Texas is a state that has a rich military history and is seen as the heartland for many military branches.
With most of its bases being formed and established during the Second World War, every military base in Texas has a unique story to tell with both its history and way of getting things done.
Texas is a state where many recruits are trained, many planes take off, and many vehicles are repaired.
With such a diverse range of military history and modern units still working here, let’s look at the homes many branches have within the state of Texas.
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Navy Bases in Texas
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
In Use: 1941 – Present
Overall Mission: Located 6 miles southeast of downtown Corpus Christi, NAS Corpus Christi is where Navy pilots go to earn their wings. Founded in 1941, the base is home to Training Air Wing FOUR, and student naval aviators fly the T-6B Texan II as part of their curriculum.
The MQ-9 Reaper drone is also operated out of NAS Corpus Christi, flown by the US Customs and Border Protection.
Units Stationed:
- Naval Air Training Command
- Corpus Christi Army Depot
- Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi
- Training Air Wing FOUR
Official Site: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/corpuschristi
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Location: Fort Worth, TX
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In Use: 1942 – Present
Overall Mission: Founded in 1942 and the first joint reserve base in the country, NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth trains and equips aviation units and ground support units for international mobilization.
The base stands to enable war fighter readiness and to support the overall personnel and families’ needs while they are located on the base.
Units Stationed:
- NAS JRB Fort Worth, Headquarters (US Navy)
- Commander Fleet Logistics Support Wing (US Navy)
- Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 59 (VR-59) (US Navy)
- 10th Air Force, Headquarters (USAF)
- 301st Fighter Wing (USAF)
- Army Reserve Fixed Wing Detachment (US Army)
- Baker Company, 90th Aviation Support Battalion (US Army)
- Alpha Company, 6th Battalion, 52d Aviation Regiment (US Army)
- 136th Airlift Wing (ANG)
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-JRB-Fort-Worth/
Naval Air Station Kingsville
Location: Kingsville, TX
In Use: 1942– Present
Overall Mission: The mission at NAS Kingsville is to foster an environment where every person on the base is being supported to reach the same common goal.
In particular, the base is designed to help and foster support for the training air wings that help produce future generations of strike fighter pilots.
Units Stationed:
- Air Wing TWO
- Training Squadrons 21 and 22
- CNATRA Contract Maintenance Detachment
- 812th Quartermaster Company (US Army)
- 454th Engineer Route Clearance Company (Texas Army National Guard)
Official Site: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/kingsville
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Army Bases in Texas
Note: Click Here to read our more in-depth article on Army Bases in Texas.
Corpus Christi Army Depot
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
In Use: 1961 – Present
Overall Mission:
In many ways, CCAD is seen as the helicopter maintenance hub for nearly all aspects of the government and military branches as they have the facilities and technology to maintain most active helicopters.
The base also acts as a training facility where a wide array of military groups have the ability to train and have access to the space and resources they need.
Units Stationed:
- Helicopter repair and operational readiness workers
Official Site: https://www.ccad.army.mil/
Fort Bliss
Location: El Paso, TX
In Use: 1849– Present
Overall Mission: With its remote area and massive amount of land, Fort Bliss is used primarily as a training ground in addition to housing some base camps.
This base is the largest base used for training air defense artillery soldiers and has a very diverse array of units stationed there at any given time.
Numerous duties are fulfilled at this location from helping develop future leadership strategies to ensure proper integration is achieved across the entire Army.
Units Stationed:
- 1st Armored Division
- 1st Brigade Combat Team
- 2nd Brigade Combat Team
- 3rd Brigade Combat Team
- 1AD Combat Aviation Brigade
- 1AD DIVARTY
- 1AD Division Sustainment Brigade
- 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command
- 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
- 5th Armored Brigade
- 93d Military Police Battalion
- Army Field Support Battalion-Bliss
- The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence
- William Beaumont Army Medical Center
Official Site: https://home.army.mil/bliss/index.php
Fort Cavazos
Location: Killeen, TX
In Use: 1942– Present
Overall Mission:
Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Hood, is one of the largest and most diverse military bases in Texas, as well as the world.
Sitting on 335 square miles of Texas real estate, It houses a wide array of units and military divisions.
With its massive territory, Fort Cavazos is able to accommodate two armored divisions and allows for the testing of various degrees of military operations and training plans.
If it involves the Army in any way, there is probably a unit at Fort Cavazos for the job.
Major Units Stationed:
- 1st Cavalry Division
- First U.S. Army Division West
- 1st Medical Brigade
- III Armored Corps
- 3d Cavalry Regiment
- 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
- 11th Corps Signal Brigade
- 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command
- 36th Engineer Brigade
- 48th Chemical Brigade
- 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
- 89th Military Police Brigade
- 504th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade
- Mobilization and Demobilization Operations Center
- Fort Cavazos Standalone Network Enterprise Center
Official Site: https://home.army.mil/cavazos/index.php
Red River Army Depot
Location: Texakcana, TX
In Use: 1941– Present
Overall Mission:
As an army depot, Red River specializes in the repair and maintenance of ground combat vehicles so they can be brought back to working order for future use.
This base has the facilities and technicians to repair just about anything with wheels, tracks, and an engine, as they service everything from IFVs to MLR vehicles.
This depot can take on whatever is thrown at it and turns it into a profit in no time.
Units Stationed:
- Army Contracting Command – Warren (RRAD)
- Defense Distribution Depot – Red River
- Fort Worth Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Army 360th Chemical Company U.S. Army Occupational Health Clinic
Official Site: https://www.redriver.army.mil/
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Army Futures Command
Location: Austin, TX
In Use: 2018– Present
Overall Mission: Being one of the newest installations in the Military as a whole, the Army Futures Command is designed at modernizing and adapting the Army to thrive in the modern world
Through various data collection and analytics work, the soldiers here can help better prepare the Army for future scenarios with new capabilities and organizational structures.
Units Stationed:
- None
Official Site: https://www.army.mil/futures
Air Force Bases in Texas
Dyess Air Force Base
Location: Abilene, TX
In Use: 1942– Present
Overall Mission: When it comes to aircraft that can drop a payload and strike fear to anything on the ground, it probably lives at Dyess.
This base is hosted by the 7th Bomb Wing, which operates B-1B Lancers. The 317th Airlift Wing is responsible for the fleet of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
This base also heavily emphasizes its green energy and sustainability initiatives that have been highly recognized.
Units Stationed:
- 7th Bomb Wing
- 317th Airlift Wing
- 489th Bomb Group
Official Site: https://www.dyess.af.mil/
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Location: San Angelo, TX
In Use: 1942– Present
Overall Mission: Despite being referred to as an air base, you will find no runways or hangars at Goodfellow as it is used for training purposes.
This is where some of the first training wings learned the basics and has helped train intelligence and surveillance units as well.
The 169th Engineer Battalion trains firefighters in a all military branches.
Goodfellow AFB also serves as a language training center for military cryptological occupations.
Units Stationed:
- 17th Training Wing
- 517th Training Group
- 344th Military Intelligence Battalion
- Delta Company, 169th Engineer Battalion
- Information Warfare Training Command Monterey, Detachment Goodfellow
- Marine Corps Detachment
Official Site: https://www.goodfellow.af.mil/
Laughlin Air Force Base
Location: Del Rio, TX
In Use: 1943 – Present
Overall Mission: Since 1942 Laughlin has been responsible for training some of the finest military pilots that have ever seen service for this country.
The training at this base helps American and Allied pilots learn how to become the best and sets up every graduating pilot for a successful career.
Units Stationed:
- 47th Flying Training Wing
Official Site: https://www.laughlin.af.mil/
Sheppard Air Force Base
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
In Use: 1941– Present
Overall Mission:
Another one of the largest military bases in Texas is Sheppard AFB.
When it comes to size and number of students trained, no other installation on the planet can honestly hold a torch to Sheppard.
This base is famous for its technical training that allows students from nearly every branch and from any allied nation to come and perfect their craft of technical work.
You can find students here learning to fly the planes right next to those learning how to fix them.
Units Stationed:
- 82nd Training Wing
- 80th Flying Training Wing
- NCO Academy
Official Site: https://www.sheppard.af.mil/
Additional Bases in Texas
Ellington Field Joint Reserve
Location: Houston, TX
In Use: 1917 – Present
Overall Mission: Whereas most other bases were set up with a clear purpose in mind, Ellington is unique in that it is a joint shared installation used by many tenants.
From the national guard to the Marine Corps, this base has the facilities to assist in various tasks that involve Air Sovereignty missions and range all the way to disaster relief services.
In some cases, NASA even may use this base as the Johnson Space Center is located close to this base.
The base is also home to newer drone operations and has a history of strategic drone usage with over 120,00 logged flight hours.
Units Stationed:
- 147th Strike Wing
- 1-149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion
- 75th Innovation Command
Official Site: https://www.147atkw.ang.af.mil/
Joint Base San Antonio
Location: San Antonio, TX
In Use: 2005– Present
Overall Mission:
While this base is part of a somewhat recent initiative to create 12 joint bases in the country, Joint Base San Antonio is comprised of several military bases near San Antonio, Texas.
Included in the JBSA sphere are Fort Sam Houston, Camps Bullis and Stanley, Martindale Army Airfield, Randolph AFB, and Lackland AFB, making up the Joint base.
Because of its multi-area and base composition, this is the largest DoD entity in the country and enables strategic missions to take place in any corner of the globe.
The over 250,00 personnel that fall under the JBSA range from those working on the multiple active runways to those working in the hospital network that all work together towards a common goal.
Units Stationed:
US Air Force
- Second Air Force
- 12th Flying Training Wing
- Sixteenth Air Force
- Nineteenth Air Force
- 37th Training Wing
- 59th Medical Wing
- 340th Flying Training Group
- 502nd Air Base Wing
- 960th Cyberspace Wing
- Air Force Basic Training
- Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team
- Air Force Security Forces Center
- Cryptologic Systems Group
- HQ Air Education and Training Command
- Special Victims’ Counsel, Air Force Legal Operations Agency
- US Air Force Band of the West
- 149th Fighter Wing (ANG)
- 433rd Airlift Wing (AFRES)
- Civil Air Patrol Lackland/Randolph
US Army
- 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command
- 5th Recruiting Brigade
- 106th Signal Brigade
- 470th Military Intelligence Brigade
- Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)
- Mission Training Complex (MTC)
- San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC)
- US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR)
- US Army Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE)
- US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- US Army Environmental Command (USAEC)
- US Army Network Enterprise and Technology Command (NETCOM)
- US Army North (ARNORTH)
- US Army South (USARSO)
- US Army Veterinary Command (VETCOM)
US Navy
- Navy Information Operations Command, Texas (NIOC-TX)
- Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio (NAMRU-SA)
- Naval Medical Forces Support Command
- Navy Technical Training Center (NTTC), JBSA-Lackland
US Marine Corps
- 4th Reconnaissance Battalion (4th Marine Division)
- Marine Company H, Support Battalion
Official Site: https://www.jbsa.mil/
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
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