Warrenton Training Center

The Warrenton Training Center is somehow affilliated with the National Communications System, (NSC). The NSC was created by President Kennedy in 1963, to help coordinate intra-government communications, after the Cuban Missile Crisis. There are 23 Federal agencies that are members of the NSC.

In addition to this purpose, the NSC also appears to be responsible for providing communications for agencies such as the State Department and CIA.

For the State Department, NSC provides communications services for the Diplomatic Telecommunications Service. Today, we would expect that such communications are carried out via modern technologies, such as satellite. However, some HF links still exist, KKN50, for example.

As fas as the CIA is concerned, we can only assume that the communications provided are the Numbers Stations that we have been hearing for so long.

The United States Information Agency is also a member. The USIA runs the Voice Of America. Interestingly, VOA feeders (shortwave links to transmit programming to remote transmitter sites for re-broadcast to listeners) have been noted to sometimes have DTS transmissions on them also!

I find it very curious that the US Postal Service is also a member of the NSC. Was this done for purely political reasons? (ie: USPS didn't want to feel left out) I can't understand why the USPS would be part of an organization who's purpose is to provide rapid and reliable communications in a time of emergency!

The WTC even has their own domain name, and a web page, WTC.GOV.

There are four known sites of the Warrenton Training Center, named, oddly enough, Site A, Site B, Site C, and Site D.

Some General Observations

I found it interesting that signs were around all four sites, indicating the existance of a buried fiber optic cable (typical warning signs against digging). All the signs were the same. It would be interesting to see what other sites around the area have the same signs.

All sites have the typical chain-linked fencing with the "US Property - No Tresspassing" signs posted.

If you're interested in visiting these sites for yourself, you may want to get a copy of this Map which should make finding them much easier. You'll also want an appropriate roadmap too, that shows the road route numbers.

Site A

Site A appears to be the only site where actual "training" is done. There are numerous buildings, some quite small, scattered throughout the site; many appear to look like former homes. It almost looks like either a resort or very small college campus. The "campus" is heavily wooded, and somewhat hilly. It does look like a very nice place to spend a few weeks learning to be a spook!

No antennas were obvious. My guess would be that a mix of courses are offered here, ranging from the more mundane (for embassy clerks, etc) to special courses for the spook wanna-be, such as morse code training, practice copying numbers station traffic, etc.

Site A is located at the intersection of routes 802 and 744, just southwest of Warrenton, VA.

I found this rather interesting "advertisement" on the web, offering a rental townhouse, stated to be "ideal for State Department trainees attending the Warrenton Training Center" !

Site B

This is offically the headquarters for the Warrenton Training Center. There are two microwave towers, they are the only antennas in view.

Site B is located on route 690, just northwest of Warrenton.

Site C

Otherwise known by the name BRANDY, it is located near the town of Remington. This site contains a large number of HF antennas, including several directional antennas. No doubt many of the numbers transmissions we've heard have come from this site.

Site C is located at routes 651 and 654, a few miles southeast of Remington.

Site D

Another large array of antennas. Site D seems to have fewer HF antennas than Site C. It does have several large radomes. There also seems to be more activity at Site D, and the building(s) appear to be larger. Supposedly this is a receiving site only.

Site D is located at routes 669 and 672, just north of State Route 3, around 10 miles east of Culpeper, VA.

Updated September 21, 1999

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