Taken at Stowe Park, Buckinghamshire, the original gardens of Stowe House, now a school. The gardens were designed by Capability Brown.
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with Company A, 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct platoon level hasty defense and live fire exercises of the M1A1 Abram tank during a capability demonstration held at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosted the event for families, employers and future recruits. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
USS Klakring. 42 USA-NAVY. Frigate - Oliver Hazard Perry class. Guided missle frigates provide anti-air warfare capability.
May 2006. Fleet Week. Copyright Tom Turner.
This has been a turning point in the history of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE). With the successful completion of the exercise „Brilliant Capability 2016”, the Corps – Custodian of Regional Security – has become operationally capable to assume command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, also referred to as the “spearhead force”. I strongly believe that our team effort will provide tremendous value to NATO. – said Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, the Corps Commander, on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day, which took place in Szczecin, 2nd June.
Seen at Barnetby light locomotive heading to Immingham depot in it original British railfreight petroleum livery 60002 Capability Brown
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division work around the clock to plan, prepare, and implement tactics for use in a Brigade Warfighter Exercise and eXportable Combat Training Capability exercise taking place at Camp Ripley Training Center in May and June 2015. From Feb. 5-8, the troops set up and maintained a simulated Forward Operating Base for the duration of their Communication Exercise.
A late April 2019 visit to Croome in Worcestershire, the estate is now run by the National Trust. Croome Park is quite big, and you can walk around the grounds and see the various landmarks there.
There was various views of the church at Croome. It was also on the walk to the house, and you can see it from the other side of the river and lake!
This Grade I listed building was built in 1763 by Capability Brown for the Earl of Coventry. A medieval church nearer the Court was demolished to make way for this church, the interior of which was designed by Robert Adam.
The World War II film Our Father was partially filmed on location at St Mary Magdalene's Church.
St Mary Magdalene's Church, Croome D'Abitot
St Mary Magdalene's Church is a former Anglican church in the grounds of Croome Court, at Croome D'Abitot, Worcestershire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of The Churches Conservation Trust. It stands on a hill in Croome Park. Commenting on the church, the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner stated it is "one of the most serious of the Early Gothic Revival outside, one of the most elegant inside".
Grade I Listed Building
Listing Text
In the entry for:-
SO 84 NE CROOME D'ABITOT
2/11 Church of St James
25.3.68
GV I
the entry shall be amended to read:
SO 84 NE CROOME D'ABITOT
22/11 Church of St Mary Magdalen
2/11
25.3.68
GV I
------------------------------------
SO 84 NE CROOME D'ABITOT
2/11 Church of St James
25.3.68
GV I
Church 1758 by Lancelot (Capability) Brown with interior by Robert Adam. Bath
stone. Gothic. Chancel, nave and West tower all embattled. 3 stage tower
with perp style traceried bell stage, battlements and pinnacles. Lowest stage
is vaulted West porch, open on 3 sides. 3 window nave with niches at West and
East ends, chancel with 2 blank windows each side and large East window. Some
of the detail remarkably correct, otherwise Georgian Gothick as in the nave
and chancel cornices. Interior 'pure Georgian Gothic', tall quatrefoil piers
to nave and coved ceiling. Flat aisle roofs. Very fine plasterwork. Panel-
ling with quatrefoil upper panels. Adam style wooden font and communion rails.
In chancel outstanding series of Coventry family monuments from 1639 onwards.
Fine Gothick pulpit. 'One of the most serious (churches) of the Early Gothic
Revival outside, one of the most elegant inside'. PEVSNER. 1908.
Listing NGR: SO8864645034
This text is from the original listing, and may not necessarily reflect the current setting of the building.
The airlift capability of the Philippine Air Force received a big boost with the return to Manila on Wednesday of a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft that was earlier sent to the United States for scheduled maintenance. The arrival of the aircraft, with tail number 4704, brings to two the number of C-130s currently in service with the Philippine Air Force. Photo shows the aircraft being prepared for departure from the British Aerospace facility in Mojave, California, where it underwent a P190-million maintenance program. The crew consisted of Col. Jose Mirandilla Jr., Deputy Wing Commander of the 220th Airlift Wing and aircraft commander; Lt. Col. Ramil Oloroso, test pilot; Maj. Michael Edrik Encarnacion, pilot-in-command; and Capt. Dexter Danes and Capt. Merrito Quijano, co-pilots. The other members of the crew were MSgt. Edgardo Llmada; MSgt. Ma. Majella Querubin; TSgt. Lucio Cosep; TSgt. Manuel Savadera; TSgt. Edgar Comoda; SSgt. Joel Magdadaro; SSgt. Romeo Tusil Jr.and SSgt. Susano Albaracin. Col. Arnel Duco, Air Force Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. accompanied the aircraft home. (Photo by TSgt. Richard Oliva, Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attaché, Philippine Embassy)
The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.
The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.
The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.
“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”
Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.
“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”
Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.
“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she
said. “And it’s for that
reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”
Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.
“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”
Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.
The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.
“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”
For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.
Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).