Fort Benning
Over 125,000 people in the Chattahoochee Valley have a connection to Fort Benning as Soldiers and their families, Retirees and their families, Contractors, and DA Civilians. Fort Benning is the third largest employer in Georgia with over 45,000 Soldiers and civilians working on the installation. The economic impact to Bi-State area is $4.75 billion dollars per year. Fort Benning has been an integral part and a friend of the Chattahoochee Valley for over 100 years.
Camp Benning was established near Columbus, Georgia on the 19th of October, 1918. The citizens of Columbus with the Chamber of Commerce lobbied the US government to build a fort. On the second attempt the US Army moved the School of Musketry to Camp Benning. Columbus, Phenix City and Fort Benning will continue to work together to make the region a great place to live.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence
Since 2005, Fort Benning has been transformed into the Maneuver Center of Excellence, as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission's decision to consolidate a number of schools and installations to create various "centers of excellence". Included in this transformation was the move of the Armor School from Fort Knox to Fort Benning. Currently, the base serves the home for United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, the United States Army Armor School with the 194th Armor Brigade and the 316 Cavalry, the United States Army Infantry School, with the 198th Infantry Brigade and Airborne & Ranger Training Brigade and separate elements 199th Infantry Brigade and Non-Commissioned Officer’s Academy. Tenant units include, 98th Training Division (IET), elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, 14th Combat Support Hospital, ARNG Warrior Training Center, Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) and Task Force 1-28. Fort Benning is now the training center for maneuver Soldiers. With 285 square miles the installation trains over 44,000 Soldiers per year in Armor, Reconnaissance and Infantry focused courses. Fort Benning has 300 training areas, 4 impact areas, 49 training facilities, 80 active live fire ranges and 4 simulation centers. There is approximately 17.5 Million SF of facilities on the installation, not including the almost 4,000 housing units. Fort Benning is a proud member of the community and is ready for any mission.
Life is Better at Benning
Fort Benning features shopping, national dining chains, entertainment, NAEYC-accredited child care and DoDEA schools (four elementary and one middle school), and world-class healthcare such as the Martin Army Community Hospital, a state-of-the-art full-service medical center, housing all family and specialty clinics, pharmacy and a 24/7 emergency room. Numerous restaurants are available for Soldiers and their families. About 40% of the Soldiers and Families live in housing on Fort Benning with the remainder living within the community.
Leaders from Fort Benning
Fort Benning has produced countless outstanding officers, including such notables as 34th President of the United States, General Dwight Eisenhower, General Omar Bradley, General George Patton, General George C. Marshall and General Colin Powell. Fort Benning strives to be “First in training, First in readiness, and First in quality of life.”
World Class Military Competitions
Each year Fort Benning hosts premier military competitions to showcase the skill and mite of the U. S. Army Soldier. Recently, Infantry Week was created to showcase the U.S. Army Infantry Soldier with competitions such as The Best Mortar Competition, All-Army Lacerda Cup Combatives Competition, International Sniper Competitor and the legendary Best Ranger Competition. Armor week was created to showcase the Armor and Cavalry Soldier with the biannual "Sullivan Cup" Best tank crew competition and the biannual "Gainey Cup" Best Scout squad. All competitions are spectator friendly and open to the public.
US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning
US Army Armor School at Fort Benning
