Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center
The Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center (WHFRTC) is a training ground located near Greenville in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, and is the primary training center for the Kentucky National Guard. Named for Wendell Ford, U.S. Senator and 53rd Governor of Kentucky, the site began in 1969 with , and as of 2017 encompassed of reclaimed strip mining land. The facility was dedicated on October 17, 1997. Prior to the establishment of WHFRTC, the majority of the land was managed by Peabody Coal Company. As of September 16, 2017 the installation is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel  Joe Lear, with Command Sergeant Major Keith Cox as the ranking enlisted soldier. The center serves as a training location for an average of 70,000 personnel per year. Training programs. WHFRTC has a history of hosting a number of training programs for both military and civilian personnel, including: Additionally, WHFRTC is home to the National Responder Preparedness Center, a joint training mission with the Kentucky State Fire Commission, which opened in 2013. WHFRTC was also used as a regional support area during the August 2017 lunar eclipse.