The Club System dates back to 1967 when Battery C, 144 Field Artillery, was located in Building 901 (now known as Ames Hall). The battery, under the management of Sgt. 1st Class Hal Suisse, ran its club as a service for its soldiers and soldiers assigned to other groups on the installation. However, an unknown incident involving an Arizona Army National Guard unit performing annual training at the camp forced the temporary closure of the club.
In 1968, as part of a statewide
reorganization of the California Army National Guard, Battery
C was consolidated with the 1114th Transportation Company to form
the 1498th Transportation Aircraft & Missile Repair Parts
Company. According to former Battery C and later post commander,
Col. Douglas Baird, the club was re-established in Building 1300
across from the US Property and Fiscal Office warehouses when
the 1498th Transportation Company relocated across the street
in Warehouse 1307.
In 1971, post commander Lt. Col. Robert Nimmo moved the club into
Building 1429, its current location. The club had no furniture,
but chairs, tables, and carpet were found in a re-consignment
truck and was used to outfit the new facility. Unit insignia from
various Army National Guard units decorated the walls and provide
a sense of unit history to the building.
In order to provide operating funds for the club, the Sergeants Major Association of California (SMA) raffled off a donated automobile. Tickets from the raffle served as "Club Cards," allowing patrons who supported the raffle and, therefore, the Club to have access to the Club when they were on the post.
During the process of converting the building, the SMA and its members were instrumental in providing funds and labor. This conversion process included joining Building 1429, initially built in 1941 as a regimental recreation building, to Building 1430, a company-sized mess hall. The new structure subsequently was renumbered as 1405. Until recently, plaques were displayed in the club's entrance recognizing those who contributed to the conversion campaign.
At some point, the club was dedicated in memory of the former Command Sergeant Major of the California National Guard, Hester Parker, and the building has been known as "Parker Hall" ever since.
As the club prospered, the need to provide services to other service members at Camp Roberts and Fort Irwin. Those Clubs were established and staffed by volunteers on weekends to support troops. Eventually, as troop strength and training missions changed, the Ft Irwin Club closed, and the Camp Roberts Senior NCO Club merged with the Officer's Club and became the "Leaders Club." The Enlisted Club at Camp Roberts continued to operate during the Annual Training periods only.
During the 1980s, the club hosted a contracted Mexican Restaraunt operated by the Clem Morales family. The restaurant was very popular with not only the military population of the post but also employees of the California Men's Colony, Cuesta College, California Division of Forestry, and the California Conservation Corps.
A club was established at Armed Forces Reserve Center (later Joint Forces Training Base [JFTB]) Los Alamitos and operated for a time but eventually closed. A new club and grill facility managed by a civilian contractor now services the patrons at JFTB Los Alamitos, as the "Fiddler's Green."
The club at Camp San Luis Obispo included a beverage service area built into the stage at the end of the original classroom area. The steps leading to that area became a safety issue with several trip and fall accidents. To correct those issues, a new beverage service area was built along the west wall of the building, and the stage area became the "Top Three Lounge" reserved for the highest three enlisted pay grades (E-7, E-8 & E-9s) and their guests.
As recreational vehicles (RV) became more popular in the late 1970s, an additional need was seen for an area to support their usage. The SMA provided labor and funds to help the construction of a small RV Park adjacent to the CSLO NSO Club to fill that need. Starting with a few spaces and minimal facilities/utilities, the RV Park was dedicated by the SMA, "IN MEMORIUM OF THE RESERVISTS WHO DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR STATE AND COUNTRY" in May 1978.
The use of the RV Park has grown over the years with more "pull-through" spaces added, utilities upgraded to include 50 Amp services for most spaces, fire pits, dump stations for RV holding tanks, and an overflow/tent camping areas to support all types of RV use. In the last five years, the original women's restroom/shower modernized, and a new men's facility added to the park. Today the RV Park, known as "Grizzly Memorial Park," is a popular stop for travelers on the Central Coast of California and continues to serve service members and SMA members and their families.
Currently, Parker Hall is
a meeting and community center. The club is being modernized by
the Camp San Luis Obispo Post Engineers and the California Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation Prison Industries Authority.
The California Military Department State Military Museums Program
will also be installing historical displays focusing on the post,
the California Military Academy Noncommissioned Officers School,
the SMA, and the National Guard's competitive marksmanship programs.