The HBO series “Game of Thrones” (or GoT for short) is based in the mythical world of Westeros and Essos, continents of the Known World. Westeros is where most of the series’ storylines take place. The mainland of Westeros is divided into seven kingdoms made up of nine regions: the North, Iron Isles, Rivers, Arryn Valley, Westerlands, Reach, Stormlands, Crown Lands (The landing of the king), and Dorne.
Essos is located east of Westeros and separated by the strait. Each place has its own geography and culture.
Many US military bases, located both at home and abroad, bear similarities to the fantasy world of GoT. Here is a list of military bases that could put them in parallel:
Fort Drum, NY (Castle Black and the North)
Much like northern GoT, winters in Fort Drum are cold and harsh. In addition to the large amounts of snow each year, Fort Drum, the headquarters of the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division, is located near the Canadian border.
For those familiar with the show, Castle Black, located on the Wall, is the seat of Night’s Watch, a military order tasked with guarding the wall that separates Westeros from creatures that are beyond the Wall such as the White Walkers. While we hope our Canadian neighbors don’t turn into mythological undead ice creatures anytime soon, one thing is certain with the North and Fort Drum: “Winter is coming.”
Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan (Vale of Arryn)
Arryn Valley is home to the Moon Mountains, a vast mountain range with some of the tallest peaks in all of Westeros. Bagram Air Base is surrounded by impressive snow-capped mountains reaching 25,000 feet.
In GoT, the Moon Mountains are also home to hill clans who reject and resist House Arryn (the governing body of Vale). Sounds familiar.
Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (The Riverlands)
The Riverlands are a fertile region known as the Kingdom of Rivers and Hills. It is located in the center of the continent.
Offutt Air Force Base, home to the 55th Wing, is sandwiched between the Missouri and Platte Rivers in the hills of southeastern Nebraska. The base is right in the middle of the continental United States. Both regions can be prone to flooding.
The Pentagon (King’s Landing)
King’s Landing is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms and the site of the Iron Throne, where the King sits. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the Department of Defense, and it probably has some very impressive office chairs. Both places hold great power and can be ruthless at times. It just seems logical.
Fort Knox, KY (Western Country)
Westerlands is rich in gold with mountain ranges and home to Lannisport Harbor. Although Fort Knox does not have the exact geographic features of the Westerlands, Knox has a lot of gold being the home of the Knox US Bullion Depository used to store US gold reserves.
West Point (Old Town)
The Old Town located in an area called The Reach is the oldest city in the Seven Kingdoms. West Point is the oldest active military installation founded in 1802, and is home to the United States Military Academy, the oldest military service academy in the country.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (The Iron Islands)
The Iron Islands are a group of seven rocky islands off the west coast of Westeros. Despite being the smallest region of the Seven Kingdoms, islanders enjoy great mobility due to their ships and superb naval skills.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is located in Hawaii and is the only US state made up of islands like the Iron Islands. The base is a strategic location for operations in the Pacific theater and serves as shore support to surface ships and submarines in the US Navy fleet.
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA (Dorne)
Dorne is a vast desert land isolated from the rest of Westeros. NTC, located in the Mojave Desert, looks a lot like Dorne as it is far removed from large populated areas.
The military who pass through NTC feel like they are in the middle of nowhere, just like the people of Dorne, they feel isolated from the Seven Kingdoms.
Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Vaes Dothrak)
Located on the mainland of Essos, Vaes Dothrak is a hot land ruled by a tribe of fierce warriors called the Dothraki. Camp Pendleton, located near San Diego, is home to the famous I Marine Expeditionary Force. Both forces have to rely on a large fleet to cross large bodies of water.
Join the discussion on the WATM Facebook page to add those we forgot to this list.
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