3 Largest Military Bases in the U.S.

Fort Bragg – Located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, this is the largest military base in the U.S. It is located on 163,000 acres and has a population of 238,646. The land holds 52,280 active soldiers, 12,624 reserves, 8,757 civilian employees, 3,516 contractors, 62,962 active duty family members and 98,507 family members and army retirees. Fort Bragg was the military base where successful World War II tactics were developed. There are two airfields; Pope Field and Simmons Army Airfield for airborne needs and special operations forces.

Fort Campbell – The second largest military base is located on the Kentucky/Tennessee state line. The population is 234,914 and covers an area of 105,000 acres.  There are currently 30,438 militaries, 151,360 personnel, and 53,116 family members. This is the 5th largest active duty member population in the army. This base was first established in 1942 and first used for World War II. Construction of the base was sped up due to attacks on Pearl Harbor. It annually puts 2.6 billion dollars into the local economy and is the largest employer in both Kentucky and Tennessee.

Fort Hood – This is the 3rd largest military base with a population of 217,003 and an area of 214,968. It is located in Killeen Texas, halfway between Waco and Austin. During World War II, this base was used to hold tank destroyers and mobile anti-tank guns. The tank destroyers were made to counter any German mobile armored units during World War II. There are currently 4,733 active duty officers, 74,294 family members, 39,262 active duty members, 39,805 retirees and 8,909 civilians. The base is now primarily used for National Guard and the Army Reserve for a strategic power protection platform.