Interested in knowing what it’s like being stationed at Fort Hood? You’ve probably heard stories of the sprawling Army installation, but the truth is that it is not all that bad.
With so many cities in the immediate area such as Killeen, TX, there is plenty of activities for you to do on and off post as well as some fantastic places to live.
If you’re not opposed to a daily commute, the options available to you open up and you will have a wide range of homes to choose from.
What City is Fort Hood Near?
There are several cities that surround Fort Hood, but the most prominent and proximate is Killeen, TX. The main gate, Bernie Beck Gate, is the primary interface between Killeen and Fort Hood main post.
Other cities in the immediate area include Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Nolanville, Gatesville, Belton, Kempner, and Temple. These cities, ranging from a few thousand residence to tens of thousands of residents, are all within a 30 minute drive to any of the Fort Hood gates.
Of course some major metropolises are not very far away either. Dallas/Fort Worth metro is only a couple hours to the north. Houston is about 3 hours to the east. Austin is about an hour to the south. Lastly, San Antonio is about 3 hours to the south.
There are countless options when being stationed on Fort Hood.
How Many Soldiers are Stationed at Fort Hood?
There are around 40,000 active duty Soldiers stationed at Fort Hood at any given time. With the rigorous deployment schedule many units have, the actual amount of Soldiers at Fort Hood may be less from time to time. However, with that many Soldiers and families, you can imagine that the Fort Hood PCS season could be pretty hectic.
Overall, Fort Hood claims to serve over 500,000 Soldiers, family members, DA civilians, retirees, and veterans. This makes it the third largest Army base behind Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell.
As you can see, it’s a decent-sized military base. I definitely recommend assessing the traffic at whichever gate you choose to go through as traffic can be daunting at certain hours.
What Units are Stationed at Fort Hood?
Fort Hood is the home of numerous tenant units. The major units permanently stationed at Fort Hood include-
- III Corps
- 1st Cavalry Division (1CD)
- 1st Armor Division West
- 3rd Cavalry Regiment
- US Army Garrison – Fort Hood
- 13th Sustainment Command
- 1st Medical Brigade
- 11th Signal Battalion
- 36th Engineer Brigade
- 89th Military Police (MP) Brigade
- 504th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade
- 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB)
- 48th Chemical Brigade
- 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
- US Army Operational Test Command (OTC)
- Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
Keep in mind that this list does not include subordinate units such as 3-8 Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
On Post Housing
Fort Hood Housing offers a wide spectrum of on-post housing for Soldiers of all ranks. These homes range from 2 bedroom to 5 bedroom and are assigned based on the service member’s rank.
Most of Fort Hood’s housing has a reputation for deplorable conditions such as mold and infestations, but not all of the housing is that bad.
If you’re looking to live on post I wouldn’t expect many upgrades such as granite countertops or multi-vehicle garages unless you’re in the upper ranks of the Army.
For this reason, most find more reasonable homes off post.
Off Post Housing
If you’ve been in the Army for a while then you know that you get more bang for your buck from off-post housing.
In the greater Fort Hood area you’ll find a wide range of housing from more economical accommodations such as an apartment outside the gates to more luxurious accommodations such as Bella Charca in Nolanville.
While most service members opt to live in the Killeen area due to the commute, it’s not uncommon to find those that venture as far south as Georgetown or Round Rock. The cost of living is more expensive in those cities, the commute is upwards of 45 minutes to an hour, but they experience a much different lifestyle than those living just outside of post.
As with any installation, if you decide to live off post then normally you’re responsible for utilities and maintenance. Many find that to be fair as they enjoy a home that better fits their lifestyle.
If you’re about to be stationed at Fort Hood and interested in learning more about it and what it has to offer, give me a call or send me an email and I would love to chat with you about it.
Note: Fort Hood is now called Fort Cavazos. The name was recently changed in May 2023 after General Richard E. Cavazos. However, many residents and tenants of the post call it Fort Hood. We’ll try to call it Fort Cavazos, but from time to time it’ll slip our tongues.
