National Cadet Training Center
The United States Army Cadet Corps (USAC) purchased the historic campus of the former Millersburg Military Institute (MMI) on Sept. 5, 2008, to serve as its Headquarters and the National Cadet Training Center (NCTC). Future plans include possible reinstitution of a residential military high school and junior college.
NCTC sits on 18 acres in the Bluegrass region of northcentral Kentucky, in the town of Millersburg, Bourbon County. The property is bounded to the northwest by KY-68, to the southeast by railroad tracks and open land, and to the north and south by residential properties. The school was founded in 1893 on the property of the former Kentucky Wesleyan College and moved to its current location in 1920. Upward of 250 students were enrolled during the school’s peak operating times; however, class sizes steadily declined through the early 2000s, resulting in the school’s closure in April 2006.The strategic direction for utilization of the property includes the NCTC and our vision for ongoing partnerships with local communities (camps, special interest activities, conference and retreat facilities, etc.), as well as reconstitution of a residential military high school and junior college.
The NCTC consists of six buildings with large open areas. Large oak trees dominate much of the northern side of the campus, creating a park-like setting for the property. The six buildings include Allen House, which is USAC HQ and serves as the office and residence of the commanding general, as well as the NCTC Garrison Commander’s offices. There are two dedicated dormitory buildings (Miller and Rankin Halls) that provide living quarters for 275-plus personnel, as well as McIntyre Hall, which is our academic building with 10 modern classrooms on two floors and Cadre housing on the third floor.
Womack Memorial Gymnasium is a large three-floor facility with an 87’ x 92’ main gym floor with basketball and volleyball capabilities (it also serves as an indoor drill field during inclement weather), a Cadet Club that offers a wide range of refreshments, and a 27’ x 73’ gaming floor consisting of pool, and Foosball tables. Womack also hosts an indoor marksmanship range and a full-service weight room with free weights and Nautilus® machines.
Gamble Hall, is a multi-use, two-story facility and houses our 150-seat dining facility on the upper level, as well as a multi-media classroom and the Army Cadet Exchange Service (ACES) on the lower level. ACES is the Cadet uniform shop and military-style exchange/commissary.
Last but not least is our legendary football field (used by Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant for summer training when he was the head coach at the University of Kentucky) and plenty of rolling hills for recreational activities. The NCTC also offers:
• bed space in two-person and four-person rooms, as well as squad bay barracks;
• classroom and administrative space;
• a gymnasium with bleachers for 800, concession stand, and a large stage; and
• a dining facility that can seat 150 at a time.
The NCTC serves as the Center of Excellence for Cadetting as is available for use by Cadets of the Civil Air Patrol, JROTC, Young Marines, as well as other youth and military organizations. Each summer, hundreds of young people attend Military Adventure Camp, the most challenging and realistic military-oriented summer camp available nationwide.
Beginning in 2010, the NCTC will host Cadets of other nations, providing an exposure to the United States, to officers, and Cadets from around the globe. NCTC is the premier training site for Army career exploration training. Just 90 minutes from Fort Knox, three hours from Fort Campbell, and in close proximity to the Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park – which has 525-plus acres available for field training, land navigation, squad tactics, and other realistic military training – the NCTC is the ultimate location for Cadet training.
