The government took formal possession of the land at Aberdeen on Oct. 20, 1917, and immediately began building testing facilities. The new proving ground at Aberdeen would be used for proof-testing field artillery weapons, ammunition, trench mortars, air defense guns and railway artillery. The mission was later expanded to include operation of an Ordnance training school and developmental testing of small arms. Our mission is to provide test and test support services for authorized customers, within DOD and outside DOD including government and non-government organizations domestic and foreign. Provide comprehensive test and training both real and simulated; provide expert knowledge and technical services including instrumentation application, facility operations, manufacturing and fabrication; exploit emerging technologies; and develop leading edge instrumentation and test methodologies.