Fort Hood Military Base

Located near Killeen, Texas, Fort Hood is one of the largest U.S. military installations in the world.  It is currently the only two-division post within United State's borders.  While Fort Hood is currently believed to be the largest military installation in the free world, Fort Benning, located in Georgia, is the largest by both land size and personnel.

There are currently multiple military groups located at Fort Hood, including the First Army Division West and the 1st Cavalry Division. 

Fort Hood Military Base began during the days of World War II as Camp Hood.  An open military base was needed to test new technology for combating the German Blitz, and the area that is now Fort Hood was selected.  It was opened, officially, on September 18, 1942.  The name Camp Hood came from John Bell Hood, a Confederate General who was considered to be a distinguished leader of the a Texas military brigade known as Hood's Texas Brigade.  During its early operations, Camp Hood was used as both the southern disciplinary sites for the U.S. Army and also became home to a number of POWs.  Following the end of World War II, the military basse saw a decline in personnel and purpose, shifting its focus from training and research to demobilization and equipment reclamation.

Camp Hood was officially made a permanent military installation in 1950, becoming Fort Hood.  During this period of time, with the Cold War ramping up and the Korean conflict in full swing, training once again became the primary focus of the military installation. 

Soldiers from Fort Hood have served in the major conflicts in the Middle East, including Desert Storm, Shield, and Calm, operations in southeast Asia, and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fort Hood is a fully functioning military installation.  It is currently home to over 65,000 people, both family members of military personnel and military personnel.  They have an on base television station, newspaper, schools, and full service facilities to be self-contained if need be.

Fort Hood has also been home to a number of different military garrisons over its years of operation, including the 2nd, 4th, and 20th Armored Divisions, the U.S. Army Strategic Corp of Engineers, the Texas National Guard, the 1st Cavalry division, and numerous others in its over 60 years in operation.

In addition to military activities, many of the groups that have been stationed at Fort Hood have also been involved in peace keeping and emergency missions, including help with the Hurricane Katrina/Rita relief and help with the earthquakes of Mexico City.

While Fort Hood is known as one of the largest military installation in the free world, it has also been the location of anti-war activity, primarily created by protesters against the military action the U.S. government has been taking.  Most notably, protests of the Vietnam War and the War On Terror which has drawn a number of people to the Killeen, Texas, area to protest the activity.  Coffee shops and local businesses in Killeen have been featured in documentaries and other films, including the Oleo Strut coffeehouse and the Under The Hood Cafe.   They have been featured in films, including the documentary Sir, No Sir! (2005).

Fort Hood has had more than a few famous names pass through the barracks on their way to wartime duty, but the most famous would be Elvis Presley, who entered training there in 1958.  He was treated just like another recruit, but he happened to get a bit more mail than the others, receiving three to four bags a day.