Fort Moore

Fort Moore, formerly known as Fort Benning, is a major United States Army installation straddling the border between Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama. Established in 1918, it serves as the home of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and is one of the largest military bases in the world by population and geographic area. The post is renowned for training Infantry, Armor, and Ranger personnel, playing a pivotal role in the readiness of the American ground forces.

History

The site for the post was selected in 1918 by a board headed by General Joseph E. Kuhn to establish a new school for the Infantry Branch. Construction began rapidly during World War I, with the facility initially named Camp Benning after Confederate General Henry L. Benning. Its growth accelerated during World War II, becoming a primary training center for the Allied war effort, including hosting portions of the D-Day invasion rehearsals. During the Cold War, it was central to developing airborne and air assault doctrine, and later served as a major mobilization hub during the Vietnam War, Gulf War, and the post-9/11 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Description and facilities

Encompassing over 182,000 acres, the installation features diverse terrain including woodlands, urban simulation sites, and multiple live-fire ranges. Key facilities include the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, the Maneuver Center of Excellence headquarters, and the famed Martin Army Community Hospital. The post's training infrastructure is extensive, featuring the Sand Hill reception area for new recruits, the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade facilities, and the massive McKenna and Kozloduy urban combat training complexes. It also hosts the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas.

Military significance

As the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, it is the Army's flagship institution for developing infantry and armor doctrine, tactics, and training programs. It is the sole location for producing Infantry and Armor officers and non-commissioned officers, and is home to the prestigious Ranger School and the 75th Ranger Regiment headquarters. The installation's Joint Readiness Training Center-like training areas provide realistic, multi-domain operational environments crucial for preparing units for global deployment, directly supporting the combat readiness of forces under United States Army Forces Command and United States Special Operations Command.

Naming and redesignation

The installation was originally named for Henry L. Benning, a Georgia supreme court justice and Confederate general. In 2023, as part of the Department of Defense-mandated changes by the Naming Commission established by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, the post was redesignated Fort Moore. This honors the legacy of Lieutenant General Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore; Hal Moore was celebrated for his command during the Battle of Ia Drang, while Julia Moore revolutionized Army survivor notification protocols.

In popular culture

The base, under its former name, has been depicted in several notable films and books, most prominently in the Oscar-nominated film We Were Soldiers, which dramatizes Hal Moore's experiences in the Vietnam War. It is also featured in the Paramount+ series The Terminal List and has been referenced in country music songs, including works by Trace Adkins. The rigorous training at the installation, particularly Ranger School, has been documented in television series like the Discovery Channel's *Surviving the Cut* and is a frequent setting in military fiction novels by authors such as Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin.

Category:United States Army posts Category:Buildings and structures in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:1918 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)