Camp Ripley: Difference between revisions

| name = Camp Ripley

| location = [[Morrison County, Minnesota|Morrison County]], [[Minnesota|Minnesota, USA]]

| coordinates =

| materials =

| demolished =

| condition =

| ownership = State of Minnesota

| open_to_public = Yes

| controlledby = [[Minnesota National Guard]]

| current_commander =

| commanders =

| occupants =

'''Camp Ripley''' is a {{convert|53000|acre|km2|singadj=on}} [[military]] and [[civilian]] training facility operated by the [[Minnesota National Guard]] near the city of [[Little Falls, Minnesota|Little Falls]] in the central part of the state. The location of the camp was selected in 1929 by Ellard A. Walsh, Adjutant General of the State of Minnesota. The site's winter warfare training course is the primary facility used by the National Guard for winter combat exercises. Camp Ripley also hosts the training academy for the [[Minnesota State Patrol]] and is a popular site for athletes training to compete in winter [[biathlon]]s. Most Minnesota Guard soldiers train at Camp Ripley during two-week annual training periods.

The camp is a state [[game refuge]] with resources managed cooperatively by the Department of Military Affairs and [[Minnesota Department of Natural Resources|Department of Natural Resources]]. It also houses the [[Minnesota Military Museum]], a museum that is open for the public and military personnel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Camp Ripley|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/index.php|accessdate=2009-12-03 |archive-date=2009-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630000439/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> Also on the grounds is the site of [[Fort Ripley (Minnesota fort)|Fort Ripley]], a military post established in 1848—the second ever built in Minnesota—to keep the peace among the [[Dakota people|Dakota]], [[Ojibwe people|Ojibwe]], and [[Ho-Chunk]] people.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Ripley |url=http://nrhp.mnhs.org/NRDetails.cfm?NPSNum=71000439 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140111193944/http://nrhp.mnhs.org/NRDetails.cfm?NPSNum=71000439 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-01-11 |work=Minnesota National Register Properties Database |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=2009 |accessdate=2014-01-11 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The site for Camp Ripley was first approved following [[World War I]] in 1929. The State of Minnesota purchased {{convert|12000|acre|km2}} of land to be used for military training. The site was officially named Camp Ripley in December 1930. It was named after [[Fort Ripley (Minnesota fort)|Fort Ripley]], a frontier fort that had been closed by the Federal Government in 1877. The fort was named for Brigadier General [[Eleazar Wheelock Ripley]], a hero of the War of 1812. The remains of Fort Ripley are contained within the camp's property boundaries. The first soldiers that came to train at Camp Ripley stayed in tents, thus, training was only possible in the summer months. The government started to see that it was not beneficial to use tents year round while training, so they constructed buildings. There are now many historic buildings at Camp Ripley. An example is Valhalla, the governor's lodge. President [[Harry S. Truman]] stayed there twice, as did [[Senator Eugene McCarthy]]. When the lodge is not being used by the governor, it is used for other VIP guests.<ref>{{cite book|title=Camp Ripley 1930-1960|author=Sandra Alcott Erickson|publisher= Arcadia Publishing, 2007}}</ref>

Camp Ripley is the training site for the National Guard, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Wing of the [[Civil Air Patrol]], [[Minnesota DNR]], Minnesota State Fire Marshal (Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education), and Foreign exchange programs. The Army Reserve often trains at Camp Ripley during the summer.

Camp Ripley has small arms and tank ranges, maneuver training areas capable of supporting heavy brigade, and special operation training facilities. Examples of the special operation training facilities are: Three drop zones, rappel tower, confidence course, water training areas, two prisoner of war compounds, and many more.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=Camp Ripley|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/index.php|accessdate=2009-12-01 |archive-date=2009-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630000439/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The '''Miller Army Airfield''' is also located at the camp. Named for Ray S. Miller, it includes a {{convert|6100-foot (1860 |ft|m)|adj=on}} paved [[runway]] capable of accommodating [[C-130]] aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.airnav.com/airport/krym|title = AirNav: KRYM - Ray S Miller Army Airfield}}</ref> There are also five [[drop zone]]s for training for the release of [[cargo]] and personnel from aircraft. The airfield's [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] identifier is '''KRYM'''.

Camp Ripley has a fully equipped winter training area. It is the National Guard's premier cold weather training site in the United States. There are: Biathlon courses, groomed cross country ski paths, special cold weather equipment, down hill ski slopes and all-weather ranges.<ref>{{cite web|title=Winter Warfare Training|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/operations/winter/index.php|accessdate=2009-12-03 |archive-date=2009-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106011550/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/operations/winter/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Camp Ripley houses the Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Center. DNR Conservation Officers are trained year-round in Camp Ripley's diverse habitat. They train by practicing controlled burns and studying the habitat.<ref>{{cite web|title=DNR Enforcement Center|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/dnr/=2009-12-03 |access-date=2009-12-03|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180525/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/dnr/=2009-12-03|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Camp Ripley has been the host for the Minnesota State Patrol Academy since 1996. The men and women who train to become state patrol officers practice their shooting skills on one of Camp Ripley's ranges and practice driving maneuvers.<ref>{{cite web|title=State Patrol Training Academy|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/mnspta/|accessdate=2009-12-03 |archive-date=2009-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701015931/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/mnspta/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

"Natural Resources Conservation – Large Installation"<ref>{{cite web|titlename=Camp Ripley|publisher=Minnesota National Guard|url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/index.php|accessdate=2009-12-01 }}<"auto"/ref>

There are three deer hunts each year at Camp Ripley to help control the deer population: one for disabled veterans and soon-to-be deployed Soldiers, one archery hunt for adults, and a youth archery hunt. There are raffles for the adult and youth archery hunts every year to determine who can participate in the hunt. For each weekend there are about 2,000 hunters.<ref>{{cite web|title= Whitetail: Hunting Camp Ripley in the new Millenium|publisher=Strictly Bowhunting|url=http://www.strictlybowhunting.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=156&theme=Printer|accessdate=2009-12-03|archive-date=2011-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209230058/http://strictlybowhunting.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=156&theme=Printer|url-status=dead}}{{sic}}</ref>

The Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations Facility is pending [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED]] Silver. This was done by the use of local, recyclable materials and enhanced thermal envelope. This will be the first [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED]] rated building at Camp Ripley.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/priorities/sustainability.php |title=Minnesota National Guard- TAG Priorities |access-date=2014-07-17 |archive-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803010928/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/priorities/sustainability.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The UASOF was designed by [[JLG Architects]] <ref>http://jlgarchitects.com/work/aviation/camp-ripley-uasof</ref>{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

*[http://www.MinnesotaNationalGuard.org/camp_ripley/ Camp Ripley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901155129/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/ |date=2018-09-01 }}

*[http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/museum/ Minnesota Military Museum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703011141/http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/camp_ripley/museum/ |date=2010-07-03 }}